Soccer championship goes to The Armadillos

By Heather Spaulding • August 6, 2023 1:30 am

The tension amongst the crowd that lined the Linde Community Fields July 27, was tangible. It was the final Island Rec’s do-ed adult soccer league game and the battle was on between Thistle and Biscuits and the Armadillos.

“Thistle and Biscuits are the underdog and worked their way up from the consolation zone to the playoffs. The Armadillos won the championship last year, and have won almost all their games.” Recreation Manager Bethany Klassen said. The program began in 2016. This year there were 154 players registered, making up eight teams. The games began in May, and after a seven-week season and a three-week tournament, arrived at the final playoffs. The winners take up special championship t-shirts.

Cheers broke out as Thistle and Biscuits tapped one into the goal net toward the end of the first half. The score was now 1-0.

The Armadillos came back in the second half, and they came back hard. Thistle and Biscuits managed good blocking, passing and kept their spirits up, but the Armadillos kept pulling further ahead. By the time the game was over the score was 1-4.

“Our team played heroically, really put their heart into it,” Brady Ryan, Thistle and Biscuit coach told the Journal after the game, adding that the Armadillos were “clearly the superior team.” Although it had been a struggle having to rely on substitutes a majority of the season and forfeited one game due to a lack of players, Ryan said “it has been fun.”

Brett Paul, Armadillo coach was in awe of Thistle and Biscuits as well. “It was a battle,” he said, “it was fun to play against them. We have a bunch of friends on the Biscuits, and they have had a tough season. It’s a bruiser of a game, people come out and play hard. But it’s a fun activity and I’m grateful for Island Rec and all they do.”

For those interested in joining the league next year, keep an eye out on Island Rec’s website, https://www.islandrec.org/, in the spring.