The Kincardine Kinucks Midget "C" girls team who is sponsored by Montgomery Ford had a fantastic final weekend away while attending the All Ontario Provincials in the GTA area this past weekend ! The KMHA system had all 4 teams competeing for medals, Atoms, Peewee's, Bantam's & of course the Midget girls ! In this tournament for all dividsions and levels there were over 630 teams competeing. All the Kincardine teams were scattered all over playing in Oakville / North York / Brampton / Mississauga areas and more. The Midget girls were the only team advancing into the Sunday games as one by one the others were knocked out and im sure they played their hearts out to try to advance!
Playing in the girl playdowns or playoff's is a different approach than ove how they boys system works. Each of these teams had a playdown grouping to play thru from teams with in their league and area , then only the top teamswould qualify from these groups to attend the Provinicial tournament in Toronto area. Boys hockey has 3 out of 5 series , moving from towns & leagues and then region to regions, with girls this system runs thru a entire weekend of a series of games set up in a tournament fashion!
The Midgets had likely the most memorable finish to a season that anyone could want or ask for and with some major hic-cups ! These 16 midget girls kept busy thru the month of March, as their provincial playdowns started Feb 4th and were completed by March 8th. The coaching staff knew to perform well in the provincials we had to keep them busy, with 2 practices a week, some dryland training & exhibition games was all we could do to keep in shape. Our WOAA year end tournament on Mar 27 & 28th was also a good motivator as we are a "C" team, we played all 3 "B" teams from the league, maybe not winning here wasnot such a failure after all but more of a conditioning for our final weekend in April. The coaches were pleased how the Kinucks played this weekend and knowing this would help against the best "C" teams from the province. That Provincial tournament in GTA area is 2nd week in April 10-12th which is quite a time filling in hockey like a normal season, well we had a final exhibiton game scheduled on April 2nd in the D/C vs Markdale "B" team and this was the 1st day of hic-ups starting actually as the parents of the goalie had contacted the coaches to inform them that our only goalie came down and been diagnoised with Mono and been hospitalized for 4 days prior to the weeknd of provinicials and on I/V to hope to get better. The Coach Gord Kemp was now digging into th rule book of OWHA and rule # 3-Pg 43 , 3 a - 10 , with written permission and proper documentation were allowed to bring up a goalie from the same level and grouping in the Midget system , lucky enough to pick up the Owen Sound "C" team goalie to be able to compete in the weekend tournament !
Most of the team traveled down on the Thursday night to save that long drive prior to a 1st game which really helped and stayed in Brampton. In the Midget "C" division there was 16 teams competeing, broken into 4 groups for a 3 game round robin play then hoping to advance to quarter finals. All the Midget games were played in Oakville at the 16 mile rinks with 4 ice pads in one facility! All games were 12-12-12 minute periods, each team allowed a time out, 2 games per day! Kincardine girls playing our 1st game vs Timmins Blue Herrons at 10:45am , of course i think both teams were likely nervous, or at least we were and understanably so. This was a tight game, end to end action 1st & 2nd period scoreless, only scoring in the 3rd period at 9 minutes left to play and a insurance goal with 59 seconds left to win 2-0 the 1st game ! The 2nd game @ 5:15 Friday night vs Kitchener Lady Rangers , the Kinucks didnt seem just as nervous, but more confident, scoring in ezch period and maintaining a 2nd weekend shut out, winning 4-0 ! Having a team dinner at Jack Astors and a early curfew for the players to play the 3rd round robin game vs a team beating us earlier this season in our 1st tournament this in November, a team named the Mooretown Flag Ladies ! This game was action packed, with the Kinucks taking a 3-1 lead in the 1st period, scoring another goal in the 2nd peirod and each team scoring in the 3rd for a 5-2 victory with Mooretown played with the goalie pulled last minute and we scorded our 5th goal with 2 seconds left. This now allowed us to advance to quarter finals @ 6:45 pm Sat night to play Bancroft in a real tense game. Both teams scoreless after the 1st period completed. The 2nd period finally opened up with a goal for the Kinucks 7 minutes in. This inspired the bench into the 3rd period , however Bancroft tied the game with only 6 minutes left , then with 2:31 left on the clock. Kincardine scoring 3 more goals late in the 3rd period of the game, for a 4-1 victory while our team totally out played this 10 player squad from Bancroft with all 3 year age midgets playing, they seemed like almost a tournament team according to their own