U10 A Storm cap season with OMHA final appearance

The South Oxford U10 A Storm capped a great 2024-25 season with an OMHA A final appearance Sunday, April 6th in Whitby. (Contributed Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Post Correspondent

The South Oxford U10 A Storm’s Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) championship final appearance in Whitby Sunday, April 6th was a fitting conclusion to a great season.

“I was proud of all the kids for their hard work and dedication,” said coach Chris Sanders. “They put in the work and it showed.”

U10 is the first year players converge under the amalgamated South Oxford format, an adjustment made right off the hop, said their coach.

“Right from the first practice they were already bonding in the dressing room, developing friendships off the ice,” said Sanders. “That just carried on.”

The U10 Storm’s season featured tournament victories in their own South Oxford event and the U11 Division of the Buffalo Winter Classic, along with a 20-2-2 record in what Sanders characterized as an extremely competitive Shamrock Hockey League.

“It was a challenging division,” he said, home to four of the top six-ranked U10 A teams in Ontario. “Every team in the Shamrock is a good hockey team.”

The U10 Storm’s offence was fuelled by Oliver Lyonaise who won the Shamrock scoring title and Nolan Murray and under-age defender Vincent Heleniak who both finished in the top five. However, beyond quality goaltending and what Sanders considers the best defence in the league, the team’s forward depth was what stood out to opponents throughout the season.

“Every other team seemed to have two solid lines, we were fortunate to roll three,” said Sanders.

Moving through Shamrock round-robin playoffs in first place, the U10 Storm opened best-of-three semi-finals with a 5-4 win over the Norfolk Knights. The Knights battled back with a 3-2 win in Port Dover before the U10 Storm closed the series out with a hard-fought 4-1 victory on home ice.

“The kids came to play that day,” credited Sanders.

South Oxford advanced to the best-of-three league final against Mt. Brydges, a solid team who had handed the Storm’s both regular-season losses. Opening with an 8-1 victory and then dropping a 5-2 decision in the second game, South Oxford had to earn a hard-fought 4-2 win including an empty-netter in the third and deciding contest.

“The team came together and we came out on top,” said Sanders.

As well as the league title and attendant OMHA Red Hat championship tournament berth the victory provided, Sanders appreciated both two tough playoff series and competitive league games night in night out.

“I think having to play those hard games and battle every night set us up, prepared us for the (OMHA) playoff tournament.”

South Oxford’s run through OMHA round-robin play including a rematch against the Haldimand River Kings. The Storm beat the River Kings in the final of their own tournament, losing to them in regional Silver Stick qualifiers. Sandwiched around comfortable 9-2 and 7-1 wins over the Woolwich Wildcats and Collingwood Blues respectively, their game was expected to determine first and second in their four-team pool, and who would have to cross over against the powerhouse Belle River Canadiens in semi-finals.

“All the kids knew how big the game was,” said Sanders of an eventual 5-1 win.

Finishing first, South Oxford took care of a fast-skating Centre Wellington Fusion squad 5-1 in their semi-final.

“We jumped out early, got two quick goals and were able to hold them off as the game went on.”

The U10 Storm faced the Belle River Canadiens in the OMHA A final, a squad with size, strength, ability to move the puck well, and a ‘phenomenal’ player first identified in Silver Stick play.

“We came out with a gameplan and he still scored six goals on us,” credited Sanders. “Even outside of him, Belle River is a well, rounded, very good hockey team.”

The Canadiens opened a 2-0 lead which South Oxford was able to counter, battling back to square accounts at two. However, Belle River responded with two goals during a five-on-three power play.

“And we just ran out of gas,” said Sanders of an eventual 9-2 loss to a quality team and individual player who had 27 points in five OMHA tournament games. While naturally preferring a victory, the result did not take the shine off what their coach characterized as a great 2024-25 season.

“Coming second out of 106 teams in the province is a pretty impressive year,” Sanders concluded.