No doubt Miles Wohlford would have a smile on his face, knowing a Vernon team won the last-ever midget house tournament to be played at the soon-to-be-demolished Vernon Civic Arena.
The Vernon Authentic Plaque and Tropy Hawks won the Smiles for Miles Memorial tournament, beating the Vancouver Thunderbirds 6-2 at the Civic to go undefeated. The tournament is held in memory of former Vernon Minor Hockey player Wohlford, who died from injuries in a boating accident in 2014.
Wohlford’s mom, Randi Lund, was on hand for the presentation of medals.
Goals from Tanner Wright, Ashton Pede and Maisun Ang-Hamilton staked the Hawks to a 3-0 lead. Ang-Hamilton, Wright and Caleb James finished off the scoring.
“This tournament victory was a total team effort which produced the undefeated results,” said Hawks coach Blaine Martian. “Every player followed our game plan and worked hard every shift.
“Our goal was not only to win this tournament as a team, but also for Miles, whose family and friends were cheering us on.”
The trophy gang advanced to the final with a 5-0 semifinal win over Aldergrove with goalies Garrett Adams and Isaac Waldemaras combining for the shutout. Vancouver moved to the final with a 5-2 win over Kelowna.
The Hawks defeated Aldergrove in the preliminary round, 7-4, with Chris Moore scoring twice; they beat Kamloops 7-3 behind two goals from Wright; and whiopped Merritt 7-2 with Ang-Hamilton and Sebastian Wenger each scoring twice.
Vernon Corbett Office Plus Storm finished fifth in the 10-team event, beating league rivals Vernon Nedco 5-3. Jaden Steinke had two goals for the winners with singles going to Tyler Semeniuk, Isaac White and Lochlan O’Keefe. Noah Debalinhard, Chapperon Chillihitzia and Aaron Jodoin scored for Nedco.
Vernon Talon Benefit Eagles placed seventh with a 4-4 tie in their final game against the Summerland Jets.
Reid Lawrence had two goals for Talon Benefits while Nicolas Magerl and Jaxxon Collard added singles.
In league play Monday, the Eagles dumped the Storm 4-1, despite having just eight players.
The Lumby Co-Ed Midget Stars travelled to Salmon Arm and beat the hosts 6-3 in House League action.
Tage Kineshanko scored four times, Michael Pusey added the other two and goalie Erik Foufoulas stood on his head for the Stars, who received splendid assists on the goals from the likes of Dakoa Becker, brother-sister combo Matthew and Vanessa Yaremcio (2A) and Noah Clarke.
Lumby got gritty determined defensive play from Becker, Matt Yaremcio, Jordan Romailler, Elias Wery and Ryan Vandersande. Connor Seehaver, Clarke, Vanessa Yaremcio, Pusey and Kineshanko all had solid offensive games.
Vernon DCT Chambers Vikings fell 5-2 to undefeated Penticton in the final of a Bantam house tournament in Kamloops.
Andrew Kositsin sent the Vikings to the final with an overtime goal in a 5-4 semifinal win over Chilliwack.
The Vikings were 2-0-1 in the preliminary round to finish first in its pool.
Tye Krause scored four sweet goals to pace the visiting Lumby Bantam Stars, sponsored by Great West Equipment and Green Velvet Tree and Lawn Care, past the Vernon Five Star Awards Rebels 6-2 in house league action at the Priest Valley Arena.
Peter Romailler had a snipe from the point on a beauty pass from Linden Catt down low. Catt finished with three assists.
Kohn Van De Vliert finished off the Stars scoring off a thread-the-needle-like pass from younger brother Jace Van De Vliert, a Peewee affiliated player called up for the game.
Dawson Twamley and Tyler Kruysifix had the Rebels goals with assists to Dylan Wapple and Kobe Marchand.
The Rebels and Salmon Arm Audits and Safety Services battled to a 7-7 tie. Ephren Potter-Cramer scored the tying goal for Vernon, his second of the day, late in the game on a set-up from Quinn Soon.
Twamley had two goals – one on a 55-foot wrist shot – while singles went Cole Grevatt, Kayden Bowering and Wapple. Owen Swiscoski saved a goal with a sprawling shot block.
In Peewee House action, North Okanagan Knights dropped a pair of weekend games. Winfield #2 scored an 8-2 home-ice decision. Kohen Pounder and Waylen Stowards had the Knights goals. Pounder had the only goal in a 9-1 loss to Salmon Arm at the Nor-Val Sports Centre.
