Showstoppers led by a helmet trick from eventual tourney most valuable player (MVP) Marvin Josiah, were crowned the Stag Beer ‘West Side’ 5-a-side football champions, defeating Stewartville Gunners 6-3 on Sunday at the Vergenoegen Rice Mill Tarmac.
Josiah led from the front for the Showstoppers as he opened the scoring with a fourth minute strike. The Gunners would level the score line five minutes later as Owen McGarrell placed his strike into the back of the net.
However, that would be the closest the matchup would ever become as Josiah pushed his aside ahead in the 24th minute to net his double. He would then make it 3-1, lashing his effort down the middle of the goal one minute later to complete his hat trick.
The score line would continue to balloon as Josiah capped off a fine solo performance, finishing his effort to the back of woodwork to seal his helmet trick in the 27th minute. Gideon Payne would then get into the goal rush as he netted in the 35th minute to increase their lead to 5-1.
Stewartville would then pull one back one minute later as McGarrell scored his second of the fixture. They would cut the deficit once more in the 38th minute as Marvin Henry etched his name on the scorer’s sheet.
With the outcome of the fixture likely decided, Anthony ‘Kang’ Sancho would cap off the huge win for Showstoppers through a 40th minute effort. With the win, Showstoppers walked away with the championship trophy and the $200,000 first prize.
Josiah for his displays was awarded with the MVP title after netting 10 goals over five matches in the event. The Gunners for their efforts collected the runners-up accolade and $100,000.
Similar to the finale, the third place playoff was a one-sided affair as New Road Eagles clawed DeKindren by a 9-1 scoreline. Jermaine Junior and Simon Emmanuel led the winners with hat tricks each while Paul Rodney netted a double.
Junior netted the opener the Eagles, placing his effort into the back of the net in the ninth minute. Rodney would then increase their lead as he finished his strike down the middle of the goal two minutes later.
The score would then read 3-0 as Emmanuel registered his first goal in the 17th minute with a simple finish. DeKindren would eventually get on the scoreboard under fortuitous circumstances compliments of an own goal in the 19th minute.
That would prove to be the only highlight of the night for DeKindren as goals continued to rain for the Eagles with Emmanuel netting his double in the 21st minute. Junior would then seal his brace with a 23rd minute conversion to push the scores to 5-1.
Eagles would continue to increase their advantage, netting their sixth goal of the night as Junior completed his hat-trick by slotting his effort to the right corner of the net.
Rodney would then complete his double in the 27th minute while Emmanuel grabbed his hat trick one minute later as scoreline neared double figures at 8-1. They would eventually fall one goal short of the double figure march as Ravi Chand netted the final goal in the 38th minute.
For the win, Eagles pocketed the third place trophy and $75,000. DeKindren for finishing in the fourth position collected $25,000.
