The Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School senior boys' soccer team is the most unlikely of champions.
A 13-year drought ended Tuesday afternoon when Grade 11 star Kallum Holdsworth netted his third consecutive game-winning goal to lead the Flames to a 1-0 victory over Bracebridge Muskoka Secondary School to help his team win the Georgian Bay championship.
Bracebridge entered the contest as the favourite and No. 1 seed.
The Flames struggled to a 1-3-1 regular season record, but the team came together and clicked in the post-season, says first-time head coach Christopher McMillan.
“Coming into the season, we knew we had a lot of talent, but it took some time to get to know each other and figure out everyone’s role," McMillan said.
McMillan had the biggest obstacle of anyone on the club this season; he had barely ever played the game as a child. But McMillan learned from his players and junior coaching staff as the season progressed.
“I figured out the learning curve on my part. We seemed to have it all figured out going into the playoffs and we got the momentum going.” McMillan said.
The Flames came into the playoffs as the third-seeded team from the Catholic division and promptly went on one of the most surprising runs in school history, on route to championship glory.
Patrick Fogarty stunned top-seeded St. Joseph’s from Barrie, and second-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas from New Tecumseth, punching their ticket to a championship qualifier against the first seed from the public school division, Nottawasaga Pines.
In that game, it looked like Fogarty's luck had run out. The Flames trailed 2-0 after the first half in that game, but Holdsworth said the team did not doubt itself. Somehow, the Flames willed themselves back into the game, knotted the score and then capped the upset by winning in penalty kicks.
“Being down in that game made us push our limits even further," said Holdsworth. "We were the underdog in that game, just like every other game we played this season."
Holdsworth said that's what motivated the squad. "It never bothered us once that we weren’t supposed to win. It’s what drove us to out-work and out-hustle every other team," said the forward, fighting back tears.
Tuesday’s championship victory for Fogartty qualifies them to represent the region at the Ontario Federation of School Athletec Association (OFSAA) championships this June, in North Bay.
Coach McMillan isn’t putting any pressure on his team looking forward.
“Honestly we didn’t have any expectations coming into these playoffs and here we are. So let’s go to provincials, have some fun, and we will see what happens.” McMillan said.
The expectations from the players are to shock the province once again, said Holdsworth.
“We expect to be the underdog again, but we are going to put in the work over the winter, and we will come out of provincials on top.”
