BURNABY — Coquitlam’s Dr. Charles Best Blue Devils, one season after winning its fifth provincial top-tiered title in nine years, aims for a half-dozen in a decade when the 2018 B.C boys AAA high school soccer championship tournament kicks off Nov. 22 at Burnaby Lake West.
The Blue Devils will be joined in the 16-team parade by its foe in last season’s title tilt, Surrey’s Panorama Ridge Thunder, along with five others from the massive Fraser Valley zone.
Yet despite the pedigree of the pair, they don’t begin the three-day event which concludes Nov. 24, among the field of top-seeded favourites.
West Vancouver’s Sentinel Spartans, the North Shore champs, top pool A along with Vancouver’s Kitsilano Blue Demons, Panorama Ridge and Best.
Victoria’s Oak Bay Bays are tops in Pool B, with Fraser Valley runners-up and 2017 Final Four contenders, the L.A. Matheson Mustangs of Surrey. Also in the pool are Richmond’s R.A. McMath Wildcats and Ft. St. John’s North Peace Oscars.
Pool C is topped by Fraser Valley champion Abbotsford Panthers, as well as the Burnaby Mountain Lions, Victoria’s Royal Bay Ravens and Port Moody’s Heritage Woods Kodiaks.
And finally, Pool D is led by the Lower Mainland champion Vancouver College Fighting Irish, and also includes Okanagan champion Rutland Voodoos, PoCo’s Terry Fox Ravens and Surrey’s Tamanawis Wildcats.
Two of the first three sets of round-robin pool play take place Nov. 22. On Nov. 23, the morning schedule sees the completion of Pool play with 9 and 11 a.m. matches.
Pool C and Pool D winners then square off in a 12:45 p.m. semifinal at Burnaby West #3, while Pool A and B winners do likewise at 2:45 p.m. on the same pitch.
Placing games begin at 9 a.m. Nov. 24 with the championship final slated for a stand-alone 11:15 a.m. start.
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