U9 LL Boys Red take silver at Stoney Creek tournament

The Stonetown Electric U9 LL Boys Red St. Marys Rock earned the silver medal at the Stoney Creek Family Day Hometown Winterfest tournament Feb. 13-15. Pictured in the front row, from left to right, are Nick Ehgoetz, Griffin Queen, Luuk Essing, Bennett Meta, Ben Schmidt and Jacob Hibbert. In the back row, from left, are Brock Welch, Myles Van De Walle, Mat Pickel, Finlay Brand, Oliver Shuglo, Parker Hammond, Tucker Wilder, Tom Dundas and Murphy McCarthy.

By Spencer Seymour

The Stonetown Electric U9 LL Boys Red St. Marys Rock left the Stoney Creek Family Day Hometown Winterfest tournament Feb. 13-15 with the silver medals.

Head coach Sherry Garrett told the Independent the team stayed engaged the entire weekend.

“The energy the boys brought stood out to me,” said Garrett. “They were there to win, and it was clear they were ready to work and have some fun while doing it. Unfortunately, we came up short (in the final), but the boys never gave up. It was really great hockey. The score was up and down, and after taking a penalty late in the third, we gave Ingersoll a two-goal lead, making it just out of our reach. But again, the boys played to the end, which I was really proud of.”

According to Garrett, getting to the gold-medal game was a major milestone for the team.

“Getting into the finals as the underdogs was empowering to this group,” Garrett said. “They know we believe in them, and I think they are really starting to believe in themselves. The energy these boys brought was impossible to miss. From warmups to the dressing room to during the games and back at the hotel, they were all in. They were proud and excited to represent St. Marys at this tournament.

“Of course, there was some heartbreak leaving without the gold medal, but I think this is only going to push the boys harder.”

After going through the three-game round-robin with two wins and one loss, the Rock met the Ingersoll Express in the championship contest. Though St. Marys fell 4-2 in the finals, Garrett explained there was no shortage of great performances throughout the tournament.

“Parker (Hammond) was our leading goal scorer. He’s been working so hard on his shooting this year, and it shows. We have some really solid forwards who know how to take the puck to the net and also backcheck hard. At one point, Parker ripped a hard shot from the corner and Luuk (Essing) capitalized on a rebound for his first big goal.

“We have a really impressive defence core that is continuously improving,” Garrett continued. “Griffin (Queen) was irreplaceable playing defence, and all of our defenders used their speed and physical strength, barely allowing shots on net. Our goalie, Oliver (Shuglo), showed up for us with two shutouts to start the tournament. He was on top of his game and continued to make some huge saves to keep the score in the final game close.”

Garrett further explained how some of the squad’s biggest developments have come in the defensive end of the ice, and specifically, how they’re breaking the puck out of their zone.

“We’ve been working really hard on defensive zone breakouts, and it definitely worked for us this weekend. Most of the team has only just learned the breakout this year, so just implementing something new from practices into a game is so great to see. The defence trusting that the forwards will be there at the hashmarks or along the boards to receive the puck and then carrying it up the ice to the offensive zone was great. Similarly, the forwards being patient and knowing that the defence will get them that puck was excellent.”

When reflecting on the silver medal, Garrett said it was a sign of how close the team has become over the course of this season.

“I think the way our team has come together is paramount,” said Garrett. “We do have a small crew that goes to school together, but the rest are all new to each other. Learning who we are off the ice only allows for stronger experiences on the ice. Figuring out who’s who and what they’re each about, including strengths and weaknesses, has really helped them to grow as a team. Spending time together off the ice has definitely strengthened their bond. They’re invested in one another and want to do well, not only for themselves, but for each other too.”