Last weekend turned out to be a spectacular one for Stettler minor hockey with several local players representing the community in all-star games and the atom tournament at the Stettler Recreation Centre resulting in two local teams reaching one finals, one of them winning the trophy.
Four members of the Stettler midget girls’ team were selected to play on the east team in the all-star game for North Central Girls Midget Hockey last Friday, Jan 21. The east team with the Stettler girls Rikki Burrows, Kylie Younghans, Nicole York and Cianna Zwiefel, overpowered the west team 4-3.
Earlier, on Jan. 15, five members of the bantam AA Storm team played in the Tier I all-star game in Innisfail. Each player participated in one event in a skills competition. Jacob Hamel placed second in the hardest shot and Taylor Chase won the shootout event.
Three players were assigned to the white team and three to the black team. Dylan Hotte, Braeden York, and Jordan McCallum were part of the white team, which won the game in a shootout after a 7-7 tie in regulation time. Kieran Rost joined Hamel and Chase on the black team.
As for the 14-team atom tournament, the Stettler Elks team competed in the AA side of the tournament, facing Strathcona Warriors first on Friday night, Jan.21. It was both a tournament game and a provincial play down game, which ended with a 7-3 for the local boys with goals coming from Kameron Bainbridge (2), Adam Shirley(2), Sam Hamelin, Erik Rost, and Carter Van Esch.
The next day, Stettler Elks AA took on t Lloydminster Fort Garry Blazers and the final score was 6-3 for Stettler and goal scorers were for Adam Shirley (2), Erik Rost (2), Daylan Kuefler, and Rhett Shingoose. This result placed Stettler into the final and they played against Strathcona one more time, beating them again this time with a score of 8-3. Scorers in this game were Erik Rost (3), James Switenky (2), Sam Hamelin, Daylan Kuefler, and Brady Turner.
The Stettler Woody’s Warriors A team started play on Saturday morning and played against Delburne Outlaws. Delburne came out on top with a final score of 6-2 and goal scorers were Brenden Tucker and Noah Smyth for the local side. On Saturday evening Stettler came up against Red Deer Overdoor Stealth and Stettler came out on top 5-2 with goals coming from Ivan Lomeland (2), Jackson Squires (2), and Brenden Tucker.
Stettler then played their final game against Delburne and after a great close game, ended up losing in the final couple of minutes 5-4. Goals in this game came from Brenden Tucker (2), Gracie Morbeck and Isaac Lee.
In the B division of the tournament, the Stettler Storm B team took on Spruce View in their opening game and lost 10-3. Goals were scored by Ethan Tomkow (2) and Connor Wyness. The Storm won their next game against Sylvan Lake Lakers with a score of 7-2 with goals coming from Reese Smith (4), Chelsey DeVloo, Selena Sharpe, and Myles Niehaus. In their final game, Storms played against Fort Saskatchewan Rangers and ended up losing 6-1 with Jordan Smith notching Stettler’s only goal.
The Stettler Elks B team started their weekend off playing against Red Deer MGM and after a tough game lost 17-4. Stettler goals came from Delaney Anderson (2), Beau Cooper, and Patrick Fisher. In the next game, Elks played against Fort Saskatchewan Rangers and lost this game 7-4. Goals in this game came from Cole Heck (3) and Madison Kuefler. In the Elks final game they faced Sylvan Lake Lakers and fell short by a score of 10-7. Goals came from Cole Heck (3), Clode Anderson, Myles Ecklund, Madison Kuefler and Gavin McQuay.