No team was more eager to hit the field last week than Arborg’s Storm FC.
The Manitoba Major Soccer League Division 4 club had two of its first three matches cancelled this season due to poor air quality around Manitoba.
On Thursday, Storm finally returned to action for the first time since their season opener on May 30.
Facing an Akal FC squad that came into the match with a 2-1 record, Storm FC showed no signs of rust.
“We got back out there and we started super strong,” said Storm FC defender Chesley Reimer. “I’d say probably a stronger start than the majority of last year—we blitzed them early, went up 2-0 at halftime, and it could have been even more. So yeah, we came out of the gates quick, and maybe the anticipation from a couple of cancelled games helped that.”
Storm FC cruised to a 4-1 win at Buhler Recreation Park, improving their record to 1-1.
What made the victory even sweeter was the opponent—Akal FC had eliminated Storm in last year’s Division 5 playoffs.
Reimer said there was some extra motivation going into the match.
“There was a lot of talk before and at halftime. We wanted to win this one badly, and it felt good to get the result we did.”
Storm FC now hope to settle into the season, having played the fewest games of any Div. 4 club so far.
Through two matches, they’ve already experienced the increased competition that comes with moving up from Division 5. But the transition appears to be going smoothly, thanks in part to the chemistry built over the past year after acquiring several former Interlake Impact players.
“We feel great,” said Reimer. “I feel like no one really knew what to expect going into the year because there was a lot of news, a lot of unknowns. We’d heard Division 4 was a decent step up, but after the first two games, expectations are sky high. We know we can win—we’re confident.
“It’s basically the same team from last year, just with another year of chemistry built up. Plus, we inherited Benny Wiens, the old Impact captain, and he scored a goal for us last night. So we feel great. Expectations are sky high, I’d say. I mean, we take it a day at a time, but I genuinely believe we could do well and challenge for promotion this year.”
Reimer and the team now shift their focus to a tough matchup Tuesday against Mecs FC, a squad they also faced last season.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Buhler Recreation Park.
