"This is an amazing group of 11 and 12 year olds. They showed respect for me as a coach, their teammates as well as opposing teams," said coach Chrissy Swinimar.

 "They worked hard and knew what they wanted to accomplish from the beginning of the season. I can't say enough about the way the boys always put their best effort forward. If they had a bad game, they would step it up the next time and play better."

 The team lost just once in 21 games this season, including a 2-1 victory over Bridgewater in the provincial final.

 "The final at provincials was certainly a game that could have gone either way. We [relied] on speed and strong defence to win that game against Bridgewater, not to mention the near flawless play by our goaltender."

 Netminder Cole Mulrooney allowed just two goals in four games at provincials.

 The team opened the tournament with a 1-1 tie versus Cape Breton, followed by a 2-0 victory against Truro and a 5-0 win over Kingston-Greenwood. Six players scored at provincials, led by Sam Julien's three.

 "After the 1-1 tie with Cape Breton, the boys knew they had to record two wins in order to make the gold medal round. They pulled together as a unit and got the job done. They supported each other and played a very controlled passing game against Kingston, which boosted their confidence for when they faced Bridgewater in the final."

 Ms Swinimar said Bridgewater, which tied Chester twice earlier this season, was a great opponent to play all year.

 "They play hard and have a lot of individual skill and talent. I can certainly say that they wanted to beat us as much as we wanted to keep our winning streak alive. They can move the ball quickly to open spaces better than any team that we have faced this season."

 Bridgewater wound up winning most sportsmanlike team at the tournament.

 Meanwhile, Ms Swinimar also said it was important to thank the parents who helped make the tournament a success.

 "And one that will always be remembered by these 17 terrific boys."

 Other medal winners at the 2009 Soccer Nova Scotia championships included:

• South Shore United won bronze in under-18 boys' tier 1.

• South Shore United won silver in under-16 boys' tier 1.

• West Nova Fuels won silver in under-12 girls' tier 2B.

• West Nova Fuels won bronze in under-14 girls' tier 2B.

• HB Studios Thunder won gold in under-18 boys' tier 2.