Zippity Do Dah!

 

Word has come down from the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League that the Morrisburg Junior (B) Lions are not being included in the re-configuration that will see the current 22 team league chopped to 16 teams.

So ends, close to 50 years of Junior B Lions history in Morrisburg, that began with the purchase of the franchise by John Rice, who, with Hosea Droppo and Blake Cruickshank, revamped junior hockey in the village.

The announcement that the Lions have been cut from the proposed EOJHL league was made by Lions president/general manager Kevin Casselman, Monday night, April 13.

“We must say that following 10 months of rumours, we were not really surprised with the decision,” said Casselman on behalf of owners, Rick Gilmer, Dale Lewis and  Gary Brownlee.  “Although difficult to accept at first, the decision might very well be for the best!”

“The landscape of junior hockey is changing, and within their vision [EOJHL] for the new league, comes a rapid incline in operational expenses,” says Casselman. “With the continuing decline in the number of players choosing to play, it will only compound into an expensive business venture to operate a junior hockey team within the reconfiguration of the league.”    

“We wish to make everyone aware, and we are pleased to inform our loyal supporters, players, and parents, that we have applied for membership to the executive committee of the National Capital Junior Hockey League (NCJHL). Our objective is to continue providing junior hockey here in Morrisburg, and by all accounts, we are hoping that everything will be approved in the near future.”

The Lions organization is encouraging everyone to “remove the negative perceptions, and stereotypes that we are being demoted. As mentioned, the landscape of junior hockey is changing.”

Casselman points out that the  NCJHL is a very good and solid league, and is only going to continue to improve.

“Reflecting back on the decades and heritage of the Morrisburg Lions organization, it took courage, faith, endurance, determination, and pride to surmount all obstacles that built this organization, and with those same characters we will once again be successful.”

Casselman says he is confident the Lions’ fan base will be energized with new teams coming in. Players will see a reduction in travel, and most importantly, “we should be in a good position to offer local kids more opportunities to play junior hockey in their home town.” 

The move for us to NCJHL will maintain our organization’s strategic plan for our Vision .. Goals .. Objectives.  

“We are proud of our community, proud of our organization past and present, and are looking positively towards a continuation of providing junior hockey in our community.”

Should the Lions be accepted, the teams listed with the NCJHL last season were the Cumberland Bandits, Embrun Panthers, Olympiques Jr. de Gatineau, Predateurs de La Peche, North Dundas Rockets, Papineauville Vikings, Rockland Nationals, St. Isidore Eagles and VanKleek Hill Cougars.

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Two local golfers, Kurtis Barkley of Williamsburg and Prescott’s Bill Minkhorst, were just one stroke off the pace set by Ottawa playing professional Jeremiah Shields at the first of six “Chase the Dream”  qualifying events played on the rain-soaked Upper Canada Golf Course, Sunday.

A heavy rain fell throughout the first nine holes of this competition hosted by Evolution Golf and Event Management. 

Although the rain did stop on the back nine, the already-long Upper Canada Golf Course layout (it plays 3,375 yards from the pro tees) was soaked and made for challenging conditions.

Jeremiah Shields, a playing professional from Ottawa became the first-ever Medallist for the “Chase the Dream” series when he posted a steady two over par, 74. 

Next up were Minkhorst and Barkley who tied with 75s.

Minkhorst, a club professional from the Prescott Golf Club, carded his 75, despite an eight on Upper Canada’s signature hole, the 630 yard, par five 14th hole. 

Amateur Kurtis Barkley, a longtime member of the Cedar Glen Golf Club east of Williamsburg who is also playing out of Upper Canada this year, also carded a 75 and Andy Rajhathy, a golf professional from Ottawa was the fourth and final qualifier at 79.

All four golfers now move on to the final “Chase the Dream” qualifier that will be played at Smuggler’s Glen on Sunday, August 26th. There they will join an elite field of 28 golfers who will play for three exemptions into The Great Waterway Classic.

“We had a great start to our “Chase the Dream” series on a very challenging day weather-wise at Upper Canada,” said David Dargie, tournament director of The Great Waterway Classic. “Despite the rainy weather, the course was in great condition and our players were able to finish their rounds. Three golfers finished only two shots out of qualifying for the August 26th event at Smuggler’s Glen showing the strong fight that they all put up yesterday in trying conditions.”

