Sports Experts are the 2023-24 Whitehorse Futsal Men’s League champions.

The new futsal champions claimed a surprisingly easy 7-3 victory over regular season champs North 60 Wednesday at the Canada Games Centre in Whitehorse.

Gabe Mahamed led the way for the Experts with a hat trick, including one on a penalty kick.

Captain Ben Warburton added a brace (two goals).

Juan Pablo Herrara and Etnik Tarakaj chipped in with singles.

Sports Experts led 2-0 at the half before the floodgates opened early in the second half.

Domagoj Pehar, Marek Boulerice and Ehab Alhag Hussen replied for North 60, who were down 6-0 early in the second half before a late rally.

Warburton said it was a “really tough game. We had a tough start to the season, had a lot of changes in our squad. We were bottom of the league for 80 per cent of it but come the last half, we started to get our squad together, went back to 100 per cent and started picking up wins and had form at the right time.”

When asked the key to the victory, Warburton replied, “The intensity. And the press. They finished top of the league, we finished third, but we beat them more times than they beat us. And it was just because of how we played. Intensity from start to finish. Everybody put in a 100 per cent effort and it worked out.

“That’s probably the best football we’ve played. I’d say we controlled 90 per cent of the game, scored some really good goals and the energy – you could tell from the bench that everyone was willing to go and give it all.”

Warburton was expecting a much closer game.

“I said before either team is probably going to win 3-2. I knew if we got the lead, we have the players to keep the shape and press them and hit them on the counter (attack).

“It was quite the dominant performance, to be fair.”

North 60 captain Craig Caldwell agreed.

“The best team definitely won the day. They wanted it more, they pressed really hard.

“We should have played the way we did the last 15 minutes the whole game and we might have gotten a result.

“We made some silly defensive passes between our guys at the back when we knew they were going to be right on top of us, so we played into their hands a little bit.”

Caldwell said his three-time defending champs didn’t target the Sports Experts goalkeeper as much as they should have.

“Once we put pressure on him, he was making mistakes. We didn’t test him enough. First half especially. At halftime, we didn’t have one shot on goal.”

Caldwell said the new champions were full value for their victory.

“They got better from the first game to the last game of the season. They were definitely always on an incline.”

In the bronze medal match, after leading 2-0 at the half, RDFC took a 3-0 lead over Timbits, who made it closer on a goal by Alvarinho Diaz Vega with three minutes left in the match.

Timbits’ Travis Banks said, “It was a good game. It was really close. Our team definitely had a lot of pressure and their goalie made a couple really important saves. We couldn’t find the back of the net and the other team found a couple early and I think that put our team off our game a bit, but it was really fun. It was a good pace and a friendly group of guys.

“They got a quick goal about 30 seconds in and that kind of set the pace of the game. Unfortunately, we were missing a few of our key players, too, so that hurts the team, I think and the morale of the team when some of your stronger players are missing.

“But it was good. The boys played really well.”

Banks said the squad was pleased with an impressive second-place regular season finish. The younger players on the team are headed to the Arctic Winter Games in Mat-Su/Palmer, Alaska in March.

“For them to get second place overall, I think, meant a lot to them and hopefully will build a lot of confidence going into Arctics in two weeks.”

Banks also had high praise for keeper Milo Schosser, 17.

“It’s hard playing goalie, especially in a men’s league when you’re just a teenager. Goalies are hard to come by and he was there every game and working hard and being a fearless goalie like you need to be.

“He was probably our MVP of the whole season.”

RDFC captain Marten Sealy said, “It could have been anyone’s game.”

Sealy identified the key to his side’s victory.

“Defensively, communicating really well and making sure everybody on the court was part of that defence. Everybody’s behind the ball and choosing when we break out of that. But really disciplined defence.

“Our goalkeeper, Michael Hare, has been standing out in every game that he plays in, especially today. Everybody played a really good game.”

Sealy said last week’s semifinals went down to the wire.

“Both of them were a tie that had to be settled in extra time.”

Sealy said it’s the fifth anniversary of the league.

“It’s really exciting to see it this balanced in its fifth year. I think we’re doing something right in terms of having a well-run league with consistently players showing up every week caring about the results of their games but also having good sportsmanship. I think that’s what we’ve seen all season long.”

North 60 took the regular season title with 29 points (9-4-2).

Timbits was second with 21 points (6-5-3).

Eventual champion Sports Experts came in third with 19 (6-8-1).

Sealy’s RDFC finished fourth with 17 points (5-8-2) but finished the season strong with the bronze medal win.

Despite their regular season record, Sealy said, “Most games were by a tight margin. Every game was fun. Every game was competitive.

“We were coming into the playoffs thinking it was just as much ours as anybody else’s.”

Individual awards were as follows:

League MVP: Michael Hare, RDFC

Golden Boot: Harrison Kwok (18 goals), RDFC

Golden Boot runner up #2... Gabe Mahamed (15 goals), Sports Experts

Golden Boot runner up #3... Leo Whittaker (12 goals), Timbits

Sportsmanship: Ernst Xilin Cao, Sports Experts

Sealy added a thanks to the City of Whitehorse for the facilities, the Yukon Soccer Association for their help, Lumel Studios, who provide all the league’s trophies and “especially our referees.”