That was an amazing weekend!!
Even before the tournament started the midget B girls already knew that they would be short about 7 players for the start of the Stratford Aces Festival Cup tournament due to school basketball CWOSSA finals.
The tournament started Saturday against a unknown opponent, the Ancaster Avalanche, and with Tori Grice called up from the Bantam LL the Rams started fast and with good fore checking and passing, they got a 4-1 lead, but thinking that they had the game in their pockets the Avalanche came back to 4-3 but the Rams where saved by the bell and got their first win 4-3....
Second round robin game was against their regular season rivals the South Huron Sabres, this turned out to be a more mental game than a physical one and it showed the Rams were not really prepared.
The Sabres took a 1-0 lead shortly after that, a second goal. The end result was 4-1 win for South Huron Sabres sending the Rams home to revive an strategize.
Saturday morning the girls had their sticks back under control against another unknown opponent, the Lambeth Lancers. With Jenna, Jordan and Addison back in the line up The Rams looked more alert then in the previous game. Good attacks covered by by good defence gave the Rams confidence and they capitalized on one of their many chances, 1-0. The second period saw them score 2 more times for a 3-0 lead and which lead to a shut out for Ashley.
Our next opponent on saturday night, The Hawks, a strong team from Hamilton. With school basketball done the Rams line up was back at full strength. First period ended with the Rams getting a 1 goal lead, halfway through the second period the Hawks tied the game up. But a few minutes later the Rams took the lead again 2-1, thats how the second period ended. Third period saw the Rams slowing down and the Hawks took advantage, ending tying up the game. With the Rams unable to clear the puck with a minute and a half to go the Hawks capatilized and scored, leaving the Rams with a 2-3 loss.
But that was enough to put them in 4th place and bring them back sunday morning for the semi finals, which was no other of course then the ever pesky South Huron Sabres.
It seemed like the Rams cleared their minds and Mount forest was ready and shocked the Sabres with fire in their hearts and ice in their veins.
In the first shift the Rams took the lead and it looked like they had the mental advantage this time and never looked back, with the first period ending with a 2-1 lead, the second period was attacks back and forth resulting in a 2-2 tie. The Rams picked up the pace and on the attack, with 5 min to go in the game the Rams got to a 3-2 lead and a minute later made it 4-2. The Sabres tried everything but could not pass by Marissa and it was a Dejavu for the Rams as they beat the Sabres, when it counted, as they had thrown them out of Provincials last year!
They can only be proud of what they accomplished and should realize the potential they have as a team, because there is no "I" in team and one cannot perform without the other on, and off the ice!
We have another banner to hang but maybe we wait.... it could get some company…..
