The DCT Chambers Red Bulls bowed 6-5 to the host Beaver Valley Nitehawks in Sunday’s final of a Bantam Rec Hockey Tournament.
The Bulls, without leading scorer Parker Gray, gave up a 3-0 lead to the West Kootenay boys before getting a late goal in the first period to make it 3-1. The Bulls rallied to take a 4-3 lead in the second before the Hawks scored two late goals.
After Beaver Valley made it 6-4 midway through the third, the Bulls pulled within a goal with two minutes remaining. With the goalie pulled for the extra attacker, the Bulls made rush after rush with Connor Smidt putting one laser off the crossbar.
The Bulls had a well-balanced attack with game MVP Russell Day, Brett Shaigec, Danielle Butler, Adam Reczka and Ben James scoring.
“It was the Bulls’ second trip to the A final in as many tournaments this year and a great team effort made this possible,” said head coach Norm Day.
The Red Bulls opened with a 6-5 win over Nelson with Day supplying 4+1, MVP Butler counting 1+1 and Mark Trznadel also connecting. Smidt had three helpers in support of a solid Yager Krenz, who played all four games for the DCT.
Vernon then lost 4-2 to Grand Forks with Tim Ufimtseff and Day providing the goals and Brett Shaigec selected as game MVP.
The Bulls then closed preliminary play with a 4-2 win over Trail/Rossland. Shaigec, Brittany Jackson, James and MVP Trznadel each had a goal.
The Vernon Authentic Plaque and Trophy Hitmen lived up to their name in a bodychecking Bantam Rec tourney in Kamloops.
The Hitmen skated hard and played tough all weekend, going two-for-three in the round-robin and missing out on the semifinals by half a point.
The Hitmen doubled the Kamloops Flames 6-3 and blasted the Kamloops Winterhawks 8-2, after falling 4-1 to the Chilliwack Chargers.
Smooth-skating defenceman Liam Sallows-Cromarty earned MVP status against the Chargers, with Brett Jewell getting the lone goal.
MVP Jewell scored four times against the Flames with singles coming from Luke Lawrence, on an end-to-end rush, and Sallows-Cromarty.
Jewell and Brenden Zupp both turned hat tricks against the Winterhawks with Adam Tyk and Lucas Mitchell also recording snipes.
Tireless Ryan Pelkey was game MVP and goalie Joseph Tronson was steady in net all weekend.
In a consolation final Sunday, the Hitmen lost 10-7 to the Kamloops Knights. MVP Zupp scored four goals with Jewell contributing 1+3. Alex Strutt and Mitchell each counted singles.
Lumby Stars Midgets, sponsored by R. J. Schunter Contracting and Gorman Bros., settled for a 6-6 tie with the visiting Vernon Advertising Works Broad Street Bullies.
Newcomer Clayton Ricketts scored once and assisted on Darcy Schenkeveld’s first goal 23 seconds in for Lumby. Kyle Weston, Wyatt Warnes, Cory Hug and Brad Haslam, with the equalizer, finished the Lumby offence.
Chad Lindenbach scored four times as the Nedco Blazers ambushed first-place Lakeside Printing Aftershock of Salmon Arm 12-1 in other Midget Super League play Sunday at Civic.
Devan Head, Brennan Martin and Adam Fenske each scored twice, while Steve Goebel pocketed 1+6 and Cole Hadland also had a single. Brendan Squair had three helpers for the 11-3-2 Blazers.
The Blazers tripped up the Vernon Battery Seagulls 3-1 Saturday at Wesbild on goals from Martin, Drake Kosick and Goebel in support of Clayton Coles.
The Seagulls lost to Winfield SRI Homes Bruins 9-3 Sunday, getting goals from Clifford High, Josh Readshaw and Justin Ramsey.
