By: Dwayne Tingley
Cape Breton Capers veteran forward Cory Bent acknowledges there were some difficult times for his team in the AUS men's soccer conference this season.
"We had a lot of injuries and we went through a lot of tribulations all year long, but we're expecting to do well in the playoffs," said Bent, a 22-year-old marketing student from Preston, United Kingdom.
Through it all, however, the three-time defending conference champions finished in first place with a 10-0-2 record for 32 points during the regular season while outscoring opponents 35-9.
The StFX X-Men placed second with a 9-2-1 record for 28 points. Rounding out the top six were: the UNB Reds (7-3-2), Dalhousie Tigers (6-2-4), Saint Mary's Huskies (6-5-1) and UPEI Panthers (5-5-2).
The Capers will host the Subway AUS Soccer Championships presented by Keep It Social this weekend in Sydney, N.S. The top two finishers will advance to the U SPORTS national championship tournament Nov. 7-10 at Université de Montreal.
Bent, who picked up six goals and three assists this season, said the team's ability to overcome "some challenges" during the season will help during the playoffs.
"No matter what happened this year, we know that we have the kind of team that can win another championship," Bent said.
"We have the talent and we have the confidence we need to play well," he continued. "We are not taking another game for granted, but we know what our potential is and how we can get to that level. We're ready for some very difficult games after a year of adversity."
Championship play begins Thursday, when the Huskies and Tigers square off at 2 p.m. and the Panthers clash with the Reds at 7 p.m. in a pair of quarterfinal matchups.
The Capers will play their semifinal game on Friday at 2 p.m. and the X-Men will play their semifinal at 7 p.m. The winners will advance to the conference final Sunday at 4 p.m.
The Capers brought home the national championship banner in 2017 and they were runners-up last year. Bent said winning another Canadian title has been on the mind of the Capers this year.
"There are about six of us on the team who have been here for four years and we realize how special it would be to win again," Bent said.
"For us, we can't think that far ahead, but sometimes we think about nationals," he added. "We have to get back to our conference and not take any game for granted.
"We have had a target on our backs this year and we know that other teams want to take us down. If we look ahead, other teams might take advantage and beat us. We feel the target on us and we have to respond positively.
"Our coaches have kept us grounded all year long. As players, we have to realize what is at stake every time we are on the field and we have to be our best."