The summer is quickly dying down for the Panhellenic soccer crew as competitive teams complete the final stretch drive of their regular season schedules, with the 9th annual Panhellenic Tournament set for this coming weekend. Overall, plenty of success on the local pitch as we catch-up with a handful of Pan teams.

With their first goal of avoiding relegation for a second consecutive year now safely achieved, the Pan United troops will set their sights on climbing the standings of the CSL U-16 grouping, looking to crack the top four of the eight team division. Panhellenic improved their record to 5-5-1, picking up a win and a tie at home over the weekend.

With Barrie and Pickering both sitting deadlocked for last place with a single point each, Sudbury remains in a battle with Oshawa and Scarborough for fourth place in this, their second year of CSL play. Panhellenic opened the weekend in impressive fashion, blanking Pickering 3-0 behind a two-goal effort from Joey Martellacci and single marker from Dorian Machulenko.

Thomas Guscott recorded the shutout for United, registering his second consecutive shutout against the Pickering squad. Facing Oshawa Sunday afternoon, coach Clive Stephenson and company found themselves in dire straights midway through the second half, trailing Turul 3-1.

The visitors jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Manchulenko narrowed the margin to one before the half, spinning quickly at the top of the box and unleashing a great shot to the far corner. The mometum that may have been gained went for naught as Oshawa capitalized near the game's 65th minute, beating Guscott with a low shot just inside the left post.

But a red card to an Oshawa defender proved costly as Sudbury would strike quickly for a pair of goals, with strikers Martellacci and Manchulenko front and centre once again. Panhellenic gained some life with about ten minutes remaining as Martellacci crossed from the left side was struck mid-air by Manchulenko, left unmarked in the middle of the box.

Just over a minute later, Martellacci would let a through ball slide by and using his speed, slip a low shot past a hard-charging Oshawa keeper, earning the locals a valuable point and a critical tie if they want to remain one step ahead of Oshawa.

United takes part in the Panhellenic Tournament this weekend but have just three regular season contests remaining, including their final home game on Saturday, August 18th at 11:00 a.m. at Cambrian College. The team will also take part in the Brantford Soccer Classic on the weekend of August 10th-12th.

For a second consecutive home weekend in July, the Sudbury Panhellenic Storm U-13 girls chalked up points, recording their first win of the year with a 2-0 shutout Sunday over Richmond Hill. The victory came on the heels of a 5-0 loss to Newmarket on Saturday, as coach Kevin Roach's young ladies improved their season mark to 1-8-2, still a point behind Richmond Hill with just five games remaining.

Panhellenic received goals from Kara Lloyd and Madeleine Pos while keeper Emilie Bouchard stymied the visitors in earning the shutout. The team next takes the field in league action on August 11th and 12th, heading on the road for games in Etobicoke and Woodbridge before returning to the Laurentian field one week later and playing host to Unionville/Milliken and Wexford in weekend double-header action.

The Storm will be taking a pass on the Panhellenic Tournament this coming weekend, heading to Ottawa instead as the U-13 Girls Ontario Cup playdowns are underway. Sudbury will face the Scarborough United Thunder, West Rouge Storm, OSU Force '94 and Bolton Wanderers in a full round robin schedule that sees just one team emerge through to the round of eight.

With just one weekend remaining of OWSL (Ontario Women's Soccer League) play, the Sudbury Panhellenic U-21 ladies appear set to close the books on their first season of Provincial Central division action with a better than .500 record. Panhellenic earned a split from a pair of weekend home games, easily beating the West Lincoln Wolverines 3-1 on Saturday before being trimmed 3-2 by the Erin Mills Eagles on Sunday.

Facing the Wolverines, Panhellenic took full advantage of a slow-starting visiting squad, building up a 3-0 first half lead while dominating play for the bulk of the opening 45 minutes. Jenna Roach, showing signs of regaining the form she displayed in starring for the Lockerby Vikings a few years back, netted a pair of goals while Kayla O'Link added the other.

Playing down to their opposition in the second half, Panhellenic were prone to more careless mistakes than would normally be the case, but still managed to hang on as West Lincoln could only muster a handful of really solid scoring chances. Unfortunately for head coach Jeff Falcioni and company, this trend could not be reversed quickly enough the next day as Erin Mills scored twice in the opening half, added another early in the second to lead 3-0 before two late Sudbury goals made things a little more interesting.

"We didn't play well at all (Sunday)", noted Falcioni. "But that (Erin Mills) is a very good team." Panhellenic broke the shutout with about 20 minutes to play as Erica Duczeminski found the back of the net and Kayla O'Link brought the homeside to within one - just too little, too late as they say.

The Pan ladies close out their 2007 season with a pair of road games, facing the Limestone Rebels and Vaughan Azzuri 88's, but safe in the knowledge that they have easily avoided relegation and can secure second place in their division with a pair of wins this weekend.

Sudbury has already posted 2-0 wins over both opponents earlier this summer. While the university-aged Panhellenic players will enjoy a few weeks off before the beginning of their OUA training camps, some of the younger Pan ladies may yet hook up with Southern Ontario squads to cap off their summer of soccer.

Keeper Taylar Dawe is rumoured to be joining former Pan 90's OYSL teammate Emily Rogers with the Mississauga Dixie Saints of the Ontario Youth Soccer League U-17 division, although she may not be the last.