TORONTO - Humber College plays host to the 2015 belairdirect Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Men's Soccer Championship, beginning Thursday.
All three of last year's OCAA medalists return to the big stage, including the defending champion Algonquin Thunder, silver medalist Humber Hawks, and bronze winner and defending national champion Sheridan Bruins.
This year's format has been expanded from a final four to an eight-team competition. Four OCAA quarter-final matches take place on Thursday, leading to Friday's semi-finals. The semi-final winners advance to Saturday's gold medal match, while the losing teams play for bronze. Losing teams in the quarter-finals compete in a consolation round.
The other five teams advancing to provincials include the Cambrian Golden Shield, Fanshawe Falcons, Fleming Knights, Niagara Knight and UTM Eagles.
The OCAA gold medal participants both advance to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Soccer National Championship in Saint-Lambert, Que., from Nov. 11-14.
Algonquin Thunder (7-0-3, 1st East)
Algonquin won the east regional title, earning a bye directly into provincials. The Thunder are looking to complete their first OCAA title defence since winning six straight gold medals from 2004 to 2009.
First-year striker Marco Natoli (Ottawa) led the Thunder in scoring during the regular season with nine goals in 10 matches.
Algonquin has 15 OCAA medals in its history, including 11 gold.
The Thunder open the tournament against the UTM Eagles.
Cambrian Golden Shield (4-2-4, 2nd East)
The Cambrian Golden Shield punched their ticket to provincials with a 2-0 home win over Redeemer in the qualifying round.
Third-year midfielder El Hadji Thiane (Toronto) and second-year midfielder David Nwaokolo (Nigeria) scored for Cambrian in the sudden death match. First-year forward Marcello Tantalo (Sudbury) led the Golden Shield with three goals during the regular season.
The Golden Shield are playing for their first ever OCAA medal. Cambrian opens provincials against Sheridan on Thursday.
Fanshawe Falcons (7-1-2, 1st West)
The Fanshawe Falcons won the west regional title, earning a direct entry into the OCAA tournament. It turns out they will be the only west team at the championship.
Fanshawe was led in the regular season by second-year forward Mike Marcoccia (London) and his 13 goals in nine matches. He was the OCAA co-leader in goals along with St. Clair's Jordan Lidia (Leamington).
The Falcons have won 11 OCAA medals in their history, their most recent a bronze medal in 2009. Fanshawe last won an OCAA championship in 1996.
The OCAA championship kicks off with a quarter-final match between Fanshawe and Niagara.
Fleming Knights (3-4-3, 4th East)
Late dramatics in the qualifying round lifted the Fleming Knights into the OCAA championship. Third-year midfielder Jamie Gilmore (Brampton) scored in the 89th minute, breaking a 1-1 deadlock to give Fleming a 2-1 win over St. Clair in the sudden death playoff. Gilmore didn't score in any of Fleming's 10 regular season matches.
Fleming's top scorer during the regular season was first-year midfielder Josh Penello (Fraserville) with four goals in nine matches.
Fleming has won three OCAA medals in its history, but none since 1987 (bronze). The Knights have not won a provincial crown.
Fleming has a date with Humber in the quarter-finals.
Humber Hawks (9-0-1, 1st Central)
Humber won the central regional championship, and will now host provincials with a perfect 5-0-0 home record (although its scoreless "road" tie against George Brown was played at the same Centennial Park Stadium the Hawks call home).
First-year forward Luca Baldassare (Woodbridge) led the Hawks in scoring during the regular season with seven goals in just four games.
Humber has been awarded OCAA medals 19 times, including nine gold. The reigning silver medalists won four straight OCAA titles between 2010 and 2013.
The Hawks open this year's provincials against upstart Fleming.
Niagara Knights (3-5-2, 3rd Central)
Niagara secured its bid for the OCAA tournament with a 1-0 win at Centennial in the qualifying round. First-year player Alex Latham (Welland) scored the only goal the Knights needed to advance.
First-year midfielder Kimble Donayre (St. Catharines) and third-year forward Andy Hein (Omemee) were the Niagara co-leaders in goals during the regular season with three each.
Similar to Cambrian, the Knights are in search of their first-ever OCAA medal. Niagara kicks off the tournament against Fanshawe.
Sheridan Bruins (6-3-1, 2nd Central)
If there was ever a good time to finish second, this was it for the Sheridan Bruins. Because Humber earned an automatic bye into provincials as tournament host, Sheridan also earned a bye with the Hawks finishing first in the central.
First-year forward Jonathan Jabbison (Milton) led all Bruins with five goals in eight regular season matches.
Along with Humber, Sheridan also has a consecutive OCAA medal streak of five straight seasons. Sheridan has 13 total medals in its history, its last gold coming in 1992. But the Bruins are the defending national champions, and look to return to the tournament by advancing to the gold medal match.
Sheridan opens provincials against Cambrian.
UTM Eagles (2-5-3, 4th Central)
The UTM Eagles have advanced to their first OCAA championship in their inaugural season in men's soccer.
The Eagles clinched a berth at provincials with a 2-1 victory over Mohawk. First-year midfielder Alvin Powell (Mississauga) broke a 1-1 deadlock in the 78th minute to lift UTM to the win.
First-year defender Nolan Anderson (Mississauga) led the Eagles with three goals in 10 regular season matches.
UTM is the fourth central region team to advance to the tournament. The Eagles will need to dethrone defending champion Algonquin in the quarter-finals to continue their Cinderella ride.
Championship Website: www.humberhawks.ca/information/2015_OCAA_Mens_Soccer
Live Webcast: www.youtube.com/user/hawksrock121/live
Championship Schedule
Thursday, October 29
Quarter-Finals
Game #1: Niagara vs. Fanshawe - 9:30 a.m.
Game #2: Fleming vs. Humber - 12:30 p.m.
Game #3: UTM vs. Algonquin - 3:30 p.m.
Game #4: Cambrian vs. Sheridan - 6 p.m.
Friday, October 30
Consolation Round
Game #5: Loser Game #1 vs. Loser Game #2 - 9:30 a.m.
Game #6: Loser Game #3 vs. Loser Game #4 - 12:30 p.m.
Semi-Finals
Game #7: Winner Game #1 vs. Winner Game #2 - 3:30 p.m.
Game #8: Winner Game #3 vs. Winner Game #4 - 6 p.m.
Saturday, October 31
Consolation Final
Game #9: Winner Game #5 vs. Winner Game #6 - 9 a.m.
Bronze Medal Match
Game #10: Loser Game #7 vs. Loser Game #8 - 12 p.m.
Winning team presented OCAA Bronze Medal at conclusion of match
Gold Medal Match
Game #11: Winner Game #7 vs. Winner Game #8 - 3 p.m.
OCAA Gold and Silver Medals presented at conclusion of match
- OCAA -
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