Survival School soccer perfect in regular season

The Juvenile Kahnawake Survival School (KSS) À:kweks soccer team finished the regular season with a 5-0 record and, as such, have made the Greater Montreal Athletics Association (GMAA) playoffs as the first seed, where they are hoping to repeat as champions after winning gold last year.

But for coach Paxton Kahentaiesen Phillips, that doesn’t mean there is nothing they can work on before their first semifinals matchup at home against Lower Canada College (LCC), which will have been played on Thursday afternoon after The Eastern Door’s publishing deadline.

“Even though we’ve been undefeated, there are constant adjustments and things that need to be worked on that we try and cover in practices,” said Phillips.

“Winning doesn’t take away the need to get our touches and passes perfect, which we’re still aiming towards and will need to maintain.”

After winning the season opener 2-1 against Kuper Academy on October 2, KSS won their four next games in convincing fashion: 7-2 against John F. Kennedy High School, 9-1 against the Trafalgar School for Girls, 3-0 against LCC, and 6-0 against Rosemere High School.

With the matchup against LCC on Thursday and the other semifinals being between Kuper and Rosemere, every team other than KSS in the playoffs is a team they have defeated in the regular season.

“I’m confident about the matchup. We haven’t been taken down yet this season and there’s no reason today’s game should be different,” said Phillips prior to the game against LCC.

Even still, a regular season win does not guarantee a playoff win in the rematch.

“Knowing we’ll be playing a team we’ve already beaten in playoffs doesn’t necessarily make me more confident as a coach, because, as a player as well, I know how one game can change everything and know that we can’t walk into the game too confident or feeling like we have it in the bag, because that could lead to us making mistakes,” said Phillips.

“We have no idea how hard the other teams have been practicing and preparing for the playoffs, so the girls need to continue to bring 100 percent to each game regardless of whether we’ve beaten them already or not.”

They certainly have been giving 100 percent all season, with Phillips praising how much they have grown as players and as a team in the short season.

“I am so impressed and happy with their performance during the season,” said Phillips. “Being able to witness where a lot of them started to where they are now is one of the best parts of working with the girls. They are all so much more confident and determined than when they started, and it makes me proud to be a part of it.”

LCC has a record of 2-3 this season, with their last game of the regular season being a 3-1 win against Trafalgar.

No matter who the teams are, the GMAA finals will be played on Tuesday, October 28, at 3:30 p.m.

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