Little NHL Celebrations!
I know there are so many great stories and results from the 51st Little NHL that took place in Markam over the break and here are just a few…
The U-15 Wikwemikong Selects won the ‘A’ championship in the rec division with a bit of help from some M’Chigeeng boys. The local side beat the squad from Walpole Island to be able to hoist the Cup. Chase Recollet, Landon Armstrong, Brayden Wabono, Brighten Pelletier, Kobe Mayers, Sean Simon, Brody Ingersoll-Corbiere, Miiangun Manitowabi, Gwiss Kiwenzie, Kingsten Pitawanakwat and Brayden Armstrong.
Coach Derek Debassige took the M’Chigeeng based, Mnising Tribe (U11 competitive division) all the way to a championship win! In fact, this was their second championship in as many years. Last year they won the U11 recreation division championship in their first bid with the Tribe.
This year they progressed enough with their core and with some key additions they felt they could be competitive in the premier class. They finished the round robin tied with Six Nations as the only two undefeated teams. They took their tournament record, a dominant 39-2 GF-A and beat them 4-1 in an exciting final.
Congratulations to: M’Chigeeng kids: Drew Debassige, Bryce Debassige, Landis Corbiere, Cody Mullin, Tomas Marsh. AOK’s Paxton Owl and hailing from Wiky: Rowen Lecuyer, Hudson Gray as well as players from Other ON First Nations: Barrett Deleary, Judah Byrne, Greyson Rennie, Gunner Trout. Bench Staff: Derek Debassige, Richard ‘Bear’ Debassige, Mark Mullin and Jessie Debassige.
Pahquis Trudeau of Wiikwemkoong was scouted to play in the U18 competitive division for Aamjiwnaang based out of Sarnia. Pahquis’ team played seven games in four days, winning all seven. To top off his great tournament, in the championship game, Pahquis was the game MVP! Hats off as well to his Mom Alanna Trudeau, who stepped up to be team manager.
U18 Lady Hawks won the B championship, with five of their girls skating off for their final time as they age-out including Zahara Dube, Hope Eshkibok, Shaye Ominika, Natalia Pitawanakwat and Paungbiisohn Trudeau.
The U18 Northern Storm from Whitefish River FN won the C championship in the girls division with just eight skaters including Wiky’s Peyton Ominika. Also, the U13 Lady Hawks were ‘B’ champions.
Finally, Reese Shigwadja and her team, the Bandits won the U-18 Girls’ ‘A’ championship as she wrapped up a decade of great memories!
Panther Points!
The U15 Manitoulin Panthers maintained their winning streak this weekend, bringing it to 27 wins! Cohen Rajotte (assisted by Ryan Carter) opened up the scoring against the Nickel City Cubs a minute and a half into the first period. In the second period, Spencer Cortes buried a rebound from Ozhaawashko Migwans and three minutes later Casey Bowerman scored with an assist from Brayden Armstrong. Armstrong then closed out the 2nd period with an end-to-end goal to bring the score to 4-2 for the Panthers. In the 3rd, Ryan Carter assisted another Cohen Rajotte goal, and to complete his hat trick, Rajotte tipped in Bryden Romaniuk’s shot from the point. Collin Goodfellow added to the lead with a goal assisted by Max McLeod and Alex Bourcier.
The Lady Panthers are venturing south this weekend to take part in the Toronto Leaside March Matchup Tournament, and then preparation begins for their provincial championships in April.
The U13 Panthers are getting ready for their NOHA Tournament of Champions April 4 to 6 in Iroquois Falls, while the U15s will be heading to Temiskaming Shores for theirs on March 28.
The Panthers have also announced three of a possible four head coaches for the 2025/6 season. Congratulations to Ryan Corbiere who will lead the U-18 Lady Panthers, Derek Lalonde for the U-15’s and Brandon Mailloux will head the U-13 team! They still need a coach for the U-11’s. If you are interested, please contact the hardworking Executives at manitoulinpanthers@gmail.com.
Student Athlete recognition
As an addendum to last week’s feature on how our students balance sports and studies, I have to add a virtual interview that didn’t make it before press time. Zoe Redmond has played for the Canadore Panthers hockey team for two years and is currently an assistant captain for the squad.
Zoe is instrumental to the team and plays defence and center as needed. Her offensive stats are five goals and three assists although the rest of her assistance is not easily quantifiable.
I asked her some hard-hitting, journalistic questions like, “what are some of the pros and cons of being a varsity athlete?” She relayed that she loves meeting new people, making long lasting friendships, getting to travel to play different schools and getting exercise!
The challenges she deals with are missing school for tournaments, as it, “can be hard to balance school and hockey life with dry land once a week, games once-twice a week and hockey practice once a week. Playing on a college team as opposed to a league such as LUG (intermural league) helps to teach you patience and facilitate cooperation. If one person isn’t giving there all it can be hard for others to, so it’s important to go hard and try your best no matter the game or practice.”
Also playing with Zoe in North Bay were fellow Manitoulin kids Abbie Hawke and Bailey Yaschuk Middaugh.
The inappropriately used moniker, a ‘try-hard’ is often given to high school kids who are earnestly hard-working students, who try to get the most of their education. The attitude is like, ‘you can’t really fail if you are not trying.’ How about taking that phrase back to being a positive, as it should be? Keep on being a ‘try-hard’, Zoe!
Prickly Pear Pickleball
Congratulations to Glenn and Meagan Boisvert from the Manitoulin Pickleball Club for their recent winnings in a Pickleball Tournament in Palm Creek, Arizona.
Meagan took the silver medal in both ladies doubles and mixed doubles, 5.0 skill level, 60+ age group while Glenn placed 4th in both men’s doubles, 5.0 skill level, 65+ age group and mixed doubles, 5.0 skill level, 60+ age group. Interestingly, this is the highest level (5.0) winnings for any Manitoulin Pickleball Club member!
