Stouffville’s U14 Mustangs faced off against Vaughan, arguably the best team in the York Region league, in a thrilling match last Thursday night at the Bethesda Sports Fields.
A physical battle ensued from the start, with both teams sharing possession of the ball through the first 25 minutes.
Impressive defending from Antonin Wong, Christian Stroescu, Levi Scott, William Hristov, and Kayle Roth kept Vaughan at bay, until a 30-yard screaming shot flew past goalie Jalen Banks to give Vaughan the lead.
Coaches Shaun Henson and Fadi Blaney had a simple game plan: focus on defence, win midfield battles to stay competitive, and keep the score down at half-time to facilitate a second-half offensive.
The Mustangs delivered, with Captain Karthick Thushanthan scoring an equalizing goal early in the second half.
With the score at 1-1, the Mustangs’ midfield remained resilient thanks to impressive performances from George Kokinias and Christian Munoz.
A team effort, assisted by Christos Kiamos, Daniel Ijeh, Landyn Huetl, and Nico Blaney, saw Stouffville pushing the ball upfield to relieve pressure imposed by a relentless Vaughan squad.
The frustrated Vaughan group continued to fight for a winner, but Stouffville’s focus and resilience led to a 1-1 draw.
The Mustangs coaches thanked parents for their unwavering support and praised the hard work of their players: “We are very proud for the progression and hard work shown by the team. The character and togetherness that’s needed for that type of result against a top team is evident.”
The result keeps Stouffville in the hunt for an impressive 3rd place finish this season, with the Mustangs eagerly anticipating their final four games.
