ALEXANDER QUON

#18 Garrett Peters (above) scored both goals in the CanWest semifinal.

When the Huskies men’s soccer team arrives at the Canadian Interuniversity Sports Championship this weekend they will represent not just the best that Saskatchewan has to offer but all of Western Canada, having won the Canada West championship for the first time in the program’s history.

Hosting the Canada West Final Four for the first time in 11 years meant that the Huskies had a home pitch advantage to go along with their successful season. Even though they entered as the top seeded team from the Prairie Division, the Dogs faced stiff competition against the 2011 CIS champions the University of Victoria Vikes, the University of Alberta Golden Bears and the reigning Canada West and CIS champion, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.

The Huskies’ first game of the weekend had them facing off against the number two team from the Pacific Division, the Vikes, in the Canada West championships’ first semifinal.

Saskatchewan dominated the first half of the match, using the strong wind to their advantage. Huskies’ Garrett Peters opened the scoring for the home side after a scramble in front of the net. The Vikes’ keeper Noah Pawlowski — a Canada West First Team All-Star — initially stopped two shots before Peters was able to slot the ball into the bottom right corner of the net in the 23rd minute.

Peters was able to capitalize seven minutes later as a corner kick from teammate Brett Levis was headed in by the 5’11” striker.

Huskies keeper Michal Bandula — a Canada West Second Team All-Star — was not prepared to let anything by him even as the Vikes rallied in the second half. Even though the Pacific Division representatives weren’t able to score, six of their eight shots came in the last 45 minutes of the game.

Although Peters’ two goals lifted the Huskies to a win, the fourth year Huskie player denied that the win was solely because of him.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s me or someone else scoring, as long as we’re winning,” Peters said after the 2–0 victory.

In the other semi-final, the Golden Bears upset the top seeded team from the Pacific Division, the Thunderbirds, by a score of 2–0.

The Bears, the second placed team from the Prairie Division, were now the only thing that stood between the Huskies and the Canada West title. Even though the Huskies had beaten the Bears twice this season, the Dogs were not going to let the previous success go to their head.

The Golden Bears “just beat one of the top teams in the country and we’re not taking this for granted. We believe in ourselves and we trust the work we’ve put in, were well coached and I think we’ll take it,” said Huskie Luigi Bekwayo. On Oct. 30 Bekwayo was awarded the Canada West Student Athlete Community Service Award for his outstanding leadership on and off the pitch.

The Canada West final was by no means a walk in the park for the Huskies as the Bears dominated the home side for the first 45 minutes of the championship game.

In the 20th minute, Alberta opened the scoring when Tyler Graham sent a long ball to Jermele Campbell whose shot sailed passed Bandula and into the top left corner of the net.

The Huskies were able to tie the game seven minutes later as the Dogs’ captain, Jordian Farahani, curled a free kick into the top corner of the net.

It was a hard fought and contentious contest between the two teams as a total of eight yellow cards were awarded, seven of which went to Alberta . Alberta’s D. Mensah-Agyeman was awarded a red card after receiving two yellow cards in the 34th and 88th minutes.

Alberta was once again able to take the lead in the 36th minute as Niko Jankovic scored a goal off of a scramble in front of the Huskies net.

With the score 2–1 at the half, the Dogs knew that they would have to stage a comeback win in order to earn a title on home soil. Striker Bobbi Nicholat started that comeback bid as his shot slid past the gloves of rookie keeper Connor James in the 64th minute.

Saskatchewan would take the lead in the 81st minute as Farahani scored his second goal of the match off of Levis’ corner kick. Securing the Dogs a 4–2 championship victory, David Brown netted the fourth goal off of a penalty kick in the 86th minute.

In the bronze medal game, the Thunderbirds beat Victoria 2–1.

Although Alberta lost to Saskatchewan, they have the consolation of joining the Huskies as they travel to the CIS Championship hosted by the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers. The CIS Championship tournament is scheduled to begin Nov. 6.

The Dogs will begin their quest for the CIS title on Nov. 6 against the host UPEI Panthers at 7 p.m. local time. All games will be streamed online through www.CIS-SIC.tv.