Blyth Brussels Crusaders win regional Silver Stick tournament in Wingham
BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN
The Blyth Brussels U18 Rep Crusaders are the winners of the Wingham Silver Stick Tournament, meaning they will continue on to the next level.
The team put the finishing touches on its regional tournament run last Sunday, first beating the Huron-Bruce Blizzard in the semifinals by a score of 3-2 and then the Shelburne Wolves in the finals by a score of 5-2.
The team’s run began, oddly enough, with a 5-2 win over the same Shelburne Wolves back on Nov. 10. Following that opening win, the team then tied the Walkerton Capitals at four on Nov. 12 and then beat the Tavistock Junior Braves on Nov. 15 by a score of 1-0 before the semifinals and finals on Sunday.
Meanwhile, last Saturday’s official opening of the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre, after an extensive renovation and expansion project, was a big one for the Blyth Brussels Minor Hockey Association with 10 teams taking to the new-and-improved ice that day.
On Saturday morning, the U6, U7 Burgundy, U7 White, U8 Burgundy and U9 LL Crusaders teams took on their Wingham Ironmen counterparts in exhibition action, while the U8 White team played the Mid-Huron Huskies and the U9 MD team played the Mitchell Meteors.
In the afternoon, the U11 Rep team played the Wingham Ironmen in an exhibition contest and lost by a score of 3-2, while the U13 LL and U15 Rep teams both played Wingham Ironmen teams. Later that evening, there was an Ontario Sledge Hockey Association game between Kitchener and London before the Provincial Junior Hockey League clash between the Wingham Ironmen and the Fergus Whalers, which ended in overtime with a 4-3 win for the Ironmen, who were the home team for the night.
Last Friday, the U11 LL Crusaders lost to the Mid-Huron Huskies in Brussels by a score of 13-1. The U9 MD team also played their Mid-Huron Huskies counterparts in Brussels that night, but a score was unavailable at press time. Also that day, the U18 LL team lost to the Huron-Bruce Blizzard Grey team in Ripley by a score of 6-0 and the U13 LL Crusaders lost to the Howick Hornets, also on the road, by a score of 5-0. One night earlier, the U15 LL team was on the road to play the Central Perth Predators and lost by a score of 9-0.
On Nov. 13, the U11 LL team lost to the Listowel Cyclones by a score of 4-1 on the road, while the U15 Rep team lost to the Mount Forest Rams, also on the road, by a score of 6-4. The U18 LL Crusaders beat the Wingham Ironmen in Blyth that night by a score of 6-3 and the U9 MD team played the Mid-Huron Huskies in Bayfield, but a score for that game wasn’t available at press time.
The U11 Rep Crusaders lost to the Listowel Cyclones on Nov. 12 on the road by a score of 6-2. The same night, the U15 Rep team tied the Drayton Defenders at two in Brussels and the U9 LL team played the Goderich Sailors White team on the road, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time.
On Nov. 20, the U9 LL team played the Meteors in Mitchell and the U18 LL Crusaders played the Huron-Bruce Blizzard White team in Blyth, but scores for those games were unavailable at press time.
Looking ahead, tonight, Nov. 22, the U11 Rep team will host Huron-Bruce in Brussels, while the U18 Rep team will be on the road for a game with the Mount Forest Rams.
On Saturday, the U7 Burgundy and U7 White teams will host two South Bruce teams in Blyth, while the U8 White and Burgundy teams will be in Ripley to play two Huron-Bruce Blizzard teams.
The U11 LL Crusaders will be in Arthur to play the Vipers that day, while the U15 LL team will play the Kincardine Kinucks, also on the road. The U15 Rep Crusaders will play the Mid-Huron Huskies in Clinton, the U13 Rep team will play the Bruce Peninsula Predators on the road, the U18 Rep team will play the Owen Sound Junior Attack in Brussels and the U13 LL team will play the Kincardine Kinucks on the road.
On Sunday, Nov. 24, the U8 White team will play Central Perth and the U9 LL team will play the Zurich Thunder, both on the road.
The next night, the U13 LL team will play the Mid-Huron Huskies in Clinton and the U15 LL team will host the Huron-Bruce Blizzard in Blyth. Also that night, the U11 Rep Crusaders will begin their own Wingham Regional Silver Stick Tournament journey with a game against the Minto Mad Dogs.
On Nov. 26, the U13 Rep Crusaders will host the Huron-Bruce Blizzard in Brussels and the U18 LL team will welcome the Mid-Huron Huskies to Blyth the next night.
On Friday, Nov. 29, the U15 Rep team will head to Wellesley for the Twin Centre U15 Tournament with games scheduled against the host Twin Centre Stars and the Kincardine Kinucks on that first day. Also that day, the U11 Rep team will play its second Silver Stick game, taking on the host Wingham Ironmen at 7:15 p.m. that night.