Soccer Hawks head for playoffs

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You couldnโ€™t script a more fitting conclusion to a regular season than what the Golden Hawks menโ€™s soccer team conjured up in Sundayโ€™s 2-2 tie with the Waterloo Warriors.

Down 2-1 to a Warriors squad scratching and clawing for any glimpse of a playoff berth on the last day of the season, and with just one minute left on the clock, first year Donald Chmura tumbled in a heap to the unforgiving Alumni Field turf.

The Warriors had committed the unforgivable sin, tripping an opponent in the 18-yard box.

So with one lunge at the ball, Chmura buried his penalty kick, sending the Warriors to squeak out the sixth and final playoff berth, launching his Hawks to a fourth-place finish, setting up a post-season match today at 1:00 p.m. with the Guelph Gryphons.

Chmuraโ€™s third goal of the campaign, however, signals more than serving up the playoff pecking order.

The freshmanโ€™s tally to salvage the game for the Hawks painted a representative portrait of the next wave of youngsters answering the call of duty for Laurierโ€™s soccer program all season long. The plethora of fresh-faced newcomers, including Chmura, David Corazzola and Sandro Stojakovic collected 10 goals between the three of them, with Stojakovicโ€™s five leading the way.

โ€œI would have been surprised for sure,โ€ said team captain Ben Clifford when asked what his thoughts would have been two months ago, had he known a fourth-place finish was in the cards for the Hawks.

โ€œIโ€™m really impressed… Weโ€™re a young team, and weโ€™re looking to mature. Weโ€™re learning a lot this year and we have a couple key older guys that are helping out.โ€

Chmura and Stojakovic have drawn the most accolades from captain and coach alike.

โ€œDonald has played really well. Heโ€™s matured over the season and had a very good game today,โ€ said Clifford. โ€œSandroโ€™s got a bright future ahead of him,โ€ said head coach Mario Halapir. โ€œBoth of those guys will be very good players in this league in the years to come.โ€

Halapir wants to keep his high-flying baby Hawks nested.

โ€œBecause weโ€™re young and weโ€™ve had to deal with so many injuries, the seasonโ€™s been a challenge. It hasnโ€™t allowed us the ability to settle the way we should, but in saying that, weโ€™re going to do our very best to prepare the team.โ€

Along with the rookies, captain and coach both lauded the efforts from their back end.

โ€œTrevor (Schein), Eamonn (Hardy) and Chris (Walker) have been outstanding all season, theyโ€™ve really made a difference,โ€ said Halapir. โ€œEamonnโ€™s experience is key to calm guys down. He always plays it out nice and safe,โ€ said Clifford of the transferred ex-Western player.

Like their gridiron brothers, the Hawks now focus their sights on a Gryphons team with whom they split the season series 1-1.

Guelph took the most recent match on Oct.13, 3-2.

โ€œPlayoffs are a learning experience,โ€ said Halapir. โ€œAdjusting to university soccer will take some time. Weโ€™ll see how fast they learn.โ€


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