By Larry Moko
It's early in the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic senior girls' high school soccer season, but the Bishop Tonnos Titans have already shown signs of being a contender for the championship.
Tonnos remained unbeaten in its two starts with a 2-0 victory over the Braves at St. Jean de Brébeuf Tuesday.
"I think it's anybody's game this year," Tonnos coach Christina Barbati said. "The league is quite competitive. And we're in the mix."
The Titans kicked off their schedule last week with a 1-1 tie against the St. Thomas More Knights -- a league finalist last year.
As for the Braves, they rolled to an 8-0 victory in their league opener against the ACMT Jaguars.
"It took us a while to get going," Barbati said. "I thought Brébeuf was very well organized. They had more chances than us in the first half."
The visitors got second-half goals by midfielder Claudia Wunsche and forward Ava Soccio.
"We were lucky enough to crack in two goals to get the lead but then Brébeuf started to press," the Tonnos coach said. "I think if they had any more time they would have found the back of the net."
Wunsche's marker came on a high drifting shot from about 30 yards.
"The wind helped carry it over the keeper's head," Barbati said. "Then, on our other goal, Ava took a pass from Grade 9 student Viviana Mele and scored a beauty."
Mele and her older sister, Ilaria, both play for Tonnos: Said Barbati: "Viviana made the provincial team and her sister has committed to attend Niagara University, an NCAA D1 school."
The BT coach says the sisters are "essential" to her team's success.
"They're great players and they have amazing footwork. Both are impact players with high soccer IQs."
In other girls' league action, the defending champion St. John Henry Newman Cardinals improved their record to 2-0 with an 8-1 decision over ACMT. The Bishop Ryan Celtics topped More, 3-1, and the St. Mary Crusaders blanked the Cathedral Gaels, 2-0.
Boys' games saw Newman down ACMT, 9-2, More nip Bishop Ryan, 2-1, Tonnos edge Brébeuf, 2-1 and Cathedral play St. Mary to a 1-1 draw.
Photos by Richard Andoga
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