All Ontario Champions, News, Walkerton Kinette Reps, U18, 2008-2009 (Walkerton Minor Hockey Association)

This Team is part of the 2008-2009 season, which is not set as the current season.
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Apr 23, 2009 | rgrubb | 1680 views
All Ontario Champions
Well, they did it! The Walkerton Capitals (Kinettes) midget B girls
hockey team are the OWHA (Ontario Women's Hockey Association) 2008-09
midget B Provincial Grand Champions. Man, that feels good to say! 

Thanks for all your support!
Cindy Reading
519-327-8690





April 17, 18, 19, 2009
Midget B Provincial Grand Championships
Vs. Kemptville Storm, Flamborough Falcons, Orillia Hawks. Clarington,
Smith Falls Cubs, Ilderton Jets

For any competitive rep team it?s all about making it to Provincials
then winning gold at same ? and it is a long, hard journey every step
of the way. The Walkerton Capitals (Kinettes) midget B girls? hockey
team completed their mission this past weekend and tied the 2008-09
hockey season up in a big red and blue blow. Once again, Walkerton is
home to Provincial Grand Champions.
The 2008-09 Provincials tournament was help April 17 to 19 in
Brampton with 16 top-notch teams representing their areas. The
tournament was set up with four pools of four teams in the midget B
division.
The midget Bs kicked it off April 17 with their first match-up in
their pool against Kemptville Storm. As both teams fought to work off
the jitters play was charged and full of energy. Walkerton was finally
able to gain entry to the Kemptville net, however, on the power play
at :53 in the first when Colleen Parks and Richelle Busby fed the puck
up to Becky Busby who slapped it in. As play continued ts intensity in
the second, Walkerton?s Claire Ashton snapped in a beauty at 5:08 to
take the score to 2-0. Assisting Ashton were Chantale Bourque and
Lauren Bell.
Neither team bothered the scorekeeper again in the remainder of the
game and Walkerton was able to tick off its first win.
Swooping in for the next game that day would be Flamborough Falcons.
While both teams spent a considerable amount of time in the penalty
box, Walkerton was able to pull off their second win of the tourney,
4-0, which remarkably included two short-handed goals. First on the
scoresheet was Ashton once again at 3:21 in the first period. Ashton
was assisted on this marker by Lauren Smith and Bourque. Goal number
two was in the following period at 5:24 and Bell had the honours this
time around. Assistance was provided by Carolyn Hodgson and Katrina
Grubb.
With fellow players serving time in the ?timeout? box the next two
goals would show off the Capitals skills at burning off penalties with
solid offense and defense both. At 2:22 in the second, Grubb would
score assisted by R. Busby while Colleen ?Sneaky Pete? Parks tapped in
the final Walkerton goal at 6:08 in the third. Parks was assisted on
this goal by Holly Cameron.
In their first game the next day, Walkerton secured the win and
scored in pattern to boot with one goal in the first, two in the
second and three in the third. Their opponents, Orillia Hawks, were
not impressed but failed to take out their frustrations on the
Walkerton net and the final score was 6-0 in the Capitals favour.
Shooters for Walkerton this game were Parks, Janna Reading, Bell,
Bourque, Smith and R. Busby. Playing supporting roles on these goals
were R. Busby, Carolyn Hodgson (3), Parks, Grubb, Cameron, Kascha
Fischer, B. Busby, Rachael Diebold and Jasmine Richardson.
Popping out of pool play with first-place honours saw the Capitals
facing the team from Clarington in quarter finals later that day. Fans
were in for a see-saw of emotions in the do-or-die game as Walkerton
did everything right by working relentlessly and keeping play in the
Clarington Flames end of the rink for almost the entire game. However,
the Clarington netminder refused to share her domain and Walkerton was
stonewalled time and again. Finally, after entering the third with
double zeroes still on the scoreboard, Walkerton was rewarded for all
their hard work when R. Busby sent the puck up to defenseman Maria
Kuntz whose resulting slapshot fired home through the melee in front
of the net. Walkerton doubled their lead ? and snuffed the Flames?
hopes ? with 1:19 left in the game when the Clarington goalie vacated
her net a bit too early. Bell was able to steal the puck at centre ice
and fed it to Parks who sent a long shot into the empty net. Oops.
The previous 2-0 win advanced the Walkerton Capitals into the semis
Sunday morning and what a nailbiter it would be for all involved. The
players, however, took it in stride and Walkerton held onto the hard
work ethic that has carried them all season. With both ends of the ice
receiving equal occupation Walkerton were dependent on the forwards
keeping up the pressure within the Cubs? blue line and their fierce
defense, including goalie Alanna ?AJ? Anstett, to keep the net out of
the Walkerton net. After two periods of play, neither Smith Falls or
Walkerton had been able to close the deal and it was a scoreless tie.
As the clock ticket down in the third, mittens were abandoned and
nails bitten to the quick as a one-goal game became a definite
possibility. That first goal was sought even harder and the players
dug into their reserves. Reserves of stamina and memory. Perhaps
recalling losing in finals- and semi finals- past made its presence
felt on the Walkerton bench. Giddy up.
At 3:46 Reading kept the play within the Cubs? blue line and passed
the puck to Hodgson in the fray in front of the net. Hodgson failed to
poke it in but Grubb was right on it and totally in character, bullied
the puck into the back of the Cubs? net. Cubs don?t mess with the mama
bear.
Walkerton was able to hold on tightly to their 1-0 lead until the
final buzzer sounded. The win put the Walkerton Capitals (Kinettes) in
the gold medal Provincial finals for the second year in a row? and the
red and blue had some unfinished business to take care of. Sorry,
Ilderton. It?s not you, it?s us.
Also making it to the finals were the Ilderton Jets but the Capitals
had the blinders on and were heading to the barn! The first goal was
scored two minutes into the game as Parks fired it home after a set-up
pass from Kuntz. Taking advantage of the breathing space this
afforded, but refusing to slacken, Walkerton got in their groove and
set about taking charge the game. Grubb and Bell played supporting
roles in the second goal of the game as Hodgson scored at 2:32 in the
second.
Solid in the Capitals net, Anstett kept the rest of her team thinking
only about the pressure at the other end of the ice. Gathering
momentum ? and refusing to leave anything in the tank -- Walkerton
would score their final point of the game with 13.6 seconds left on
the clock. This milestone was scored by R. Busby and assisted by B.
Busby and Parks. Still refusing to let up for even a second, the
Walkerton players fought through right until the clock ran out. Then,
and only then, was normal breathing restored in the stands and bellers
let fly from Walkerton fans, players and bench staff alike. Mission
completed.
What an exciting ride it?s been for the Walkerton Capitals (Kinettes)
midget B girls? hockey team and all their supporters. For most, that
ride begins the very first time a player laces up and takes to the
ice? and is helped along by their volunteer coaches. Coaches who are
supported by parents, minor hockey systems, service clubs and their
communities (including their local newspapers). So if you spy someone
on the street this time of year sporting a badly shaved head or
multi-coloured hair, shake their hand, they probably lost a bet by
daring their players, our youth, to work harder and go for the gold.
What a small price to pay.
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