WOAA Champions
This past Saturday March 6th, the West Shore Bantam Girls travelled to Brussels to compete in the year end WOAA Championship Tournament. With the top seed, the girls faced an unfamiliar opponent in Bruce Peninsula for their first game.
The Kinucks came out flying, scoring three goals in the first period. Madison McFadden set the pace with the first two. Assists going to Courtney Surridge and Jordan Murchie on both goals. Victoria Krulicki finished off the period with a nice one timer assisted by Cassidy Colhoun and Kristen Derksen. Five minutes into the second this same combination repeated. Goal from Krulicki, with assists to Colhoun and Derksen. With just 39 seconds left in the second, McFadden completed the trick on some nice passing from Surridge and Murchie. The girls finished off the scoring on the PP with a great back door goal started by Colhoun and McFadden, finished by Surridge. Baker and her fab four defence of Parsons, Smith, Mangotich and Gade were steady when called upon to preserve the shut out.
A quick bite to eat @ "Cinnamon Jim's" and the girls were off to the second round, facing the Bulldogs of Blyth. The girls kept their feet moving and got on the board early once again. Murchie from Colhoun and Krulicki was quickly followed by a great end to end rush from Laura Mangotich who slid a great cross crease feed to Surridge who made no mistake. The girls pumped in three more in the second; Krulicki from Colhoun and Derksen, McFadden from Derksen and Gade, and Krulicki from Bowes and Surridge. The team then played great defence in the third to once again shut the opposition out 5-0.
The final game would have the Kinucks playing their strong rivals from Walkerton. Having faced each other seven times this season, each team knew this would be a hard fought game with lots of adversity. Team captain Courtney Surridge was unable to play in the final due to injury. The girls did not waver however and started the game quite strongly. Great goaltending at both ends left the first period scoreless. Midway through the second period on a broken play, Gade spotted Krulicki up the middle. On a break away from mid ice she snapped home a hard shot stick side to break the deadlock. Just one minute later Colhoun took the puck wide creating a two on one throwing the puck to the top of the crease where a streaking Mcfadden tipped it home to give the Kinucks a two goal lead.
With two minutes to go in the second, the girls were called for two penalties in 47 seconds. One of these was a game misconduct leaving the girls with just seven skaters. They killed this 5 on 3 off, only to do it again midway through the third period. A fatigued defence pair of Smith and Parsons had little rest during this stretch. Walkerton took advantage in the third with a goal that cut into the lead.
The last five minutes was frantic but the girls desire was resolute and Baker stood tall making a great glove save in the dying seconds to preserve the win and the Championship.
Congratulations girls on a great tournament and yet another Championship this season.
Keep it going. G4G!
Written by: C. Colhoun
Submitted by: L. Parsons
