The five South Cariboo hockey players who make part of the Williams Lake Midget Female rep team, the Timberwolves, played hard at the B.C. Hockey Midget A provincial championship in Parksville from March 19 to 23.
Forwards Katya and Anya Levermann, defenders Sienna Monical and Addie Cleave and goaltender Rachel Cross have been playing with the Timberwolves since the start of the season.
The tournament featured eight teams, with two pools of four. The top two teams in each pool advanced to a crossover game and then the medal games.
“This year had basically the pool of death for the Timberwolves,” said coach Roy Call. The team faced off against the South Island Royals of Victoria, the Surrey Falcons, and the Kimberly Nitro’s, all of whom were champions in their local leagues.
In the first game of the tournament, the Timberwolves played the Royals in a back and forth game that ended in a 1-1 tie. They then played a hard battle against the Kimberley Nitros, eventually losing 1-0 despite some dominant play by the Williams Lake team. A must-win game against the Surrey Falcons followed.
Despite fast play by both teams, a late penalty awarded against the Timberwolves would be the team’s downfall. A game-winning power play goal by the Falcons late in the third period ended the season for the team.
The South Island Royals and the Surrey Falcons would go on to win their crossover games, playing each other in the finals. The Royals came away with a victory against the Falcons, winning 2-1 and claiming the provincial title.
The team capped off their year with an end of season awards banquet. The South Cariboo girls came away with a number of honours.
Goalie Rachel Cross was awarded “Most Dedicated.” Her teammate and defender Addie Cleave was awarded “Most Improved.”
The season was the last for Grade 12 player Katya Levermann. Levermann was also named the team’s “Most Valuable Player.”
Overall, the 62 game season was incredibly successful for the team who won the regular season Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association Championship at the end of January. The team also made it to the finals in each of their six tournaments throughout the season.
