Make no mistake: the opposition that the local GSSC (Greater Sudbury Soccer Club) Impact teams will face via the YRSL (York Region Soccer League) for those teams who are part of the iModel bracket will be intense - and challenging.

Sure, a 4-2 Impact victory over Jarvis SC Academy for the Sudbury U15 boys two weeks ago was encouraging - but it took just seven days to be served a reminder of the level of play that exists in southern Ontario.

A pair of GSSC teams were at home last Saturday, opening up their 2024 schedules and while both found themselves in very competitive outings, chalk this one up as a sweep for the visitors.

With talented goal scorer Angelo Kalonji sidelined with an injury, the U14 Impact boys struggled to generate consistent offensive opportunities, eventually succumbing to Jarvis SC Academy by a final score of 3-0.

The teams battled their way through a largely scoreless opening half, with Jarvis getting on the board just before the break and adding a pair of second half goals as Akeesh Sivasenthan, Aarushah Rameshkumar and Joshuan Ronaldran all found the back of the net for the Academy side.

A tower of power in the middle of the Impact backline, centerback Xander Millett felt that his team is still adjusting to the demands of the new loop as the lads made the jump from the TOSL (Toronto Soccer League) in 2023 to the YRSL this summer.

"We have to be more physical, harder on the ball," suggested Millett, a grade 8 student at MacLeod Public School. "That's what caused their first goal; there wasn't enough physicality. And I thought that we weren't moving the ball as much as we usually do."

That said, there is many an area of their game that still requires some finetuning as the youngsters under the watch of head coach Moises Santos look to position themselves as being fully capable of moving on to the post-secondary ranks four years from now.

"Moving to open space is something our team needs to work on the most - it's something that we do work on a lot," said Millett, a defender who stood out in the Saturday encounter by virtue of his reads on the Jarvis attack and his ability to skillfully control and clear the ball from danger.

"I think our team could improve on passing a lot more - and communication wasn't the best."

All of that said, Millett also recognizes that the benefits of facing the likes of Jarvis SC and the remaining six teams in the i-Model Qualifying "B" division between now and the end of June far outweigh the disapointment of dealing with more losses than triumphs along the way.

"Over the years, I've watched and played in these competitive leagues and I think I've improved by watching and playing in these leagues," said Millett, a member of this Impact team since 2019.

Joining him and Kalonji on the roster this summer are Papa Kwabena Amofa-Badu, Logan Anderson, Domadius Aziz, Alexandre Ben-Anteur, Waylan Croome, Ezio Cusinato, Jedidia Elibje, Nathan Estriplet, Brendan Goffin (keeper who came up with a handful of big saves on Saturday), Sebastian Gonzales, Quentin Hallock, Rhys Johnson-Calixte, Diego Larios, Samuel Lazare, Devun Panella, Iliyas Sambo, Fengning Ye, assistant coaches Nicolas Lazare and Anthony Panella and team manager Ivana Croome.

In the second outing, Vaughan SC tripled the GSSC Impact U15 girls 3-1, with Ariana Tonkovic finding the back of the net for head coach Steve Gallo and company.

The team is back at home this coming Sunday (May 12th) at 1:00 p.m., battling the Richmond Hill Raiders while the Impact U17 girls open their i-Model season on the road this Thursday, facing their northern rivals representing the Nipissing District Soccer Club in North Bay.

Along with Ariana Tonkovic, coach Gallo will have the pleasure this summer of working with Anika Rheaume, Joanna Ajueze, Mila Beljo, Sadie Frantz, Lois Appiah-Hagan, Lia Gallo, Avery Minnini, Sophie Gauld, Abby Dagostino, Isabel Rinelli, Aviahna Cocchiola, Eva Haraschuk, Reese Chaumont, Makenna Messier, Ryan Chevrier, Kamryn Maloney, Alivia Lukkarila and Mia Beites.