A few weekends back (Sept 20-22), the Penetang U11B Flames got their season kicked off by playing in the Midland Centennial Cup. With only a few practices under their belt, the young flames were glad to get things started against some stiff competition from several A level teams. From the moment the puck dropped, the Flames demonstrated great team speed and a strong work ethic, setting them apart from teams in their pool.
The crew cruised through round robin play with wins of 4-0 over Peterborough, 8-1 over Halton Hills and finally a 5-1 victory over Quinte West. This positioned them for a semi-final showdown against their cross-town rivals from Midland. The team wasn’t nearly as sharp in the semi-final but showed some great signs of early season grit in coming back from a two-goal deficit on their way to prevailing 4-3. This hard-fought win set them up to face the Barrie Colts in Sunday’s final.
Ultimately, the team was humbled in the final in losing to the superior Colts but will continue to use the experience as a source of growth for this season. The Flames may not have taken home the championship trophy, but they certainly left their mark on the tournament. They got some valuable wins, had a great pool party and while also learning that there is still a lot of work to be done. This group of kids has loads of potential and will be working hard towards their season goals.
The group was especially proud of their team picture and would like to thank their sponsor Tom Smith Chevrolet Buick GMC (Steve Jacklin & team).
Congratulations to all the players and a huge thanks to parents for their early season dedication!