Written by Dave Graff. The SMHA Cherrey Bus Lines Minor Bantam rep team
participated in the Woolwich Wildcat Weekend tournament this past weekend and
once again the kids came home with silver medals around their necks.
In the Championship game against league nemesis Woodstock the Warriors saw Brady Ballantyne’s go ahead power play goal with 3:36 remaining in the third period go for naught as the Navy Vets struck twice on break aways in the final two minutes to secure the title with a 4-3 victory. Zach Carman and Calaen Trupp had staked the Warriors to a 2-0 second period lead in what was an evenly played game, Stratford out shooting the Navy Vets 19-17. Jack Whitehead had two assists for Stratford while Curtis Taylor, Caleb Musselman, Patrick Holloway and Ben ten Hag had one each.
The Warriors began the tournament Friday night with a 5-2 win over host Woolwich. Taylor was on fire in this one notching the hat trick while Caleb Musselman and Owen Fraser also scored. Carter Musselman, Nathan Graff, Carman, Braydon Tinning, Ballantyne, Holloway and Connor Loerzel had helpers in the win.
Game two saw Nolan Traynor stop 10 shots for the shutout in a 3-0 Warrior win over Centre Wellington. Ballantyne sniped a pair and Whitehead added a single in the victory while Holloway added two assists.
The Warriors had all kinds of trouble penetrating the Woodstock defensive coverage in the attacking zone in game three and despite a solid defensive effort the Warriors fell 1-0 to the Navy Vets. Tallyn Soper had 18 saves in the Stratford goal, the line of ten Hag, Carter Musselman and Erik Smith created some near miss chances up front but despite the loss the Warriors clinched top spot in the round robin on the goal percentage tie breaker.
Sunday morning in the semi-finals against Centre Wellington Carter Musselman, Tinning and Caleb Musselman scored in a two minute span to propel the Warriors to a 3-1 victory. ten Hag, Carman, Taylor, Ballantyne and Holloway contributed assists.