The COVID-19 pandemic put the kibosh to any Canadian men’s and women’s soccer championships in the fall, but that’s not to say the Feildians women’s team isn’t very hungry to win a provincial title.
Any other year, the Double Blues would be anxious for a return to nationals after finishing just out of the medals at the Canadian championship last fall in St. John’s, with a fourth-place showing.
But there will be no nationals this year as Canada Soccer in June decided to cancel the 2020 Toyota Canadian championships set for Oct. 7-12.
So, instead of this upcoming weekend being the final weekend of provincial Jubilee Trophy women’s round-robin play, the provincial championship will be decided in October on Thanksgiving Day weekend when the nationals were originally scheduled.
And that means Feildians have a lot to play for.
It’s been a while since a Double Blues women’s team won the provincial championship — in 2000 with the ladies’ provincial club championship. That was a third straight crown for Feildians, who also won in 1999 and 1998 in a dominant stretch. The ’98 championship was, at the time, the first provincial senior women’s soccer championship in three years.
Feildians won 18 straight games during that 1998 season. Guards upset Feildians in the 2001 all-Newfoundland club championship, and Mount Pearl won in 2002.
It’s been pretty much all Holy Cross since 2010, with eight titles.
That includes the past four straight championships.
Last year, Feildians lost to Holy Cross in the provincial final, but still got to play in nationals because the championship was held in St. John’s and Newfoundland was granted two berths.
Feildians are second in the four-team Breen’s Jubilee Trophy circuit so far this season with two wins, a loss and a tie. Holy Cross (4-0-1) holds down first place.
Those teams had a showdown Monday night at Feildian Grounds in St. John’s, playing to a 3-3 draw. Alex Murphy scored the tying goal for Feildians.
The highly-touted Murphy injured her knee in May 2019 and has undergone a lengthy recovery. She has three goals in her last four games.
Stacey Hanlon of the Double Blues, second in league scoring last season and a Jubilee Trophy all-star, also has three goals this year.
Feildians play again Thursday night at 9 p.m., against the St. John’s Soccer Club at King George V Park. That follows a 7 p.m. game between Holy Cross and Calvin Randell Strikers.
Twitter: @telyrobinshort