[Photos by Alexander Shemetov, shemetov.com, @photo.calgary.]

Calgary, AB – Calgarian rivalries lit up the League1 Alberta stage last night as Foothills FC took on Cavalry FC U21 and Foothills WFC matched up with Calgary Blizzard WSC (Blizzard). Foothills FC came out on top with a 4-0 win over the Cavalry squad, raking in 3 points to place them at the top of the league. Foothills WFC held strong for a tightly contested game but eventually fell short 3-0 to the Blizzard.

Foothills FC opened the scoring in the 10^th minute with a great possessional play by Max Piepgrass. Piepgrass orchestrated two incredible balls, leading to Moe El Gandour dribbling in from the wing and finishing clinically well. Cavalry’s strong defensive line fended off opportunities from Foothills FC for the remainder of the half.

In the second, Foothills FC’s offensive line brought their intense energy and talent to the pitch. Piepgrass delivered another switch-off play to El Gandour, who then provided a great delivery for Emmanuel Dan-Adokiene, who finished with a diving header. Dan-Adokiene said, “It was a great opportunity. I was able to get behind the defenders. We were practicing that yesterday, and it worked out.”

Heading into the final minutes of the match, substitute Chace Jacquart provided a ball in behind for Garry Onyejelem, who cooly slotted past the keeper. In what became the icing on the cake and the best goal of the night, Miguel Da Rocha shot an absolute belter from the edge of the box in the 90^th minute, ending the game on a high note for a 4-0 victory over Cavalry FC U21.

Dan-Adokiene continued with his thoughts, “Today’s game started off well in the first half. We were able to create a chance and get a goal, but we refined everything in the second half, and you see the results. It was 3-0, with a 4-0 end result. So, I’m really happy for the lads, and onto the next one.”

Our Foothills WFC team put up a well-contested match but fell 3-0 to the Blizzard women. The first half started with the Blizzard pushing forward and being a threat from free kicks. The Foothills WFC backline held strong, with centre-backs Olivia Grisdale and Brooklyn Colvin containing the Blizzard attack. Foothills WFC gained attacking momentum throughout and came close to taking the lead halfway through the first half when midfielder Layla Tarraf played through winger Ruth Adekugbe. Adekugbe’s shot smashed into the crossbar. Sydney Remington followed it in but saw her effort saved by the impressive Lauren Houghton in the Blizzard goal. 

The second half was back and forth, but the Blizzard took the lead through an excellent top-corner finish from former Foothills youth player Rachel Barlow. Foothills WFC responded well and looked dangerous in the attacking phases of the game before a long ball from the Blizzard backline found its way through to striker Kaylee Hunter who placed the ball past goalkeeper Lizzy Knight. Foothills WFC continued to push to find a way back into the game, flooding plays into the attacking areas of the field.  Unfortunately, the team couldn’t capitalize, and Blizzard added a late third goal to confirm the win.

Head Coach Sarah Taylor commented on the match, “I think Blizzard is a great opponent to play. For us specifically, I think we need to capitalize when we have our opportunities, and today we didn’t do that.” Taylor continued with a forward-looking statement, “As a whole, it was a good competitive match, but we broke down in some moments. We just need to focus on the details moving forward.”

Our League1 teams are back in action Friday, June 16^th. Foothills WFC will travel to Edmonton to play BTB Soccer Academy. Foothills FC will host Edmonton BTB SC at Broadview Park, kick-off at 7:00 pm. Grab a ticket here.

This Sunday, the Calgary Foothills WFC United Women’s Soccer (UWS) team plays against FC Arizona with a 3:00 pm kick-off at Broadview Park. The Foothills WFC UWS team is currently undefeated this season and also defending a thirteen-game regular season win streak. Come out and watch the action; grab a ticket here.

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 League1 Canada.

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 FOOTHILLS WFC LEAGUE1

Foothills WFC has operated in Calgary and competed in the United Women’s Soccer League since 2017. The team’s mandate is to be a bridge for the game’s future stars to develop and succeed in Canada while providing our fans with a premier sporting experience. The team is excited to participate in League1 Alberta competition to support its pathway to the long-awaited Canadian Women’s Professional Soccer League (Project 8), set to kick off in 2025. Foothills WFC League1 team is coached by Sarah Taylor.

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.

Media contact:

Claire Mikuska
(403) 801-6551

claire@calmstrategyinc.com