Soccer Cape Breton
CAPERS ACADEMY U13AA GIRLS WIN SNS SPRING CUP
Monday, April 27, 2026
CAPERS Academy U13AA Girls are the Soccer Nova Scotia Spring Cup champions!
The rookie squad, coached by CBU CAPERS Men's alumni Yianni Harris and current CBU CAPERS Women's players Ellie Lancaster and Makenna Acevedo, won the trophy on home soil in a dramatic penalty shootout after a 2-2 Final tie with United DFC at Ness Timmons Field on Sunday evening.
CAPERS got off to a winning start on Saturday morning when Ailis Best's goal edged Highland 1-0 in their opener.
The new squad then had a harsh lesson in NSSL soccer as they lost 6-1 to Halifax County in their three-team section but the victory in Game One proved enough to set up a semi-final on Sunday.
CAPERS showed courage to come back in that one against South Shore United with an equaliser from Kherington Collins ensuring a 1-1 tie and the first of two nerve-shredding penalty shootouts.
Rory Stockley was a boss between the sticks for CAPERS and Ariah Sheppard held her nerve to score the vital goal in a 1-0 win over the shootout which in this tournament was three kicks each team.
Now CAPERS were into the Final against favourites UDFC and all looked lost as the slick passing team from Dartmouth went 2-0 ahead.
CAPERS, though, showed incredible grit to battle back and when Claire Kelloway guided home to make it 2-1 you could sense the momentum shift.
With the clock ticking down midfielder Macey MacPherson swung in another superb cross to the back post and Kelloway was in pole position again to volley home a magnificent finish. 2-2!
That meant another shootout, this time with Rachel Doyle in nets for the CAPERS, and the Glace Bay Soccer Club product produced a stunning stop to deflect a powerful UDFC shot onto the bar and out.
Reese Boudreau and Claire Kelloway are actually 2014 born players, U12, yet you would not have known it as the CAPERS prospects both scored from the spot to seal a 2-1 shootout win and the trophy.
Soccer Cape Breton would like to thank Soccer Nova Scotia coaches Zach Bauld and Adam Miller for all of their tireless work over the weekend and also the match officials and all of the U13AA parents who not only supported our girls and boys teams but did extra hours working in the fundraising canteen.
This was an event that showed the best in youth soccer - and how Cape Breton has the ability to host tournaments like this successfully.
SPRING CUP CHAMPS! Back row (Left to right) Gia DeGiobbi, Kate Penny, Kinley Campbell, Emma Jean Power, Ariah Sheppard, Ailis Best, Claire Kelloway, Keira Keeping, Kherington Collins, Charlotte MacLean. Front Row (Left to right) Emery MacArthur, Emma Feng, Rory Stockley, Rachel Doyle, Macey MacPherson, Reese Boudreau.
