Jan 23, 2024 | Duncan Bates | 142 views
U15 Gryphons Come Home From Montreal With Hardware!
Guelph's U15 Gryphons Select Team returned from Montreal this past weekend with a bronze medal in the CanAm Youth Challenge Cup, U15B Class.
The U15 Gryphons established their arrival in Montreal with a dominating 7-0 win over the Lorne Park Wild to start the tournament on Friday. Bailey and Martin each scored a pair with solid efforts from the rest of the team including goals by Vanderwoerd, Howden and Deckers in a game controlled by the Gryphons from the opening face-off and held in place with a shut-out from O'Hara. The win set the momentum and expectations for the team moving forward through the weekend. An afternoon game against the Burlington Bulldogs BB team, arriving with fresh legs, was the first test for our team with a very strong back and forth hockey game. Competition was fierce from both teams with leads exchanged both ways but goals from Harrison, Player, King and Vanderwoerd kept the pace moving with a 4-4 final score and a position atop the rankings heading into Saturday.
After a night out in downtown Montreal, and a handful of parents thinking of creative ways to enter the rave at IglooFest, the team returned to the arena for a skills competition and relay race against teams from the B Class as well as the lower ranked Select teams. The Gryphons combo of Smith in net and Vanderwoerd shooting did well but ended without award. Our relay team of Bailey, Parker, Martin and Harrison rolled through the competition finishing in second place overall and left with trophies and cheers from the team. A quick change in the neighbouring room and the team went out to face down West Island Knights, a local team based in Montreal. The game started with a bang and a Guelph penalty 11 seconds into the match, it was clear at that point that the game would be called very tightly. Gameplay was feverish, fast and very active with the first period ending in a 1-1 tie with a goal from Howden. The second period started with an equally quick penalty call against the Gryphons, followed by several more including a 5 on 3 penalty kill. With the march to the penalty box feeling decidedly one-sided, and a goal called back without explanation, the boys managed to stay in with a marker from Bailey and a second period finish, behind 3-2. The third period began with another goal called back and a continuation of the player parade to the penalty box. A final goal from Bailey finished the game in a 5-3 loss. The loss dropped the Gryphons in the standings and shattered hopes of a gold medal rematch against Burlington, a stinging defeat felt by the whole team against a squad that played well but was definitely a group that Guelph should have, and could have beaten if it weren't for the uphill climb against the men in stripes.
An eventful evening in Montreal ensued, with siblings seeking autographs from the PWHL Toronto team in the hotel, a return trip to perimeter of the rave at IglooFest, and many meals scattered around town, a great evening was had by all in an attempt to wash away the sting of defeat against West Island. Sunday morning saw an early start for the bronze medal game, a rematch against the Lorne Park Wild. Entering the game, the Gryphons were focused on a win at all costs, and walking away with a bronze. With goals from King, Vanderwoerd, Deckers, Haugh, Lever and a couple from Martin, the Gryphons steam-rolled through with a 7-1 victory and some hardware to hang around their necks.
A great tournament was had by players, coaches and parents alike and the team walked away with even more urgency to come out on top in Halton and Pickering.