THUNDER BAY — In an exciting Superior Secondary Schools Athletic Association (SSSAA) varsity girls’ soccer showdown, St. Ignatius secured a 3–1 victory over St. Patrick, earning not only the win but also a coveted spot at OFSAA, the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations championship.
The scoring opened in the first half when Aliviah Galle, a Grade 11 standout for St. Ignatius, fired home the game’s first goal. Her early strike gave the Falcons a 1–0 lead and set the pace for what would be a competitive match.
“It felt amazing. I was so thrilled. I knew that we had a lot of game left, so we had to stay focused, but we all worked so hard, and it was so good.” Galle said.
St. Patrick fought back and just five minutes into the second half, Jayda Ladouceur netted the equalizer tying the game at a goal apiece. Her goal re-energized the Saints but with about three minutes left in regulation, the Falcons struck again, to take a 2-1 lead. St. Pat's switched to a full press attack, ramping up pressure in a desperate attempt to force a goal in the closing moments.
Despite the intensified attack, St. Ignatius held firm and added a final, decisive goal by Alexis Neves, sealing the Falcons 3-1 victory.
“It felt good to finish our undefeated season with the final goal to send.” Neves said, “We’re going to keep training and working hard like we were the whole season to prepare for and hopefully do well” as the team gears up for OFSAA in Oakville, Ontario next week.
The team’s resilience and unity were echoed by co-captain and centreback Claire Debinsky.
“It feels awesome. It's always a battle against Pats, but you know, we gave it our all. Every player on the field did their best, and we came out with a win.”
Dubinsky also reflected on the ongoing rivalry:
“In the past, it went Pats, Iggy, Pats, Iggy, but I mean it’s always a close one against Pat, so this year we're just lucky to take it home.”
Co-captain Sarah Jacobson shared similar sentiments:
“This has been a rivalry for all four years of us in high school, and we went 2-2. I'm happy we could take it home this year. Just like Claire said, we've kind of alternated. Everyone got the win every year, but I'm happy that we finally got this year. That’s good to hear.”
Galle also reflected on the challenge after conceding:
“It's always not a good feeling when we get scored on, but we know that we had to work harder, and we know that we had to use that as motivation to push forward and keep going.”
With the win, St. Ignatius officially advances to OFSAA, continuing what has been a dominant season. The team will now prepare to face the province’s top talent as they represent the region on the biggest stage in high school soccer.
