Highlanders ground Aztex

Posted on: Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The Victoria Highlanders proved what a fine line it can be between levels in sport.

It was hard to tell the amateurs from the pros last night at Bear Mountain Stadium in Langford as the Highlanders upset the Austin Aztex of the professional United Soccer League Division 1.

The Highlanders, from the USL Premier Development League, recorded a smartly executed 2-0

victory before 1,200 fans.

“The difference is not what fans might expect,” said Highlanders midfielder Matt Pele, who was outstanding on the night.

“There’s not a lot that separates us from them. Often it comes down to a coach’s opinion. We’ve got guys who can play at the pro level.”

The Aztex will miss the USL playoffs, yet that didn’t take away from the Highlanders’ achievement. The outcome was all the more impressive considering Austin, which closed out Sunday against the Whitecaps in Vancouver, is in late-season form while the Highlanders’ season ended by missing the PDL playoffs more than a month ago. Yesterday’s Victoria roster was pulled together from various Island league clubs.

“We just got off playing six games in 12 days, from Miami to Vancouver, and we were tired tonight,” said Aztex owner Phil Rawlins, also an owner and director of Stoke City of the English Premiership.

“But Victoria thoroughly deserved the victory. The set-up and crowd here is excellent. I don’t see any reason why Victoria shouldn’t step up to the USL pro division, if it wanted to.”

Victoria got on the board first when Tynan Diaz was taken down in the box at 22 minutes. Pele, a former NCAA Division 2 all-American out of Western Washington, coolly rolled the penalty kick into the corner of the net as the first whiff of an upset floated into the late-summer Langford night.

The Aztex are considering taking Highlanders Jason Devenish and Diaz on their tour of England next month to play Stoke City and Burnley of the English Premiership and both proved worthy last night in what had to be considered an audition.

“There are a few of us who really want to go on that trip and prove we can play at the next level, and I gave it my all tonight,” said Diaz.

Trinidadian Devenish missed making it 2-0 by inches on a flash-quick move down the left side.

Diaz, with blazing speed down the right side, again just rolled the ball wide at 62 minutes. Victoria’s pressure paid off at 66 minutes when a charging James Merriman was brought down in the box. Patrick Gawrys buried the ensuing penalty kick.

Pele was later stopped on a clear breakaway and Merriman robbed point blank, on a tremendous set-up by Pele, as the Highlanders continued to come in waves.

Paul VandenBoomen, a towering presence on the back line for Victoria, mused how the result might shock some people.

“It was really exciting to play in a game like this against the pros and nice to beat them, of course,” he said. “But don’t forget, while we were amped up, it was tough for them [Aztex]. They have just finished a season in which they missed the playoffs.”

Written By Cleve Dheensaw

The Victoria Times Colonist 

September 16th, 2009