Description
The following were team mates for all three Champions: Jayne Butt, Bronwyn Cox(Keeper), Kristen Elliott, Katie MacDougall, Janice MacLeod, Bonnie MacNeil, Heather O’Donnell, Lindsay Reagh, Tasha Reagh, Ashlea Sanford, and Natalie Steeves. Eight others were twice champions including: Sarah Gignac, Natalia Kluke, Pam Langille, Ann Lohnes and Katie Mitchell, all on the 1997 and 1998 teams, Margella Hannam and Stephanie Steeves on the 1998 and 1999 teams and Sarah Connell on the 1997 and 1999 teams. Eight others were on one Championship team including on 1997 Allyson Hines, Erin Lantz, Jeannie Ogilvie and Amanda White, on 1998-Ramey Adams and on 1999-Sarah MacDonald, Margaret Messenger and Amanda Steadman.
In 1997 they won all three playoff games 5 to 0. They won the Gunn Balderson Memorial Tournament at Acadia. At provincials in Antigonish they defeated Dartmouth united 2-1, 4-0 over host Antigonish, 3-1 over Halifax, and 2-0 over New Waterford in the final to outscore their opponents 11-2 overall.
1998
Front Row: Ramey Adams, Katie Mitchell, Bonnie MacNeil, Jayme Butt, Katie MacDougall, Lindsay Reagh
Middle Row: Janice MacLeod, Anne Lohnes, Sarah Gignac, Pam Langille, Tasha Reagh
Back Row: Coach Greg Bower, Kristen Elliott, Stephanie Steeves, Heather O’Donnell, Ashlea Sanford, Natalie Kluke, Nathalie Steeves
Top: Bronwyn Cox
Missing: Maryelle Hannam
In 1998 at Westville, often playing against players one year older and more experienced, they defeated Halifax County united 7-4 and then showed their true mettle by downing Pictou 2-1 on penalty kicks and then squeaking past their valley rival, New Minas, 4-3 again on penalty kicks in the final. They also won the Balderson that year.
1999
Front Row: Heather O’Donnell, Sarah MacDonald, Katie MacDougall, Jayme Butt, Tasha Reagh, Bonnie MacNeil, Bronwyn Cox
Back Row: Coach Jay Thompson, Ashlea Sanford, Amanda Steadman, Kristen Elliott, Margaret-Ellen Messenger, Sarah Connell, Janice MacLeod, Nathalie Steeves, Stephanie Steeves, Lindsay Reagh, Coach Greg Bower
Missing: Maryelle Hannam
In their final year together they were a powerhouse both on offence and defence. In regular season play they scored thirty-eight goals and gave up only one! In tournament play they out-scored their opponents 18 to 2 in winning the Valley Kick-off and 15-0 at the New Minas Invitational. They continued this powerful performance at Provincials in Chester as they rolled over New Germany 4-0, Dartmouth United 3-0, Halifax Dunbrack 4-1 and in the final 4-0 over Pictou, a total of 15-1! Over the three years their record was 68 wins, 11 losses and 3 ties.
These twenty seven young women soccer stars and their coaches Greg Bower and Jay Thompson are a most welcome addition to the Sports Heritage Wall of Fame.
