If they wanted to, the Williams Lake Timberwolves could send out a whole line of 100 Mile House talent.
Anchored by goalie Rachel Cross between the pipes, and Addie Cleave, Sienna Monical, Courtney Cave and Sydni and Olivia Poggenpohl out in front, the six local skaters are a big part of the neighbouring South Cariboo community’s female bantam rep hockey team.
The girls are proving to be real leaders, with Monical wearing the “C” as the team’s captain, explains coach Ben Pierce.
“They fit in really well and bought into our philosophy. Our team philosophy is ‘team first and hard work.’ They have been great. They’re six great kids.”
Like their midget counterpart, which also includes six 100 Mile House players, the bantam Timberwolves play in both the Cariboo Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) and Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association (OMAHA).
The Timberwolves players don’t have much previous rep hockey experience, but the team has shown a lot of improvement as the season has progressed, Pierce explains.
Williams Lake met Kelowna in OMAHA action in 100 Mile House earlier this month. Kelowna had previously blown them out 12-0. But on Dec. 7, the final score was 4-2, and the game was tied 2-2 late into the third. Cross was in net and made a lot of big stops.
“We’re learning a lot,” the coach says. “It’s new for a lot of them, but we have been having fun. We’ve had a good season.”
One highlight of the Timberwolves’ season so far was a trip to the Four Nations Cup in Kamloops in November. The girls not only played some good teams, they also witnessed some world-class women’s hockey, in the stands for games between Canada and Finland, and USA against Sweden.
“It was awesome for the girls to see that.”
The team’s goal this season is to qualify for provincials in March. They’ll have to beat Prince George, their CAHA opponent, to get there.
“Seeing the whole team, all of them, whether they’re from 100 Mile or Williams Lake, getting together, it’s been awesome,” Pierce says. “They are a team and that’s why they’re doing so well. They’re doing everything together.”
