Opening Night in Calgary
The long wait is finally over in Calgary, as day one of the FHC U15 nationals kicks off. The tournament starts with a women’s all-Ontario rivalry matchup, East versus West. The first half ended in Ontario West’s favour, finishing the half with a 5-0 lead. Mallory Mackesy was a standout player for Ontario West, picking up three goals early in the first half. Although they were not able to score in the first half, Ontario East had their chances with some shorts and some opportunities from the penalty corner.
The second half was more of the same, with Western Ontario’s goalkeeper Sophie Cawthray making key saves to keep their large lead throughout. East was able to put away one goal, and the game finished with a final score of 8-1 for Ontario West.
The second and final game of the day was a men’s showdown between Quebec and Ontario. These two offensively skilled teams played a physical first half, with both teams getting great chances. Quebec managed to finish on their opportunities and build a 3-1 lead going into the second half. Quebec was able to fend off a strong Ontario pressure in the second half, and an outstanding performance from Quebec goalie Nicolas Bergeron kept the second half scoreless, and secured a 4-1 victory.
Wednesday Wind at Hawking’s Field
It was a windy and cloudy morning at Hawking’s Field to start off match day two, with the crowd and players worrying about rain. The tournament really kicked into gear in the women’s division on Wednesday morning with the BC Rams going up against host Province, Alberta. This showed to be a one-sided affair, as the Rams jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, to win the game 8-0.
The second match of the day was another one in the women’s division, as Ontario East took on the B.C. Lions. Although Ontario East hung on in the first half, the Lions took control in the second. An amazing two goals by Sydney Bojic gave the Lions a large advantage, outlasting Ontario East 6-0.
The U15 Nationals opening ceremonies took place today, which featured all of the teams, veteran players, sponsors, and organizers. The fans were enthused when the players walked out onto the pitch, carrying their respective flags, and chanting as a group. The fans and the players both enjoyed this moment, as they got a chance to stand together with every team in the tournament.
Back to action in the third game of the day, as the boys from B.C. took on Ontario in a thriller of a match. It stayed 1-1 until the very last minute, but B.C. captain Satpreet Dhadda was able to put the ball away with 20 seconds remaining, giving B.C. a 2-1 win. However, the next game showed the B.C. Stags girls against Ontario Central, where Ontario got the best of B.C. with a 2-1 victory.
The final two games of the day showed a women’s contest between Ontario West and PEI, in which Ontario was able to pick up another 4-1 win to continue their undefeated run so far, while the last game of the night featured the hometown boys, Alberta, Against Quebec. Alberta was able to get chances and the game was close throughout, but Quebec was able to hang on to their early lead and outlast Alberta 1-0.
Coach of the Day
Flynn McCulloch – Quebec (M)
Playing Career – Started playing when he was 10-years-old for Chelsea FHC in Quebec
Coaching Career – First tournament as a Provincial Coach
Best coaching moment? – Talking to the players after a big win
