Simcoe Tournament A Success for the Midgets
The Midget Reps travelled to Simcoe this weekend for the Boston Pizza Challenge tournament. Even though the team was winless, the weekend was a success for the boys as they gained the confidence in knowing that they can compete with higher calibre teams.
Game one action took place on Friday night against the home team boys, the Simcoe Warriors. After a day off from school, a two hour drive and a pre-game meal, the boys looked a little sluggish as they took to the ice. The Listowel boys couldn’t contain the bigger, faster and stronger Warriors and the Warriors skated away with an easy 5 – 0 victory.
The Ennismore Eagles were the opponents for game two on Saturday afternoon. The Cycs hit the ice knowing that a loss would make it almost impossible for them to move on to play on Sunday. The action was fast-paced with lots of chances at both ends, but it would be the Eagles who would get a marker on the scoreboard first. They would stretch this lead to three, but the Cycs did not give up. They battled hard and were finally rewarded with a goal early in the third, but they could not beat the Eagle’s goalie again. Final score 3 – 1.
The hungry group headed back to the hotel, where the team’s Social Convenor, Laurie Linstead, had organized a pot luck meal for the players and parents. The feast was awesome and enjoyed by all. Thank-you very much to Laurie for a great job of organizing, and thanks to all the parents for your wonderful, and healthy, contributions.
The boys knew that they were not going to be moving on to the semi finals on Sunday, so Saturday night’s game vs. the undefeated St. Marys Rock was all about pride. The boys gave Coach Josh exactly what he asked for – play with intensity, give 120% and leave it all on the ice! The underdog Cyclones were down by two going into the third, but their ‘never quit’ attitude kicked-in and they battled back to tie the game with just over one minute left on the clock and the net empty. The game would remain tied, but it felt just as good as a win for the boys, knowing that they ‘left it all on the ice’!
