Last weekend, Richmond/Vancouver-based Fusion FC and BC Soccer hosted the Provincial Premier Cup Championships at Minoru Park, with 12 games taking place under the hot sun over the two days.
Five Fusion teams were in the finals, the most ever in one season for the club, with three of them winning gold medals.
The 2007 Girls also secured a trip to the 2022 National Championships taking place later this year.
On the Saturday, the 2006 Fusion boys faced Mountain United, of Burnaby, which produced a tense no-score tie in regular time, sending the match directly to penalty kicks.
After Fusion missed on their first attempt, former Richmond FC player Oliver Boogemans calmly put away the second to start the momentum. With the penalties tied at four each after the first five shooters, the match was settled in the next round of shooters.
Fusion goalkeeper and former Richmond FC player Harrison Berger, who had been substituted into the game in the last two minutes of the match to face the penalties, saved the sixth Mountain shooter to seal the win and the cup.
The 2006 boys featured a number of former Richmond FC players: Harrison Berger, Jameson Chan, Oliver Boogemans and Taren Sandhu. The team is also coached by former Richmond youth players Jeevan and Savin Sandhu.
On Sunday morning, the 2006 girls took the field against Surrey United and in the 10th minute, former Richmond United players connected to send Fusion into the lead.
Brooke Viccars fed a pass from the left side of the Surrey 18-yard box into Kya Thackwray, who fired into the back of the net. Surrey managed to level the match in the 26th minute, but it was only a matter of time before Fusion took the lead for good as they dominated possession throughout the match.
Fusion's second and game-winning goal came in the 49th minute.
The 2006 girls are now two-time provincial champions, having also won the finals at the U13 level, the last time they were played in 2019.
The squad includes many Richmond-based players who played youth soccer with Richmond United, including: Brooke Viccars, Byrnn Radu, Jessica Dulay, Kya Thackwray, Maram Bilal and Olivia Gomez.
In one of the last matches of the weekend, Fusion's 2007 girls cruised to victory with a 3-0 win over Mountain United.
Former Richmond United player Brianna Langelaan opened the scoring in the first half with a powerful strike from inside the box. Two second half goals secured the win and the clean sheet with Langelaan also getting an assist on the second goal.
The team now has the honour of representing B.C. at the National Championships, which will take place in Prince Edward Island in October.
