Holy Cross won the 2009 Molson Challenge Cup with a 1:0 victory over defending champion St. Lawrence Laurentians. Rookie Aaron Anstey scored the lone goal in extra time as Holy Cross qualified for the BMO National Championships Challenge Trophy competition for the first time in 15 years.

'We were pretty consistent throughout the year,' said coach Noel (Jake) Stanford. 'We were definitely the fittest team in the league and that was the key to our overall success.'

After finishing first in the regular season, Holy Cross lost 1:2 to second-place St. Lawrence in the first playoff game. St. Lawrence thus received a bye into the final while Holy Cross had to meet the winner of the third/fourth-place game, Mount Pearl. Holy Cross won 3:1 over Mount Pearl to reach the final.

In the final, neither Holy Cross nor St. Lawrence was able to score for more than 90 minutes. St. Lawrence started with the bulk of the possession early in the game, but then Holy Cross took over and even created some good chances in the second half.

In second half of extra time, Anstey scored the winner on a header. It was teammate Adam Burry, who like Anstey had entered the game as a substitute, who provided the cross from the right side.

St. Lawrence had several good chances in the dying minutes, but Holy Cross goalkeeper Scott Edwards kept them all out to preserve his clean sheet.

Coach Stanford’s starting XI featured Edwards in goal, defenders Jeremy Babstock, Andrew Stanford, Brian Reddy and Chris Pope on defence, Zach Wade, Jon Lacey and captain Ryan Yetman at midfield, and Corey Moore, Jon Hawco and Corey Mullett up front.

Holy Cross is the only Newfoundland Labrador team to win the Challenge Trophy, doing so back in 1988 in Saskatoon, SK. The team also won silver in 1989. Coach Stanford was a player when Holy Cross reached the BMO National Championships in 1992 (sixth) and 1994 (fifth).

The Saskatchewan Soccer Association will host the 2009 BMO National Championships this 7-12 October in conjunction with Saskatoon Adult Soccer Inc. Both the Challenge Trophy (senior men) and Jubilee Trophy (senior women) competitions will take place in Saskatoon, SK.

So far in 2009, British Columbia’s West Van FC, Saskatchewan’s Huskie Alumni, Manitoba’s Hellas SC, Québec’s Beauport, Nova Scotia’s Halifax City and Newfoundland Labrador’s Holy Cross have qualified for the Challenge Trophy competition. British Columbia’s Surrey United, Saskatchewan’s Saskatoon NATA, Manitoba’s South End United, Nova Scotia’s Halifax City, Nova Scotia’s Halifax Dunbrack and Newfoundland Labrador’s EPR Kirby/The Dock have qualified for the Jubilee Trophy competition.

BMO Financial Group is proud to support soccer at all levels across Canada, from grassroots to Canada’s national teams. Starting with sponsorship of more than 400 Canadian youth teams to the title support of elite youth players at the BMO National Championships, through to the professional-team support (Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC) and sponsorship of the Canadian men’s and women’s national soccer teams, BMO Financial Group is serious about Canadian soccer. For more information on BMO’s support of soccer in Canada, visit bmosoccer.com.