SAUGEEN SHORES NOVICE C GIRLS WIN INTERNATIONAL CAITLYN COBEAN MEMORIAL SILVER STICK TOURNAMENT
Saugeen Shores Storm
defeated the St Mary’s Rock 4 – 3 in an overtime thriller to win the 2013/14 Caitlyn
Cobean Memorial Girls’ SilverStick Tournament.
This tournament was hosted by Saugeen Shores from the 7th to
9th February. It was a remarkable achievement considering the team
had only played one other game together and that was an exhibition game loss
against the Arran-Elderslie Girls Atom
HL team during the Christmas holidays.
Thank you Arran for the game experience.
Novice girl teams are few and far between in our area due in large part to numbers. Therefore the formation of All-Girl teams seem to be delayed until the Atom level and the younger ones are left to gain their structured hockey playing with boys. The Storm had 14 OWHA rostered girls who also played on 9 different mixed novice teams, 1 tyke team, and one girl who only played on the Saugeen Shores Girls Novice Team. Made for difficult scheduling. All of these girls came together under one program headed by Coach Chris Hall who also coaches the Atom Girls team. Shared practices with the two teams were made possible under this arrangement and for the most part, both teams followed the same practice regimen. In addition, some of the novices were given the opportunity to affiliate with the Atoms in games when their rosters allowed. This grassroots development has produced back-to-back Silver Stick Tournament winners.
In their first game on Friday, Saugeen Shores faced the South Huron Sabres C, a team from the Exeter area. Although they didn’t have a threatening record they had played over thirty games including two tournaments. But keeping everything in perspective, the Saugeen Shores players also played games on their separate mixed teams and the big plus was that they practiced with the Atom C girls. There was no fear factor to overcome. The local girls won the battles and goals from Maddy Linklater and Sydney McArthur and shutout goaltending by Parker Ribey gave the Storm their initial W.
Their second game was the next morning at 8am against the heavy favourite St Marys Rock. They boasted a winning record bordering on 40 games played but Saugeen were not intimidated. They led after the first period 2 – 1 on goals by Gillian Warren and Chesney Miller. However, the strength of The Rock showed in the second period when they scored four unanswered goals to go ahead 5 – 2. Regrouping, Saugeen won the third period 3 – 2 but lost the game 7 – 5. Goal scorers were Gillian, and Chesney with two each and Olivea Pope with one. Olivea also chipped in with an assist along with Chesney and Brooklyn Quanz. Sydney McArthur added two assists. Parker Ribey played big in goal and did not let the loss dampen her spirit.
The loss placed The Storm into the elimination game later in the day against South Huron. Both teams wanted to play in the Silver Stick Finals and both teams were relentless trying to score the first goal but both goalies refused to give in. The goose-egg was broken in the second period when Gillian Warren scored at the 4-minute mark assisted by Celsey Moulton and Maddy Linklater. Parker barred the door and her teammates moved to the puck wherever it went. Chesney Miller banged in her team’s second goal with 3 minutes remaining and the Saugeen Shores Storm were going to the Finals to defend their Championship title.
When registering the Novice Storm the objective was development and their target was the Silver Stick. After their three tournament games their confidence was high and they had their eyes on the prize. They all believed they could do it. They were the underdogs but had the Home crowd on their side. And ending their previous game against The Rock by winning the third period had them excited and ready.
A goal by Gillian Warren assisted by Chesney Miller and Olivea Pope with 3 minutes left in the first period had the crowd whooping. Early in the second Gillian and Olivea paired up again, this time it was Olivea finding the twine with Brooklyn Quanz also assisting. St Marys weren’t going to quit, and rebounded with two goals of their own to end the period tied at two. Both teams had their chances in the third but it was St Mary’s who would go ahead with 4 ½ minutes to go. But with Parker on the bench for the extra attacker, Gillian Warren from Chesney and Olivea tied it and the championship would be decided in Overtime. Nervous parents, but determined players showed no signs of tiredness. Sudden Victory was presented to the Rock’s Top Gun #12 when she broke in alone and rang a blast off the cross bar. Parker had all the open space covered! Unfazed, the Storm’s transition game kicked in got the puck in deep in St Mary’s end. Olivea “Scrappy” Pope pounced on a loose puck in the slot and wired a shot on net. GOAL! Sudden Victory! What an ending. Saugeen Shores Storm Novice C – INTERNATIONAL SILVER STICK CHAMPIONS!
Head Coach Chris Hall, Asst Coach/Manager Ray Hall, Trainers Lynn Pope, Chad Quanz, James Marshall, Team Staff Irene Hall.
Players: Sabra Cannon, Jeri Carter, Abby Clarke, Courtney Cuillerier, Chloe Lalonde, Maddy Linklater, Ella Marshall, Sydney McArthur, Chesney Miller, Celsey Moulton, Olivea Pope, Brooklyn Quanz, Parker Ribey, Gillian Warren.