The Kitimat Minor Hockey Association (KMHA) is congratulating its players on a successful season after BC Hockey suspended all hockey operations March 12.
The association is associated with the Kitimat Winterhawks, which have a variety of divisions and players aged 7 to 18.
While most of the age brackets had already completed the season, with the suspension mostly impacting teams’ final days of practice sessions, the suspension had a direct effect on the U18 team, who were gearing up to play in the the U18 Division Tier 4 Provincial Championships slated to take place from March 15 to 18 in Prince Rupert. “For some of our senior players this would have been their last official time playing for the Winterhawks,” said said Paul Ferreira with the KMHA. “Thank you to those players and families for being part of our association — we will miss you.”
READ MORE: Winterhawks score big against Smithers
The KMHA pointed to a number of tournaments held by a number of younger divisions’s teams in Tamitik Arena as a high point of the season. “These tournaments allowed families from all over Northwest BC to come and cheer their children on — some of which came armed with cow bells!” said Ferreira.
A full list of the Winterhawks’ awards for the 2019/2020 season can be found at the bottom of this article.
But beyond a great season for the team, a fellow alumni also had an amazing one of her own, with former Winterhawk turned University of Calgary student Kelsey Roberts picking up the University’s award for female athlete of the year with the U of C Dinos hockey team.
In an video interview posted to social media with Kitimat-based All In Hockey Training, the 21-year-old goaltender said it was an honour to win the award, which she said the University posted online versus the traditional sports banquet method due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“Yeah, that was a shock,” she said about winning. “Our team had a big year this year, it was exciting,” she added. Highlights to Roberts’ season include a 1.41 goals against average and four shutouts as she joins just two other female hockey players in the University’s history to win the award.
2019/2020 Award Winnters:
U7 Division (Initiation)
Team White
Most Sportsmanlike – Dathan Pigeon
Most Dedicated – Raegan Meeds
Most Improved – Zander Brady
Team Orange
Most Sportsmanlike – Luke Goffinet-Forward
Most Dedicated – Jameson Markwart
Most Improved – Robbie Skillen
Team Green
Most Sportsmanlike – Declan MacGregor
Most Dedicated – Aspen Thompson
Most Improved – Kellan Baker
Team Teal
Most Sportsmanlike – Benjamin Tormene
Most Dedicated – Connor Reilly
Most Improved – Sophie Hewitson
U9 Division (Novice)
Team Blue
Most Sportsmanlike – Damek Galbavy
Most Dedicated – Everett Mailloux
Most Improved – Ewan Byrne
Team Red
Most Sportsmanlike – Avery Livingston
Most Dedicated – Jaxon Pankurst
Most Improved – Maz Nattrass
Team Black
Most Sportsmanlike – Ben Leclerc
Most Dedicated – Theo Girard
Most Improved – Landon Readman
Team White
Most Sportsmanlike – Gavin Brotherston
Most Dedicated – Jonah Lopes
Most Improved – Luca Colombo
U11 Division (Atom)
Team Orange
Most Sportsmanlike – Bryce Livingston
Most Dedicated – Lakin Mailloux
Most Improved – Hudson Medeiros
Team Purple
Most Sportsmanlike – Mason Scrivens
Most Dedicated – Colsen Calder
Most Improved – Logan Luckey
Atom Development
Most Sportsmanlike – Kamryn Gutierrez-Perreault
Most Dedicated – Logan Pankhurst
Most Improved – Eden Tse
B.A. Quinlan Award – Most Promising 1st Year Atom – Chase Wakita
U15 Division (Bantam)
Andre Baldo Memorial – Most Dedicated Bantam – Michael Barnard
Darryl Trach Memorial – The Best Player in Bantam House – Camryn Ward
Shawn Michael Phillip Redmond Memorial – Best Team Player in Bantam – Devyn Molloy
Tom Connors Memorial – Most Sportsmanlike Player in the Bantam Division – Evan Watt
U18 Division (Midget)
Wilf Owen Award – Most Sportsmanlike Player in the Midget Division – Ryan Riggs
Brenda Lonsdale Award – Most Improved Player in the Midget Division – Markus Anthony
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