Manitou, ITS battling for men’s soccer lead

As the playoffs are edging closer and closer in the Borderland Soccer League, the top two teams in the men’s league are set to battle one another for the chance to have the top seed heading into the post-season.
Heading into a head-to-head contest last night (game details were not available as of press time), Manitou Forest Products and International Travel Services (ITS) are locked in a dog fight for the best record in the four team loop.

Manitou currently has a hold on that spot with an 8-2-1 record and 25 points following a 1-1 draw with Pharmasave on Thursday night, while ITS sits just two markers back after a 2-0 triumph over the La Place Rendez-Vous Voyageurs improved their record to 7-2-2.
“The games are really starting to tighten up here now that the season is coming along, and especially since those players who are on the Muskies are back in the lineups,” Manitou defender Mark Faragher stressed.
“It’s always a struggle to find the members of the team in their right roles and get them going up to full speed, but now as you can see by the game here tonight (Thursday), they are all close games,” he added.
That sentiment about the tight games throughout the league is shared by ITS midfield Chris Bobczynski, who suited up for the La Place Rendez-Vous Voyageurs a year ago.
“I remember when I was playing last year and there were a few not so close games during the season,” Bobczynski recalled.
“But now, you are seeing a lot of more competitive and tight games, and that is something that I think is really good for the league,” he added.
Both Manitou and ITS also have a healthy mix of returning players and strong newcomers on their rosters, which are starting to mesh well together for the two sides.
“The chemistry came together really quickly for us,” ITS defender Martin Williams noted.
“The new guys and the veterans have been very accepting of each other, and there is a good skill set on this team.
“But what makes it really fun to play with these guys is that we make a lot of passes out there, and we are able to make a lot of stuff happen,” he added.
“On our team, we have our core veterans that have been together for a long time, and now those guys from the youth league are making their presences felt,” Faragher said.
“It’s always a treat to see those guys gel together, and we are seeing that again this year,” he stressed.
Heading into this week’s games, Pharmasave sat in third in the standings with a 3-5-3 record (12 points), while the Voyageurs were at the bottom with a 0-9-2 mark and just two points to their name.
League play is set to resume tomorrow night with Pharmasave and the Voyageurs going head to head, while Manitou and ITS will be squaring off for the second time this week.
“It’s going to be an interesting game,” Faragher stressed.
“Both teams are starting to tighten up, and they should both bring their games to the field.
“We’re all looking forward to the playoffs and getting ready to give it our all,” he added.