The Ancaster Avalanche Novice Select won the
2014 Motown Cup (March 28-30) by defeating Amherstburg 2-1 in the championship
game.
The tight game went into sudden death overtime and was won with a goal by Quinten Lisle after a hard fought scramble in front of the net.
Persistence was the hallmark of the Ancaster team throughout the tournament. Noah Drury (forward) was awarded tournament MVP. Drury's drive and focus made him formidable against the opposition. Goalies Matthew Pocrnic and Kyle Magri were largely unstoppable in net over the course of the tournament, meeting each challenge with confidence and athleticism.
Scoring in the first game of the tournament got off to a fast start by Zachary Gratton and was followed by successive goals during the weekend from Bradley Hillman, Nick Lehman, Thomas Domangue, Jessie Hay, Drury and Lisle. The range of assists from Tyler Ruthowsky, Joseph Stechey, Ben Miller, Jacob Stegne, Carter Susi, Callum Holt, Drake Deroches, Adam Treffry, Devyn Bhatia, Lehman, Drury, Lisle, Hillman and Gratton illustrate the passing game the team successfully built on throughout the weekend.
The forwards never gave up and kept the fast pace right into overtime. The team's defensive prowess minimized the total shots on goal in the championship game and frustrated the opposition. Every player brought speed and readiness to every shift.
"I am very proud of the kids in the way they developed given our limited amount of practice time," says Head Coach Dan Lisle. "They all came together as a team and played their very hardest with some of them playing out of position. After losing the previous two tournaments in the finals, the boys were determined to get a win to end their year. A special thanks to the coaches, manager and parents for a great year of hockey."
Photo Back Row: Adam Treffry, Tyler Ruthowsky, Quinten Lisle, Joseph Stechey, Devyn Bhatia
Middle Row: Drake Deroches, Callum Holt, Carter Susi, Nick Lehman, Jessie Hay, Jacob Stegne, Bradley Hillman, Noah Drury, Zachary Gratton, Ben Miller
Front Row Goalies: Matthew Pocrnic, Kyle Magri
Absent: Thomas Domangue