The Vernon Authentic Plaque & Trophy Snakes solidified third place with two North Okanagan Midget Super Hockey League wins last weekend.
The Snakes smothered the Nedco Gunslingers 7-2 in a showdown for third spot Sunday afternoon at Civic Arena.
Speedster Riley Bos bagged 2+1 for the Snakes, who are 9-8 with one game remaining.
Nick Mitchell returned from two months on injured reserve with a concussion and collected 1+2 playing wing alongside captain and centre Tyler Semeniuk, who also earned 1+2.
Talon Williams, Brandon Lehoux and Bantam call-up Ryan Vandesande produced singles in front of a sensational Jacob Holland. Cole Martin had two helpers.
Chris Moore and Nick Mann countered for the Gunslingers, who finished fourth at 8-8-2.
Lehoux produced two goals, including a beauty breakaway snipe, as the Snakes outlasted host Blackburn Excavating of Salmon Arm 8-6 Saturday afternoon.
Mitchell scored on a sweet wraparound and added two helpers. Brogan Houston, Martin, Darnell Hauca, Callum Leong and Tiege Doughty, on a spectacular coast-to-coast effort, completed the offence in front of Holland and Rhys Larsen.
Sememiuk and Bos each pocketed a pair of assists. Blackburn dipped to 0-15-2.
Meanwhile, the Talon Benefits Thrashers kept pace with Midget front-running Corbett Office Plus Kings by winning twice.
The Thrashers (15-1-1 with one game left) dumped the North Okanagan Knights 7-3 Sunday in Armstrong, 24 hours after doubling Salmon Arm Blackburn Excavating 8-4 in the Shuswap.
Adam Roemer scored three times in the win over North OK while Alex Laurila supplied a deuce. Jaden Steinke and Rowan Wood added singles. Keefer Kaempf had two assists.
Jaxson Cumming, with a pair, and Marshall Jones replied for the Knights.
Brendan Horsfield and Layk Petersen provided two goals each for the Thrashers in Salmon Arm while singles went to Sam Frisby, Steinke, Roemer and Wood.
The first-place Corbett Office Plus Kings (16-1 with one game left) blanked the Knights 3-0 Sunday afternoon at Priest Valley Arena on goals from Jim Brodoway, Brett Lambert and Liam Hennig.
Ethan Huizinga recorded the shutout.
Vernon Butcher Boys Rebels claimed the regular season North Okanagan Pee Wee Hockey Super League banner with a home-and-home sweep of the Salmon Arm Titans.
The 16-0-1 Rebels went to the Shaw Centre Saturday and clinched the banner with an 8-3 win, 24 hours after edging the Titans 5-3 at the Civic Arena.
“It was a solid team effort from players and coaches and we look forward to the playoffs,” said Rebels coach Dave Grevatt.
Reilly Teager and Cole Grevatt each scored twice for Butcher Boys in Friday’s victory. Dawson Twamley added the other. Kobe Marchand and Ronan Bedard had two assists each and Bryce Laurer added a fearless shot block late in the game.
Twamley scored four goals in Salmon Arm as the Rebels spotted the Titans a 1-0 lead. Teager added a deuce and singles went to Quinn Soon and Grevatt.
Paige Brayshaw and Morgan Martens added key assists for the pennant-winners.
Lumby Pee Wee Stars, sponsored by Bannister GM and Great West Equipment, won a pair of weekend home games at the Pat Duke Memorial Arena (#khv_lumby, #khv_patdukememorialarena).
Zachary Young (3+2) and Ryder Quibell (3+1) paced the Stars to a 12-5 romp over Winfield.
Linden Catt added 2+2 while his call-up brother, Jace, added 1+1. Tye Krause chipped in 2+4 and Peter Romailler had 1+1.
Quintin O’Neill and Mia Maltman earned assists while Andrew Rannelli and Domenik Porteous played strong defence in front of goalie James Wraight.
Krause had 4+1 and Linden Catt 2+2 as Lumby thumped the Vernon Bannister GM Infernon 6-1.
Wraight, an affiliated player, was again solid in goal. O’Neill and Quibell chipped in assists.
The Stars play their final regular season game Sunday at 9 a.m. against the Rebels.
