Royals Soccer History Made

By Nick Zuback, Coach

The QMS Senior Boys Soccer Team represented the school with pride and determination at the BC High School “A” Soccer Championships, held November 5–7 at the Burnaby Lake Sportsplex.

Facing some of the province’s top teams, the Royals demonstrated exceptional skill, teamwork, and resilience, proving they were not just there to compete but to contend. The Royals opened the tournament with an impressive 4–1 victory over Unisus, a soccer academy from Summerland. Nico P. (’28) and Ray Y. (’27) led the way offensively, each netting two goals in a commanding performance. In their second match, QMS battled Mount Elizabeth from Kitimat in a hard-fought contest that ended 1–1 in regular time, with Nico again scoring for the Royals. The match went to penalties, where QMS held their nerve to secure the win.

Their third game pitted them against powerhouse Credo Christian from Langley. Despite a strong effort and disciplined play, the Royals fell 3–0, finishing second in their pool and advancing to the 5th–8th placement round. In their next matchup, QMS faced Fernie Secondary from the East Kootenays. Nico opened the scoring early, but Fernie equalized late, setting the stage for another dramatic finish. With less than a minute remaining, QMS earned a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. Nico stepped up once again, blasting the ball through the wall to secure a thrilling 2–1 victory.

That win advanced the Royals to the 5th-place final against David Thompson Secondary, also from the East Kootenays. QMS struck first with a goal from Gideon C. (’28), but David Thompson equalized on a late free kick, sending the match to penalties. In a tense shootout, QMS fell behind early but rallied thanks to key saves by Kai J. (’26) and clutch goals from Jasper E. (’26) and Brayden Z. (’28), forcing a sixth-round decider. With the match on the line, Tinaye J-M. (’27) stepped up and calmly buried his shot, sealing the win and clinching 5th place overall for QMS.

The Royals finished the tournament with a 4–1 record, and Nico was recognized as QMS’s “Super 16 Player of the Tournament.” The QMS Senior Boys capped off a historic season with 17 wins, 1 loss, and 1 tie, and the best finish in school history at the Provincial Championships. Congratulations to the team and coaches on an incredible season, go Royals!