New AAA Petes start taking shape
Everyone’s where they belong as three years of turmoil end
The reconciliation of Peterborough’s 2007-born AAA hockey age group appears to be off to a smooth start.
The past three years saw the city’s top players in that group split between the AA and AAA teams in a dispute that started in novice when some parents objected to the AAA organization’s choice of coaches. It led to an unusually strong AA team which won three consecutive OMHA titles and an OHF championship last season. The AAA team wasn’t bad either, placing fourth at the OMHA championships.
When AA head coach Mike Farrugia took the head coaching job with the Central Ontario Wolves AAA minor peewee team this year it created uncertainty. If any of his AA players wanted to join him in Lindsay they had to try out for Peterborough first.
Some parents threatened to boycott or requested releases but Matt Bowen, head coach of the Russelle Chiropractic/Havelock Metals Minor Peewee AAA Petes, said every player came to tryouts. Six AA players, three forwards, two defence and a goalie, signed with the AAA Petes. Four of the AA players who were cut were given releases to join the Wolves along with one AAA goalie who was cut. A seventh new player was added to the AAA Petes when 2008-born Colin Fitzgerald was promoted a year.
The AA players to move up are Cohen Bidgood, Brayden Boughton, Drew Calderwood, Reid Chamberlain, Nick Fournier and Chyse Scott. Chris Maguire, a non-parent coach, has taken over the AA Petes and accepted five players cut from the AAA team onto his team.
As a result, Bowen expects to have his strongest team in four years. They played their first games on the weekend reaching the semifinals of the Pat Larock Memorial Earlybird AAA Tournament at three city arenas.
Bowen said it was difficult to cut players he’d coached for three years but he’s obligated to ice the best team he can to represent Peterborough.
“I think everybody is now placed where they best fit right down the line to roster select,” said Bowen. “Every player we offered a card to there was zero hesitation. I said this is going to be a fresh start and what is in the past is in the past. It’s been a great start.”
He expected it to take a while for the team to gel but says everyone has fit in well on and off the ice. It showed in the tournament, he said.
The Petes started by beating the Whitby Wildcats 2-1 and Timmins North Stars 5-3 on Friday. On Saturday, they lost 4-2 to Seaway Valley Rapids before beating the Guelph Gryphons 2-0 to finish pool play. They fell 2-1 to the Mississauga Rebels in Sunday morning’s semifinal on a goal with less than two minutes remaining.
“We’re feeling really good about how the weekend went. We’re expecting great things,” said Bowen. “The AA’s were an awesome team and their top six players were AAA calibre players and good players.”
Mississauga beat Seaway Valley 2-0 In the final.
In other action, the Jesse’s Tap & Grill Novice Petes were 3-1 in pool play. They lost 6-0 in semifinals to the Duffield Devils who beat the Quinte Red Devils 8-3 in the final.
The Fitzsimmons Towing & Repair Atom Petes were 2-1 in pool play. They defeated Central Ontario Wolves 5-0 in quarterfinals but fell 4-1 in semifinals to the London Jr. Knights. Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs beat London 3-1 in the final.
Nadeau’s Collision Minor Atom Petes were 1-2-1 and didn’t advance beyond pool play. Barrie Jr. Colts beat the Ajax-Pickering Raiders 5-2 in the final.