Saints AAA girls headed to OFSAA with shutout victory over Weldon
Being so close to an OFSAA medal last year, the St. Peter’s Saints girls hockey team wanted another crack at it.
They earned a return trip to the OFSAA AAA championships on Monday with a 4-0 win over Lindsay’s I.E. Weldon Wildcats in the COSSA AAA final at the Kinsmen Civic Centre. They’ll compete at OFSAA in Whitby on March 19-21.
The Saints placed fourth at OFSAA last season and, with a large number of returning girls and some strong additions this year, St. Peter’s coach Mike Martone feels the school has an even stronger team this year.
“At OFSAA, you have to be on every game because you don’t know what you’re going to get,” said Martone. “Sometimes other teams have some top-end players and we have some top-end players, too, but I think what we have going for us this year is we’re pretty deep. Once it gets past the first or second line, we’re fortunate to have a third and fourth line that can play, too. The longer you go in a tournament like that, the more it comes into play.”
Weldon has played the Saints tough all season including a 3-1 loss in the Kawartha final a week earlier. The game was scoreless until Chloe Fife opened the scoring with 47 seconds left in the first period on an assist from cousin Sophie Fife. The Saints grabbed control scoring on both ends of a five-on-three power play in the opening two minutes of the second period. Avery Johnston scored from Chloe Fife and Clara Williams followed by Riley Falkner tallying from Danica Werry and Lauren Guest. Chloe Fife rounded out the scoring from Williams and Johnston.
“It’s really exciting because this is a tough team we played,” said Johnston. “We took it to them right from the start. A few of our graduating players this year didn’t play last year and didn’t get the chance to go to OFSAA (earlier) because of COVID. I think they’re super excited for this opportunity. We want to go as far as we can. Our goal is to win obviously, but we’ll have to see what happens.”
Williams also sees depth as the team’s strength. “We have a really good team from the fourth line to the first line. I think we all work really well together,” said Williams. “It shows that our hard work pays off. That’s a really good team we just played.”
The Saints advanced to the final by defeating East Northumberland, 9-0, in morning semifinals, while the Wildcats beat Centennial, 5-0.
In boys COSSA AAA play, I.E. Weldon turned the tables on St. Peter’s, winning the final, 5-2, at Ennismore’s Robert E. Young Recreation Complex. The Wildcats advance to OFSAA AAA also in Whitby on March 19-21.
Ray Thurston led the Wildcats with three goals and an assist, including the winner just 35 seconds after the Saints had tied the game 2-2 early in the third period. Thurston also had the insurance goal and an empty-net marker. Caleb Williams and Hayden Vokins scored for Weldon, as well.
Jack Davies and Michael Donahee had a goal and an assist each for the Saints.
‘‘ We have a really good team from the fourth line to the first line. I think we all work really well together.
It’s the first time since 2018 the Saints haven’t advanced to OFSAA.
“It was a really good I.E. Weldon team,” said St. Peter’s coach Kevin Fitzgerald. “They won the Saints Classic B division. Their coach, Dave Chambers, deserves all the credit in the world for rallying their boys. We beat their pants off, 6-2, in the Kawartha championship and he had those boys ready to play. They deserve every bit of credit.”
The Saints defeated Centennial, 7-1, in morning semifinals. Donahee scored twice and added an assist with singles by Ryland Wilson, Reed Chamberlain, Tom Donald, A.J. Whitney and Davies, while Teagan Hartnett added four assists and Jacob Stinson two. Weldon beat East Northumberland, 3-2, in the other semifinal.
CLARA WILLIAMS SAINTS PLAYER