The bantam Rep Blues are heading to West Kelowna this weekend for the provincial championships.
This season was stellar for the Blues, who compiled a record of 24-3-2.
They competed in a tournament in Victoria in November, winning gold and brought home silver from the Rose City Challenge in Portland in January.
Then just last week, successfully competed their way into the final four playoffs and battled it out with Arbutus, Langley, and Abbotsford to see which two top teams would go to the provincials.
The Blues started with a 5-2 loss to Arbutus, but then beat Abbotsford 4-3 and tied Langley 4-4.
Due to the tie, the Blues had to play a tiebreaker against Langley and pulled out a 2-0 win last Wednesday to clinch the final spot.
Coaches Kelly Cousins and Dave Patton have emphasized team play, working hard for each other, and having confidence in one another even when they are behind. Cousins has stuck to his 'for the boys' philosophy, which has led to so much success thus far.
Parents all agree that it has been an exciting to watch the team play and grow stronger as a team with each game. Even with the loss of one of their key defenders, Lucas Patton, due to a fractured femur, the team continued to play strong. The team is grateful that Lucas is back on the bench as his presence both on and off the ice has a huge impact on the team.
Peewee C1
The Peewee C1 Blues are Lions Gate League champions after a shootout win over North Vancouver last weekend.
The Blues fished third in the league standings with a 12-2-1 record and went on a winning streak through the playoffs with a 4-0-1 record.
The strengths of C1 started with team defence and amazing goaltending by Liam Allen. Other noticeable strengths were the team play and every player contributing in some way all season.
"We were at our best when all players played," said coach Tom Poulton.
In the final against North Van the Blues scored first as Jonah Rowan roofed a backhand from it close after a great pass from Dylan Strom.
North Van scored the next two to take the lead, but the Blues pushed back.
They were finally rewarded when Brenden Jamieson scored with only 10 seconds left in the game.
The five-minute overtime period settled nothing, so it was onto a three-player shootout.
Jonah and Dylan tried hard to score, but the snowy ice had an effect on the puck control.Blues' goalie Liam Allen stoned all three North Van shooters and it was left up to Blues' player Brett Kopeck.
"Brett was instructed to pick a corner (due to the ice conditions) and that he did as he went in and picked the high (glove-side) right corner and the building erupted again," said Poulton. "What a season and what a great outcome for this group of hard working, focused, caring young hockey players. This will be memory these kids and this community will never forget."
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