PHOTOS: Bays United face off in exhibition game before provincials

Bays United U16 and U17 VIPL boys soccer teams play an exhibition game Monday before heading to provincials later this week.

B.C. Soccer’s Provincial “A” Cup Championships are hosted July 5 - 8 in Richmond, B.C.. The four-day event features boys and girls divisions ranging from U13 to U18.

The Bays United U17 team is heading into the championship strong and ready for the challenge after winning the Coastal Cup in May.

“We’ve been preparing for the last two months since winning the Coastal Cup. We’ve had four exhibition games and they’ve been successful in all four games. So they are beginning to gel and peak at the right time,” said Nick Daniel, head coach for Bays United U17 VIPL.

At the Provincial “A” Cup Championships the U17 Bays United boys face CMF Atletico at 2 p.m. on Thursday. They are back on Friday at 4 p.m. against SF CCB Elite, and Saturday at 11 a.m. against Vancouver FC. Sunday they will be playing their final game at 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. depending how they are ranked going into the final.

“If the U17 boys win the provincials, it will be the first time the club has won both the Coastal Cup and provincials in the same year,” said Melanie Stelter, manager of the Bays United U17 VIPL. “This team has worked really hard this season and it is amazing to see how they’ve come together. They should be really proud of themselves.”

The U16 Bays United boys face off against Delta Coastal Selects in their first game at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Friday they play SF BCT at 4 p.m. and on Saturday they play Langley Utd. at 3 p.m. Final games are set for Sunday at either 12 p.m. or 2 p.m. depending how they place.