“Overall, it was what we wanted when we set up these ‘grass roots’ qualifying events – a group of golfers trying their level best to make it to the next level and hopefully get a chance to play with the Canadian Tour Pros.”

The next “Chase the Dream” event will be held at eQuinelle Golf Club in North Grenville on July 8th. 

Registrations are still open for anyone who wants to “Chase the Dream” and try to qualify for The Great Waterway Classic, the Canadian Tour event which is coming to Smuggler’s Glen,  this September 3-9 and to the Upper Canada Golf Course in 2013.

For Chase the Dream qualifying information or to register Igolfers can go to the tournament web site: www.thegreatwaterwayclassic.ca or phone 1-855-317-7503.

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A pair of wins, beginning with a 3-1 victory in  Spencerville  on Wednesday, January 21, followed by 6-2 win on home ice against the first place Kemptville #1 Panthers in Morrisburg, Sunday, helped the South Dundas Atom B Lions to leapfrog into first place by one point.  

The Lions now have three regular season games left while the Panthers have five.  

The Lions dominated the play in both of their recent wins.

In Spencerville last Wednesday, Rangers goalie Bryce Kijewski kept the game close as he made save after save against the Lions attack.  He was most impressive when he stopped Sam Connors on a clear cut breakaway with 5:40 left in the first period.  

The Lions finally got one behind him with 13 seconds left in the opening period, when Cam Shaver passed it to Dryden Buter who fired the shot. 

Kijewski made the initial save but James Martens was there waiting to put the rebound away with a powerful wrist shot for a 1-0 Lions lead.

The line struck again early in the second period when Martens setup Shaver, but the Rangers pulled within one late in the frame with an unassisted  Hayden Walker counter.

The period ended with the Lions only up 2-1 despite heavily out-shooting the Rangers for two periods.

The Lions stretched it to 3-1 early in the third period when Shaver centered the puck to Buter and that is the way it remained.

The Lions had a strong work ethic all night, winning puck battles and pressuring the Rangers at both ends of the ice.  

James Martens had an excellent game releasing some powerful shots and being strong on the puck.  

The win pulled the Lions to within a point of first place Kemptville #1, who they would host on Sunday.

Heading into Sunday’s game, the Lions talked about taking the game to the Panthers and outworking them.  

Just 19 seconds in, the Lions hit a little speed bump when a Storm Briggs shot fooled Quade Mullin, and the Panthers went up 1-0. 

The Lions quickly regrouped and replied with three goals in under a minute. 

The first was a beauty when Nate Paulino made a long stretch pass from inside his blue line to a streaking Monty Dejong at centre.  The pass was perfect as Dejong took it in stride, went in and slid the puck past Jordan Zlomislic. 

Fifteen seconds after that Sean Nicolaassen banged home a loose puck to make it 2-1, with Buter providing the assist. 

Then before the cheering Lions crowd could sit down it was 3-1. This one only took 13 seconds, when Buter slid it to Connors who sent his patented wrist shot to the upper right corner past a stunned Zlomislic.  

The opening period was a wild one that ended 3-1 in the Lions favour.

The Lions opened the second period on their power play and at 8:31 they capitalized. 

Paulino let go a  shot from the point that hit a crowd in front, and Spencer Barclay used his backhand to slide the puck past Zlomislic.  

This time it was the Panthers who countered quickly, with a Connor Arcand goal to cut the Lions advantage to 4-2.  

Late in the period, on the Lions power play, Buter finished off a pretty passing play with Nicolaassen and Connors. for a 5-2 Lions lead heading into the third period.

Early in the third, Dejong was the recipient of another stretch pass, this time it came from Jack McCann to make it 6-2. 

Mullin made some key saves throughout the game to keep his team in command. 

Two of the Lions even put their soccer skills to use.  Mullin headed a wrist shot into the corner, while on another play McCann lost his stick and used some fancy foot work to kick the puck to his teammate who took it from harms way.  

The Lions specialty teams were key as they went 2 for 3 on the power play and 3 for 3 on the penalty kill. 

It was also the second game in a row that the Lions had thoroughly outworked their opponent.

The South Dundas Atom B Lions next game will be at home on Sunday at 4 p.m. versus Smiths Falls when they will provide some great pre-Super Bowl action.

 

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