Joseph Leduc is not about to forget his game-winning goal on the soccer pitch of James Jerome earlier this week anytime soon.

By his own admission, this was likely the second goal of his competitive soccer career for the young fullback with the Horizon Aigles.

But it goes well beyond that.

With both Horizon and the Lockerby Vikings winless entering this match, the winner would advance to the playoffs - albeit in a tough battle next Tuesday versus the first place team in Pool B.

While both teams had their chances, it would be fair to suggest that Lockerby likely had the upper hand, even as the contest sat scoreless with about ten minutes to play. It was then that a frantic scramble ensued deep in Vikings territory, with the Aigles unable to corral the ball and Lockerby unable to clear.

"I usually like to stay back and play "D" but it was 0-0 so I thought I would go up and see what happens," said Leduc, who suits up with the GSSC U16 Impact team that competes in the HDSL (Huronia District Soccer League).

Positioned near the top of the 18 yard box, Leduc lurked quietly in the background. "Being there kind of left me unmarked," he said. "I don't think they expected me to come up."

Suddenly, the ball squirted loose, directly towards the grade ten talent, the fate of the Horizon season possibly sitting on his potential one-timer.

"I'll be honest - I thought I was going to shoot that one over the net," Leduc acknowledged with a smile. Rather, he drilled it into the top left corner, much to the delight of his teammates - who apparently were every bit as concerned as he was.

"They all thought I was going to put it over the net too," he laughed.

The 1-0 victory means that Horizon will face the St Benedict Bears next Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., no easy draw given the 4-0-0 record and +6 goal differential (7GF - 1GA) of the Pool B champs.

The Bears wrapped up their flawless regular season schedule with a 2-1 win over the Lasalle Lancers< with Roman Mamonov scoring twice for the winners and Fernando Valle countering once for the Lancers.

On Thursday, the Collège Notre-Dame Alouettes (3-0-0) will attempt to clinch top spot in Pool A, battling the Lo-Ellen Park Knights (2-0-1) who are deadlocked with the exact same record as the St Charles College Cardinals.

Things are a little more jumbled in the Girls Open Premier division as the Horizon Aigles (2-0-1) and St Charles College Cardinals (2-1-1) are showing the way at the top with seven points each - but only becayse the Lo-Ellen Park Knights (2-0-0) are halfway through their schedules.

Earlier this week, St Charles bounced the Confederation Chargers 8-1 as Bryn Hobson, Ava Massimiliano and Ehiase (Jo-Jo) Arewa all netted two goals apiece, with Lois Apprah-Hagan and Keanna Navarro adding solo tallies.

Goaltender (hockey) turned scorer Leah Murphy answered in a losing cause for Confederation.