teams goalies parent telling one of our team parents. This now meant a early night for the Kinucks on Saturday night to advance to the semi finals against a Glengarry team from the North, funny how you can never find some of these team stats or websites.This Glengarry team we knew would be likely our biggest challenge and toughest go, played in North York @ 9:30am in the Chesswood arena with 2 ice pads , game 5 , getting the girls motivated was no problem this weekend as they really wanted what was coming to them!! Each game the bar kept rising & any doubt or nerovusness we could cease that feeling mentioning to the girls that a angel named Cody flew on your shoulders to help you this weekend and this game that showed as there best player #3 and leading scorer was givin a GM21 for swearing at the official at 5 minutes in the 2nd period and head to leave the game. We had already scored in the 1st period for a 1 goal lead, but after this penalty, we scored again late in the 2nd period and 2 more goals in the 3rd and maintaining a 3rd weekend shut out to advance to the gold /silver medal game. The final game of the season and of course our biggest event in the season was being played again in the Chesswood arena @ 2:00pm vs the Almaguin Gazelles , anothe team that we had loss earlier in the season in the Gretzkey Tour in Brantford! We knew this final was going to be decides a winner by a goal difference ! On Game 6 we are all getting worn down, both teams , suffering from torn mussles, bruises, hits and sore elbows, somehow all these girls realized in this final game that " PAIN HEALS & GLORY LASTS FOREVER " , well on the drop of the puck for the face off, both teams went into battle, the Kinucks feeling good with a 2-0 lead after the 1st, however we knew if the Gazelles got a taste they would want more, well the Gazelles scored with 3 minutes left to play in the 2nd period now creating pressure, however the Kinucks wanted that cushion back and scored with 22 seconds left in the 2nd for a 3-1 lead. The 3rd and final period, the Gazelles kepy on strong pressure and socred 6 minutes left, the Kinucks had no room for error and had a chance with 2:23 left , scored a 4th goal for a 4-2 lead . The Gazelles called a timeout, pulled their goalie, and at 1:21 LEFT scored a to bring the score 4-3. The last 1:21 was the longest minute in my life, waiting and trying to close the game down, it was intense and 3 face offs in our endzone in the final 20 seconds of the game, we finally were able to throw our hats and arms in the air, cheering and hugging came to follow as these Kincardine players win the Gold medal , after i went and put my arms in the air like Coach Herb Brookes form the 1980 olymipics !. The teams both lined up to recievce their banners/hats and medals, and as the Kinucks were going to leave the ice, the most classiest thing of the weekend was Almaguinn Gazelles formed a arch with their sticks in the air as all our players left the ice along the boards as the congratulated us in this fashion, oh my god, all i could do was cry with happiness ................................ photos also of this our on our website & There is a final 10-second video of the game on our website
The amazing story and memory is this team has only won 1 tournament this season out of 5 they attended and in South Huron & Exeter area the Pink of the Rink back in January, this was prior to our final 6th tournament weekend,the Provincials, which including the playdowns, this team won all 5 games straight to qualify in the Month of Febuary 28 goals for and 1 against , never once being behind, and then the 6 games this weekend, also undefeated 23 goals for & 6 goals against for 11 game winning streak on provincial playoff games to win gold medal -- all un-defeated, no ties,never being behind once in any period ! Our teams total record out of 57 game season was 40-14-3 season ! The parents and families are very proud of these girls and their season, however the coaching staff are more than pleased and proud of these girls accomplishments this season ! We truly are the Champions ! The entire team returned to Kincardine to have a Victory dinner at the Bruce Bar and grill Sunday night. There will be a victory parade soon and organized , will be announced by local media and social media for a date and details, please come out that day to cheer on these 17 Gold medalist
Article submitted by Gordo
team photo
Back row left-right
Jeff Elliott- Def Coach / Heather Padfield- head trainer / Hailey Woods RW / Alice Thorpe LD / Tara Wood RW / Jorie Elliott- "A" RD / Megan Stewart-Kemp-"C" Cen/ Eden McFarlane-"A" Cen / Lauren Jolley LD / Lara Clubb RD / Eartha Phorson RD / John McFarlane-Forw Coach / Gord Kemp- Head Coach
Mid row left-right
Georgia Fields RW / Kelsey Padfield LW / Ashley McConnell LW / Daniel McBride LW / Rainor Kuz Cen / Madison McBride RD
Front row
Left-right
Abigail Gnass - Back up goalie / Sofia Tomani - Goalie
absent from photo- Colleen Craig- Assist trainer / Mary Lynn Young -team Manager