Titans Take Jr. Soccer Title
By Larry Moko
The dominance of Bishop Tonnos in junior girls' high school soccer lasted all season long.
The Ancaster-based Titans won the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic championship Tuesday with an 8-0 victory over the visiting St. Thomas More Knights.
That followed a regular schedule and preliminary playoff round which saw Tonnos go undefeated in their six starts.
Altogether in 2025, the Titans didn't allow a goal against, while scoring 32.
"We have a clean sheet for the year," said Tonnos coach Christina Barbati, pointing out that's never previously happened at the school.
Last week, coach Barbati also guided the Tonnos senior girls' team to the league title with an undefeated record of 8-0-2.
The last time both divisions of Tonnos girls won top honours was 2011.
The Titans, who led 3-0 at the half, got two goals each by Siena LaMastra and Olivia Germana. Singles went to Olivia Tecu, Claragh McCollum, Giorgia Di Ianni and Krysten DiPietro.
"Last year we were in the final against St. Thomas More and we lost," said Tecu, a Grade 10 co-captain along with Olivia Toal.
"Our centre backs are really strong and fast. Any time a goal is about to happen, we try really hard to get back and work as a team."
More's best opportunities to score both came from long free kicks on goal taken in the second half by Deijah Evans.
Barbati said her squad has a lot of depth.
"I don't think I've ever had this many talented individuals on a single team," she said. "Our starting 11 is solid and so are the next eight. I was able to make some substitutions, give people breaks and still keep the pressure on."
Other Tonnos players included Jahvaya Appiah, Olivia Battaglia, Celestina Bonaccorso, Breanna Costa, Kaelyn Gallager, Chiara Kucman, Clare Moralee, Aislyn Paddock, Emma Rajack, Olivia Sadler, Avalina Scala, Leila Soccio and Julia Solly.
"We're solid in net and solid on defence," Barbati said. "I've found we don't have a lot of holes to exploit. We work together.
We're very cohesive as a team.
"These players make soccer look beautiful. They pass the ball and move the ball so well they make it look natural."
Tecu, who got the ball rolling with the first goal of the game, said the Titans just kept going forward.
"We were staying composed on the ball," she said, "and we were trying to make diagonal runs and straight runs to break their lines."
St. Thomas More finished second in the five-team league's standings. The Knights then topped the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals, 2-1, in one semifinal while Tonnos downed the Bishop Ryan Celtics, 4-0, in the other.
"St. Thomas More always plays hard," the Tonnos coach said. "I was happy today we found a way to win."
Despite the final result, Knights coach Claire Burke praised her players for their effort.
"I've never been prouder of a team in my life," she said. "And I've been at this for 22 years, including countless championship teams.
"This was obviously a big loss but the score didn't reflect the effort that our girls put in. I really respect our team."
Burke said due to various circumstances, the junior squad almost folded in April. And of the players who ultimately came on board, about nine of them were athletes from other sports who had never previously touched a soccer ball.
Said Burke: "We have the athletes at More. We just didn't get them on our team. We were within 48 hours of folding the team."
There is no denying Tonnos' ability, though.
"Obviously, the better team won," Burke said. "They are extremely talented. We fought to the bitter end."
More lost 3-0 to Tonnos during their regular-season meeting.
Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym, RFB Sport Photography
More photos on HWCDSB Athletics Facebook page
