U11 Rep Crusaders make finals in Huntsville Knights of Columbus tournament
BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN
The U11 Rep Blyth Brussels Crusaders had a good weekend in Huntsville, making it to the finals of the annual Knights of Columbus Tournament, falling only to the Millbrook Stars in the championship game by a score of 5-2.
The tournament began for the locals on Friday, March 14, which was a good day for Blyth Brussels hockey. The U11 Rep team beat the Huntsville 2 team by a score of 4-1 in the opening game of the tournament. Meanwhile, the U7 White and Burgundy teams had both travelled to Guelph to play one another during an intermission of the game between the OHL’s Guelph Storm and Owen Sound Attack at the Sleeman Centre.
The next day, the U11 Rep team met the Millbrook Stars, who they would play again in the championship game the next day, and lost by a score of 4-2. The team beat Elmvale by a score of 6-5 later that day, punching their ticket to the finals on Sunday.
In playoff action over the weekend, the U11 LL Crusaders lost to the Listowel Cyclones on the road by a score of 10-1 and the U15 LL team tied the Mount Forest Rams at four, also on the road.
The previous day, the U9 LL Crusaders won their regular season game with the Mid-Huron Huskies in Brussels by a score of 7-0, while the U15 LL team lost its playoff game with the Huron-Bruce Blizzard, also in Brussels, by a score of 5-4.
Back on March 13, the U15 LL Crusaders tied their playoff game with the Minto Mad Dogs 2 team at two in Palmerston and on March 11, the U13 Rep team beat the Saugeen Shores Storm in their playoff game at home in Brussels by a score of 1-0. And on March 10, the U11 LL team lost its playoff game with the Minto Mad Dogs on the road by a score of 8-1.
The previous week, the U15 LL Crusaders were in Goderich for Young Canada Week, which has been recognized as the longest-running youth hockey tournament in Canada. Unfortunately for the locals, they ended the tournament without a win.
Play began on March 10, with a 3-3 tie with the Wingham Ironmen, followed by a 4-0 loss at the hands of the Saugeen Valley Steelheads on March 11, followed by a 5-1 loss to the Ilderton Jets later that night, ending their tournament.
On March 18, the U9 MD Crusaders played the Goderich Sailors White on the road, followed by a game with the Arthur Vipers at home in Brussels the next night and a game with the Junior Attack in Owen Sound the following night, but scores were not available for those games at press time. Also on March 20, the U13 Rep team was in Wingham for a playoff game with the Ironmen, but a score for that game was unavailable at press time.
Looking ahead, there are few games left on the schedule for the Crusaders as spring has now sprung and attention will soon be paid to summer sports like baseball and soccer.
However, on Saturday, March 22, the U9 LL team will host a regular season game with the Central Perth Predators in Brussels, the U9 MD Crusaders will be in Listowel for a regular season game with the Cyclones and the U13 Rep team will host the Wingham Ironmen for a playoff game in Brussels as their playoff series continues.
The next day, in regular season action, the U9 LL team will play the Central Perth Predators and the U9 MD team will play the Arthur Vipers, both on the road.
Then, the last few games on the current schedule will see the U9 LL Crusaders head to Goderich for a regular season game with the Sailors Black team and the U13 Rep team will travel to Wingham for a playoff game with the Ironmen, both on March 25, followed by a March 26 regular season game between the U9 MD Crusaders and the Listowel Cyclones at home in Brussels.