Ayr Rockets girls reach finals at Jason Cripps Memorial tournament

The Ayr Rockets U13LL Girls’ Team celebrates following a 1-0 semi final win over the Twin Centre Hericanes during the Jason Cripps Memorial Hockey Tournament Dec 27-30th. Team members include Scarlett, Sydney, Milena, Calla, Izzy, Bella, Nat, Lucy, Thea, Claire, Charlie, Clara, Rylea, Olivia, Lilah and Bea. 

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

The U13 Local League Ayr Rockets capped off a strong holiday showing with a runner-up finish at the Jason Cripps Memorial Hockey Tournament.

The annual event, hosted by Kitchener Minor Hockey, is held in honour of Jason Cripps, who was killed in a motor vehicle collision caused by a drunk driver in 1988. Four years after his death, and following consultation with his family, the tournament was established in his memory, becoming a long-standing Christmas tradition in minor hockey.

The Rockets, made up of an equal mix of players from Paris, Ayr, Brantford and Kitchener, advanced to the championship game in an eight-team division after a weekend of tight, competitive contests.

Ayr opened the tournament on Dec. 27 against the Wilmot Wolverines, edging out a 1-0 victory in dramatic fashion. With just 27 seconds remaining, Rylea Detzler sent the puck toward the Wolverines net, where an unlucky bounce off the goaltender’s stick carried the puck over her shoulder and across the goal line. Bella Sayles and Natalie McMillan picked up the assists.

The Rockets followed with a 1-1 draw against the Cambridge Hawks, with Calla Roberts scoring Ayr’s lone goal off a feed from Milena Rakanovic.

Ayr then played the Guelph Jr. Gryphons to a scoreless tie, leaning heavily on goaltender Claire Van Houwelingen. Van Houwelingen turned aside a steady stream of chances, keeping the Rockets in the game with a poised and composed performance between the pipes.

The win and two ties were enough to send Ayr into the semifinals on Dec. 29, where the Rockets earned a 1-0 victory over the Twin Centre Hurricanes. Rakanovic scored her first goal of the season at a pivotal moment, assisted by Charlie Cornish. Both players are new to the sport, making the goal a memorable highlight as it propelled Ayr into the finals.

In the championship game, the Rockets faced a disciplined and undefeated Kitchener Rangers squad. The teams skated through a scoreless first period before Kitchener opened the scoring in the second and added another in the third.

Ayr responded late when Roberts found the back of the net on a rebound, assisted by Bea Promoli and Scarlett Hayward. Promoli carried the puck in on a breakaway after a feed from Hayward, and when the Kitchener goaltender couldn’t corral the initial shot, Roberts buried the loose puck. Kitchener sealed the win with an empty-net goal as the Rockets pushed to tie the game in the final minutes.

Reflecting on the championship effort, Rockets head coach Nate Witt praised his team’s resilience.

“The girls were grinding out close games all tournament and that’s exactly how the final went,” Witt said. “They fought hard the entire game against a very good team. Our goaltender was amazing as always, and the defence and forwards really battled to keep us in it and swing the momentum at the end. We’ve got a great group of girls and the coaches are very proud of the effort and the way they competed all tournament.”