[Photos by Alex Shemetov, shemetov.com, @photo.calgary]
CALGARY, AB – A monumental team effort and superb play helped Calgary Foothills FC (Foothills) bring home the League1 Alberta Championship in front of a hometown crowd. Foothills defeated St. Albert Impact (Impact) at Calgary’s Broadview Park with a final score of 3-0. The League1 Alberta Championship win is especially sweet for the hometown host, Foothills, as it is the first Championship final for this new exhibition league. Foothills ended the regular season with a 6-0-2 record.
Head Coach, Jay Wheeldon said we shouldn’t be fooled by the final score. Wheeldon said, “Impact came out hard and pressured us throughout. Our guys had to stay alert. We couldn’t let our guard down at any time. A number of our players had great games, including Captain Tom Field, Mohamed El Gandour, Skyler Rogers, Max Piepgrass, and Charles Nana with two goals tonight and several additional opportunities. And goal keep Liam Collens also had an exceptional night with a clean sheet.”
Foothills came off the bench strong, owning the ball early on. El Gandour put Foothills on the scoreboard at the 11-minute mark with a clear shot into the net after being bowled over in the box and awarded a penalty kick.
Impact regained composure halfway in the first, taking possession and breaking toward the net with some deep drives but couldn’t beat the Foothills defenders. After some back-and-forth play, Nana made it 2-0 at the 42-minute mark, slipping the ball past the Impact keeper.
The second half opened with no changes to the starting roster for either team and lots of pressure from St. Albert. However, El Gandour shut down their momentum by setting up Nana at the 60th minute to make the score 3-0, much to the joy of Foothills fans, especially the youngsters in attendance.
Charles Nana, who tallied 2 goals for Foothills FC in the championship and was awarded Player of the Game, adds, “[I’m] really pleased for the team to win another trophy for this club, delighted to score the 2 goals and now personally I am ready for the Usports season to take this form on. This club means a lot to me, and I am excited about winning another trophy with them.”
Foothills would like to thank its sponsors, fans, and League 1 Alberta, all of whom are helping to grow the game in Calgary, the province, and across Canada. We wish all our departing players heading back to Usports for their season all the best and look forward to watching them in action for their respective schools. We thank them and the coaches for all their efforts this season on a fantastic inaugural League1 Alberta campaign.
ABOUT LEAGUE1 ALBERTA
League1 Alberta is the province of Alberta’s Pro-Am, standards-based senior league. Founded in 2023 and in its inaugural exhibition season, the League comprises five teams in the men’s and women’s divisions, with Foothills fielding a team in each. The League was announced in 2023 as an exhibition series. It plans to fully launch in 2024 with membership in Canada League 1.
ABOUT FOOTHILLS FC LEAGUE1
The Foothills Men’s team program is formally affiliated with Cavalry FC. The team previously participated in USL League Two (formerly PDL), a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada until 2020. The team participated in the Western Division, which intermittently had the Portland Thorns, Seattle Sounders, and Vancouver Whitecaps MLS development teams in the League. Foothills was a consistent contender with three Division titles, two Conference titles, was National runner-up, and won a National US Championship. The team is led by head coach Jay Wheeldon, a former professional player with Cavalry FC.
ABOUT OUR LEAGUE1 SPONSORS
Foothills FC and Foothills WFC would like to thank its sponsors: Acera Insurance, Daveta Energy Services, JOW Project Solutions, First Choice Millwork, and SECURE Energy Services.
ABOUT PATHWAY TO PRO “THE FOOTHILLS WAY”
For players with interest, determination, and talent, Foothills provides a pathway for aspiring players to reach their full potential and achieve their goals of playing in top leagues across Canada and internationally. We inspire the next generation of soccer stars by setting a strong example and promoting the importance of hard work and dedication.
Media contact:
Claire Mikuska
(403) 801-6551
claire@calmstrategyinc.com
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