The Nakusp Midget Rep Falcons will proudly be hanging one more banner at the Nakusp and District Sports Complex.
For the second year in a row, the talented Tier 4 team has proven to be the best in the Tier 3, West Kootenay League. Nakusp completed their final two league games earlier this month when they played host to Grand Forks.
On Feb. 11, Grandforks opened the scoring early in the first period, but Nakusp tied the game with a goal from Jacob Balske assisted by defencemen Damin Devlin and Levi Cordingley.
Late in the first, Grand Forks got the go ahead goal, but 30 seconds later Ryan Bateman tied the game, with the assists going to Nathyn McInnes and Zach Friedenberger. Grand Forks again got the lead goal, and the first period ended with the Falcons being behind 3-2.
The second period saw both goaltenders being tough, but with 44 seconds left in the second period, Jacob Balske tied the game up 3-3, putting his second puck in the net with the assists going to Dylan Hascarl and Max McCoy.
The Falcons took total control of the third period, scoring five goals.: Cordingley (unassisted), McCoy (Cordingley, Devlin), Devlin (McInnes, Balske), Hascarl (McInnes) and Hascarl (Devlin, Cordingley).
Late in the third, Grand Forks managed to slip one more past goaltender Josh Rivers. Falcons won the game 8-4 to secure two more league points.
On Sunday, the two teams hit the ice again. Grand Forks again opened the scoring, but Nakusp soon gained the lead with two quick goals, thanks to Friedenberger (Connor Reimer) and McCoy (Devlin, Cordingley). Grand Forks returned to tie the game late in the second.
Early in the third, team captain Ryan Bateman got the go-ahead goal assisted by Balske and Hascarl. Falcons followed that up with three more goals: Hascarl (unassisted), Friedenberger (McInnes, Reimer), Bateman (Devlin, Cordingley).
Falcons tallied two more points to finish one point ahead of the Nelson Leafs and win the West Kootenay Banner.
