Morning Star Staff
The Penticton Ducks brushed back the Stevenson Mechanical Thunderbirds 6-4 in Sunday’s Penticton Pee Wee Rec Hockey Tournament semifinals.
Zach Manthorne, Jacob Wettlaufer, Jaden Foster and Elias Wery handled the T-Bird offence in front of stellar goalies Jared Ross and Jordan Foster with Foster using a pokecheck on the Ducks’ superstar for the highlight stop of the year.
“It was a great weekend,” said Joe O’Hearn, who coaches the T-Birds with Paul Wery. “The kids had lots of fun and played great hockey.”
Vernon reached the semis by crushing the Kelowna Canucks 11-2, bouncing the Cloverdale Bandits 11-2 and shading the Langley Rebels 7-6.
Landen Harison pocketed 3+2 against Kelowna, while Elias Wery and Brady Beacom bagged deuces and singles came from Ryan Vandesande and Manthorne.
Assists were turned in by Wyatt Gatzke, Jacob Wettlaufer, Michael Pusey, Vandesande, Wery, Jaden Foster, Harison and brothers Samuel and Isaac White
Manthorne pulled the hat trick verus Cloverdale with Harison and Gatzke each netting a pair and singles going to Wettlaufer, Wery, Foster and Beacom
Jaden Foster produced 3+1 as the T-Birds clipped Langley. Wettlaufer, Samuel White and Wery supplied singles.
In Super League Pee Wee action, Billy D’s Family Restaurant Xplosion and Bannister GM Heat skated to a 2-2 tie Sunday at Civic Arena.
The Xplosion went ahead on a late first-period goal by Aaron Jodoin, who buried a quick snap shot from the slot, set up by a beauty pass from linemate and captain Zack Laranjo.
The Xplosion (4-5-4) moved in front 2-0 with 8:27 left in the second period when speedster Dawson Martian converted from Laranjo.
Jackson Sampert, assisted by Ben Reinhardt, answered for the 8-4-3 Heat three minutes later. The Heat kept the pressure on and were rewarded when Marlea-Lynn Best equalized with 3:56 left in the period, assisted by Jaxxon Collard.
Both teams battled hard in the scoreless third period when it became a great goalie duel between the Xplosion’s Eric Foufoulas and the Heat’s Aiden Spraggs.
Said Xplosion coach Dan Wilson, “ Both teams showed lots of grit and moxy under the rafters of the Civic Arena. Both teams were blocking shots and making nice passing plays. Both teams hit a few posts, so all-in-all it was a very exciting game right down to the final buzzer.”
Super League rivals battled for seventh place at the Hockey for Hunger South Okanagan Bantam House Tournament Sunday morning at the Oliver Arena.
The Vernon DCT Chambers Marauders spotted the North Okanagan Sutherland’s/GTI Knights an early 2-0 lead before storming back for an 8-3 victory in a spirited affair.
Derrian Kobewka and Clayton Thielman staked the Knights to the early lead before Jim Brodoway – with his first goal of the season – and Braydie Allen-Webber, equalized for the Marauders.
Aaron Botterill scored twice in the second, including the winner, to support Noah Foufoulas while other goals went to Landon Currie, game MVP Chris Aldrich, Cam Mackenzie and Sam Frisby.
Cody Huber completed the scoring for the Knights, with Devon Rempel named game MVP.
The Marauders completed play Saturday afternoon with a 6-2 loss to the Trail Warriors. Vernon was the only team to win a period against Trail in preliminary play.
Cole Martin, on a power play, and Frisby, scored for Vernon while the Marauders received a tremendous effort from goalie Sam Knox, who was under constant siege. Captain Zach Agar was named game MVP.
North Okanagan opened with a 7-2 loss to the Kelowna Stars. Jaxson Cummings and game MVP Tareyn Hanson scored for the Knights. Peterson was game MVP in an 8-3 setback to the Kamloops Capitals. Keaton McCune, Cummings and Liam Dill supplied snipes.
North Okanagan fell 6-1 to the Langley Eagles despite a fantastic effort from Trumbley. Game MVP was Isaac Broyden
Brandon Lehoux and Riley Bos each provided 2+1 as the Corbett Office Plus Sharks grounded the Salmon Arm Fixt Auto Lumberjacks 7-1 in Bantam Super League play Sunday night at Civic Arena.
Troy Main, Reid Lawrence and Nick Mitchell contributed singles in front of Tyler Riva and Rhys Larsen as the Sharks improved to 14-0. Kevin Sullivan, Seb Wenger and Callum Leong each pocketed a pair of helpers. The Lumberjacks fell to 3-12.
Nick Mann, Chris Moore and Talon Williams each collected 2+2 as the Five Star Awards Cougars ambushed the Lumberjacks 8-2 Saturday at the Shaw Centre.
Roadrunner Graham Moss and Kaylan Lawrence, on a slapper from the point, completed the Cougar offence. D-man Owen Cusveller had one of his best games of the season for the 9-6-1 Cougars.
The Summit Financial Female Pee Wee/Atom Lakers played hard in a 16-0 loss to the host Winfield #2 Pee Wee McDonald’s Bruins.
Shelby Richard earned the gold jersey for her courageous job in net. Sarah Claeys and Camryn Beacom had strong defensive games, while Brooke Lawlor and Josey Nerling shined on the wings and Robyn Alexis made her weekly visit to the sin bin.
The Lakers lost 10-4 to Salmon Arm Save-On Oil Kings Sunday at Kal Tire Place with Emma Roine had a great game with two goals and an assist. Paige Brayshaw scored her first of the year and added an assist for the gold jersey. Ivy Scott also bagged her first of the season with Vanessa Kerr on the assist.
The Lakeside Printing Blackhawks doubled Winfield 8-4 and lost 7-1 to Lumby in Atom play.
Tyler Kruysifix (2), Ronan Bedard (2), Seth Maglio, Andrew Kositsin, Arianna Kositsin and Hunter Whiting scored in the win, while Eric Waldemaras netted his first goal of the season in the loss. Jakob Aeichele was in net for both games.
