For those of you who were fortunate enough to witness the Atom Reps sweep the Simcoe Warriors in the finals of the OMHA last Sunday by a score of 2-1, you were far from disappointed in the excitement and level of hockey displayed by both teams.
Like we have come to expect, Coach Jason, Coach Hubba, Coach Nic, and Trainer Jim, had the boys focused and determined to pull off the win in front of a packed house. Now this is nothing short of a tall order because when it comes to any hockey game, you never know what outcome is waiting at the final buzzer, and when it comes to any 10-year-old hockey player, you never know if the nod you get after giving instructions is because they get it, or if they are just bobbing their head to the beat of the song that was last played in the dressing room.
The game was fast-paced and it didn’t take long for Carter Servais to bury one at 4:22 of the 1st. Not only a typically Carter rush, but also doing it short-handed as well. With Simcoe pouring on the pressure like never before, there ended up being no additional scoring in the 2nd period, thanks to a large part from the well-known net-minder Josh. Carter Coates, Jordan, Colin, and Tayttum kept Simcoe pushed outside, and any loose pucks were quickly removed from harms way.
Not until mid-way into the 3rd period was the scorekeeper asked to add another goal to the board, and it was Owen, who was left alone in the slot made no mistake to put Listowel up 2-0. Benny did his usual grinding to get the puck to Owen and assist on the play. With 48 seconds left, and Simcoe adding an extra attacker, Smitty, Carter Coombs, Maddox, Camden, and of course Chet did their absolute best to dismantle Simcoe’s every scoring opportunity, but at last one squeaked past Josh to put the charging Warriors within 1.
A team doesn’t get a record of 50-11-2 by succumbing to the pressure when the competition gets as tight as a Leaf’s jersey on Rob Ford, and when the final seconds ticked away, the Listowel parents and fans could finally take a breath when the whistle blew. The celebration on the ice had even the hair on the back of Hubba’s head standing on end with the home team victorious by a score of 2-1.
The road to the OMHA Championship saw Listowel out score Kincardine 8-3, Penetang 15-2, Highland Storm 10-3, and Simcoe 8-3. Josh had 5 shutouts in 13 games.
The OHMA title absolutely caps off a season that will be tough to imitate, near impossible to duplicate, and will certainly never be forgotten. The boys also won the Red and White Rep Tournament in Schomberg, the Roy Beechy Tournament in Tillsonburg, the Regional Silver Stick Tournament in Wingham, and the Peterborough Lift Lock Atom Tournament. More importantly, they also won the hearts of the hundreds of fans who came to support and cheer on their amazing victory.
Boys you did Listowel proud showing fans all over Ontario that winning doesn’t require hits from behind, or verbally putting down opposing players. Your never quit attitude instilled by your Coaches is all you needed.
A Brooksy-Rick Flair salute to all the boys. WOOOOOOOOOO !!
Your Team Reporter
Dean Williams