Eagles’ basketball!
On Thursday, March 1 both CMPS Intermediate boys’ and girls’ basketball teams headed to Espanola to participate in the Spartans Invitational tournament. The boys got off to a good start, beating both AB Ellis and S Geiger in their first two games. The boys then faced off against R. H Murray, and lost their first game, putting them up against Sacred Heart. Although the boys gave it their all, they lost the game putting them out of the running. Hats off to players: Garrett Shepherd Aiden McCarthy Alex Hore, Rylan Carrick, Jacob Wilson, Noah Thorpe, Liam Lariviere, Liam Bridgeman, Carter Moggy and Kasch Lentir.
The girls remained undefeated throughout the course of the day, first meeting up with A. B Ellis, besting them 10-7 in a narrow, nail biting game, then went on to win games versus both S. Geiger, and R.H. Murray, putting them into the semifinals. The girls then went up against Sacred Heart, gaining an impressive lead, putting them up against A.B. Ellis in the finals. The girls brought their A game, executing plays and skills with perfection, winning by an impressive, 21-5 tally. The girls team featured: Delaney Bridgeman, Chloe Peltier, Leah Carrick, Lindsay Shepherd, Nikki Cress, Zoe Redmond, Ava Assinewai, Naomi Hill, Annie Balfe and Jordan Graham.
Coaches Chris and Christa King congratulate both teams who displayed outstanding sportsmanship and athleticism. Way to go CMPS Eagles!
Manitoulin Minor spotlight!
Congratulations to both teams that played in the MMHA Atom B division playoffs. The Little Current Flyers and Mindemoya Thunder played some amazing hockey, trying to win their best out of five format. The first game was played in Mindemoya where the Thunder roared loud and they began the playoffs with a win.
The Flyers hosted the second game in the series and proved to be a tight game and were tied at the end of the third and teams got to experience some sudden death overtime excitement. Little Current burying the goal and knotting the series 1-1.
The third game was played back in Mindemoya. Fans filled the stands, cheering on both teams. Once again, the teams were so close and three periods decided nothing. Family members and friends gripping the edges of their seats the two squads went back into the fourth period and as Hollywood endings would have it, the Thunder tied the series that required a fourth game back in the Flyers’ den.
In the Sunday match both sides worked very hard for three periods and each fired over 20 shots on the other’s net. Towards the end of the third, the score was tied 3-3. The Flyers received a penalty that gave Mindemoya a chance during a power-play to score and they converted to bring it to 4-3. The final score ended up being 5-3 for Mindemoya but it was not an indication of the play on the ice as either team deserved to win the trophy. Congratulations to both teams for showing great sportsmanship dedication hard work and excellent hockey.
Congratulations Thunder players: Noah Thorpe, Sable Powsey, Kohan Campbell, Grace Pennie, Karsten Powsey, Seth Verboom, Danika Skippen, , John Thirkhill, Autumn Davy, Erin Spry, Mya Balfe, Lucas Brown, Tessa Prior, Rylan Carrick, Abbie Heins and coaching staff Jon Balfe, Ryan Prior, Trainer Darren Brown and Manager Allan Davy.
Island “Sons” cap a great season!
The Minor Bantam AAA Nickel City Sons ended their season the weekend of February 23–25 at the Gene Harrington Niagara Falls Classic tournament in New York. Unfortunately, they would be doing it without their offensive leader, as AOK’s Sam Assinewai’s season ended the Thursday before the tournament when he dislocated his shoulder on a fall at a school ski trip. For Mindemoya’s Liam Bridgeman and Wiikwemkoong’s Carson Shawana and their other NCS teammates, it was a weekend much like their season, one of mixed results.
At year-end tournaments teams are bound to face opponents they have met at other competitions throughout the season, and such was the case in Niagara. NCS commenced with a game against the St. Louis Prospects, who the Sons had eliminated in a shootout at the Hamilton Bulldog Backspin Classic semi-final in December. From the start it was clear St. Louis was set to avenge that loss, as they came out flying and jumped to a 2-0 lead. NCS got in gear and came back to tie it at 2s. This time though there would be no denying the American side, who applied their considerable physical advantage to pot a couple goalmouth scrambles to make it a 4-2 final.
With one loss NCS couldn’t afford another, and they dutifully dispatched their next 2 opponents, beating the Wheatfield Blades 7-1 and the Western Mass Wizards 8-2. That left a final round robin date with an undefeated North Bay Trappers side, the same NBT team the Sons had defeated for the NOHA AAA Minor Bantam Championship series, in triple overtime of the series deciding game no less, just the week before. NCS, who needed a whopping 4 goal victory differential to get through to the final, dominated the game, but had great difficulty solving the Trappers goaltender. NBT made the most of their few opportunities, and as time wound down on their 13th tilt of the season, the 2-2 final score, while not avenging the Trappers championship loss, afforded North Bay the pleasure of eliminating their northern nemesis from the tournament.
So the Minor Bantam AAA season ends with the team standing at 30 -21 -9, and ranked 24th in the province, a huge improvement of 16 spots over last year’s 40th rank, and 31 spots better than their 2015-2016 provincial ranking. Individually, Sam finishes as the team’s leader with most goals, 24, and most points for a forward with 60. Carson, defensive leader in both hits, with 193 (30 more than the #2) and blocked shots, while Liam lead the way as top plus minus with a rating of +22 and was third in assists, despite virtually no power play time all season. You made the Island proud boys, congrats on your NOHA Championship, and good luck next season.
A good sport is good for sports.
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