AE Peewees win Regional Silver Stick
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Tillsonburg Underhill Farm Supply AE peewees have won a 2012 Regional Silver Stick championship banner.
“You never really know going in,” said Underhill’s Farm Supply coach Derek Partlo, who was more confident after he saw the competition. “I was confident in my team, but you never know how you’re going to do.”
After winning the B championship in the TMHI Bob Tansley Memorial tournament, and winning a St. Marys tournament, the Tornadoes made it ‘three’ at the Regional Silver Stick hockey tournament.
“Up until this year we’ve never won a tournament,” noted Partlo. “Yeah, it’s coming together.”
The Tornadoes started on Thursday night (Dec. 6) beating Tavistock 3-1.
“It was a very physical game, but Tillsonburg did not back down,” said Underhill Farm Supply coach Derek Partlo. “The two power-play goals were the difference.
Andrew Hamm and Sam Cull were in net for the Tornadoes, sharing the first three games.
1. Landon Partlo PP (Logan Partlo)
2. Logan Savoy (Kenny Coyle)
3. Landon Partlo PP (Logan Partlo, Brayden Verschueren)
On Friday, Dec. 7, Tillsonburg hammered Wasaga Beach 9-2.
1. Brayden Verschueren (Ajay Vanhaelewyn, Brady Scruton)
2. Logan Partlo
3. Brayden Verschueren (Logan Partlo, Landon Partlo)
4. Logan Partlo (Brayden Verschueren)
5. Landon Partlo (Evan Buchanan)
6. Cole Hicks (Aiden Ketchabaw)
7. Logan Partlo (Duncan McLean)
8. Evan Buchanan (Logan Savoy)
9. Evan Buchanan (Logan Savoy)
Tillsonburg had already qualified for semifinals, and Saturday afternoon’s 5-1 loss to Lincoln did not affect anything but who they faced in the cross-over.
Both team were 2-0, said coach Partlo, and the refereeing was a little more one-sided than the Tornadoes would have liked. At one point Tillsonburg had 10 penalties to Lincoln’s none.
“We played almost the entire second period five-on-three short-handed.”
1. Brayden Verschueren (Landon Partlo)
Second in their pool, Tillsonburg faced Ayr, first in the other pool, in the semifinals Saturday night (Dec. 8).
Tillsonburg 3, Ayr 0
1. Logan Partlo (Brayden Verschueren (Landon Partlo)
2. Brayden Verschueren (Logan Partlo)
3. Duncan McLean (Logan Savoy)
Sam Cull was amazing in goal, said coach Partlo, earning the shutout.
“It was a very good hockey game, and Sam stopped three point-blank shots that looked like for sure goals.
“We’ve been really pleased with both our goaltenders all year,” nodded Partlo.
FINAL
Tillsonburg 3, Mitchell 1
Mitchell had upset Lincoln, who Tillsonburg wanted in Sunday afternoon’s final, hoping to avenge their previous loss.
Mitchell came out quick scoring on their first shift, just 31 seconds into the game. But Tillsonburg took over the game and carried the play the rest of the way.
Duncan McLean tied the game at 7:19 of the first period with a wrist shot off the post. Then Aiden Ketchabaw put the Tornadoes ahead two minutes later one-timing a feed from a coast-to-coast Cole Hicks rush.
Logan Partlo tipped in a Kenny Coyle slapshot, top shelf, to give Tillsonburg an insurance goal on a power play early in the third period.
Sam Cull was stellar in the finals making many key saves.
1. Duncan McLean (Ajay Vanhaelewyn)
2. Aiden (Cole Hicks, Cole Pace)
3. Logan Partlo (Kenny Coyle, Ethyn Brown)
The AE Peewee North American International Silver Stick will be hosted by St. Catharines/Niagara Falls on the weekend of Jan. 10.
BOTTLE DRIVE
To help raise funds for the trip, the AE peewees will be having a local bottle drive on January 5.
“We’re going to be going through the neighbourhoods, and we’ll have an envelope at The Beer Store.
“The boys are excited,” Partlo summed up. “They’ll have a big opening ceremonies, trade the pins… it’ll be quite the experience for them, and a chance to see some international competition.”