Ramtastic Rams score weekend sweep in provincial qualifier
The peewee C Rams broke out the brooms and punched their tickets to the provincial championships with a weekend sweep over the Orangeville Tigers.
The Rams notched a narrow 2-1 win on Saturday in Mount Forest before answering the bell again with a 1-0 victory on Sunday in Orangeville to advance through their best-of-three provincial qualifier.
Mount Forest's girls went with a short bench in both contests but the Rams weren't looking for excuses. They dug down deep and got contributions from every single player on their small-but-mighty 10-player weekend roster.
The Hardest Working Team in Hockey roared through all six periods in the weekend series, relying on superb netminding from rookie-of-the-year candidate Alyssa V. and the Rams' three-player blue-line unit.
Mount Forest's three-headed monster on defence, Jayde M., Presley B. and Abby W., gobbled up opposing forwards and spat them out throughout the series.
The troika played superb hockey all weekend, making smart, safe plays with the puck and rubbing out Orangeville's attacking forwards time and again. All the while, conserving precious energy for the long haul.
In Game 2, Presley scored the series-winning goal on an unassisted moon-shot from the point that fooled the Tigers netminder who had put together a tremendous game of her own with heart-stopping save after save. Pres was presented with the Super Girl Cape for that marker and her consistent, rock-solid play throughout.
Jayde, the Rams' tireless blueline fixture was a stalwart throughout the series and took the Hard Hat Award on Sunday.
Mount Forest's runaway freight train Morgan F. potted both Rams' goals in Saturday's 2-1 decision, earning the Super Girl cape while Jaime G., who stepped up in a big way from the blueline to play the wing, was a revelation in a position she hasn't played since mite hockey.
"Jaime brought lots of toughness and aggression to the wing. She never quit and that kind of approach is contagious," said head coach Bill Walker.
Jaime took the Hard Hat Award in Game 1 of the series.
Not to be outdone, Mount Forest's remaining forwards, Shea M., Chloe R., Chloe K. and captain Haven L. assembled a tremendous series where they refused to be outworked, winning foot races to loose pucks and battles along the boards.
All this, while minding their responsibilities in the most important zone on the ice -- our own end.
"We are so proud of the girls," said coach Walker. "And so happy for them. They deserve to go to provincials. The coaches push these girls again and again and every time they have responded with a stronger effort than before."
Hats off to a determined Orangeville team that came oh, so close and pushed the Rams every step of the way.
The Rams, who've now won nine of their last 11 games, have the chance to sew up third place in WOAA league play with a win against Lucknow in Wingham on Friday night.
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