Tubie weekend, just around the buoy

Build it and they will come.

Over the past couple of weeks, South Dundas manager of parks and recreation, Donnie Lewis and his crew have been busy building ice at the Morrisburg Arena.

Monday night, (September 10) members of the Morrisburg and District Figure Skating Club were the first to give it a whirl, followed by players of the South Dundas Minor Hockey Association.

“We started the plant on Monday, August 27th, and I was making ice by the weekend (September long weekend),” Lewis told The Leader, Friday morning.

By Tuesday, August 28 the valve involved with the elimination of air in the lines was wide open, which began the process of cooling the floor. By Wednesday, the 29th, the “floor was at 18º F”.

“Thursday, we started flooding with half inch garden hose,” and from then on it was full steam (ice) ahead. Over the long weekend, Lewis flooded three times per day.

On Tuesday, September 4, the hockey lines were put down, and then it was back to the garden hose for flooding.

The Zamboni saw its first action on Wednesday and “by Thursday, (September 6) we had one inch of ice.”

Over this past weekend, Lewis planned to continue to flood with the Zamboni with the intent to have 1.25 inches of ice for Monday night’s official startup.

Throughout the season, he says the optimum ice thickness is 1.50 inches. “We monitor it weekly by drill tests, drilling 23 holes at various locations.”

Lewis says he likes to keep the ice at one and one half inches, “because that gives you fast ice. Anything past that and the ice gets too slow.”

According to Lewis, thanks to new technology and the changes made to the arena roof and insulation several years ago, the process of putting the ice in, in the fall, does not take nearly as long. “With everything being new it doesn’t take very long.”

With the better insulation and technology the process is no longer at the mercy of the weather as it was years ago.

“We are actually ahead of schedule this year,” said a pleased Lewis.

The figure skaters and minor hockey used the ice Monday night and the Junior B Lions were to have their first practice Tuesday night (September 11).

“The Juniors are scheduled to open their home schedule on Sunday, September 16 against the Winchester Hawks.”

“Everything ran smooth this year, just like peanut butter,” said Lewis. “We had no problems even though it was very hot. Years ago we’d have never made ice with that weather. We were flooding every 30 to 45 minutes initially and the floor never got over 24ºF. That’s good.”

[…]

The South Dundas Peewee B1 Lions were quick out of the starting gate on Friday, March 1, when they claimed a decisive 5-1 victory over the visiting NGS Braves in game one of their UCMHL East Division playoff series. 

The Braves put up more of a fuss in game two, holding the Lions from the scoreboard until the second period, but it wasn’t enough, as the Lions skated to a 2-1 victory to wrap up the series four points to zero.

In game one, the Lions went up 2-0 in the first period. Jonah Bennis got it rolling with an unassisted goal just over six minutes in and two minutes later, Lucas Bennis put the Lions up 2-0 with help from Devin Dumoulin and Aden Casselman.

The Braves Connor MacMillan put one goal by Lions goaltender Wes Alexander in the second period, but that was it.

Before the buzzer sounded to end the second Jonah Bennis (from Brady Smith) made it 3-1 for the Lions.

Two unanswered third period goals gave the Lions the 5-1 win.

Jonah Bennis completed a three goal performance (assisted by Dumoulin and Noah Keeler) and Lucas Bennis applied the finishing touch 20 seconds later with help from Keeler for the 5-1 win.

Game two was a much tighter match. After a scoreless first period, Jonah Bennis got it rolling with help from brother Lucas early in the second.

Devin Dumoulin counted what would be the winner at 5:20 of the second with Smith and Connor Dumoulin providing the assists.

The Braves put their lone goal past Wes Alexander in the third period to get to within striking distance but that was it.

The Lions held on for the 2-1 win to take the series in two games straight.

The Lions will now meet Brockville in the East Division final.

Game one is set for March 17 in Morrisburg at 4:30 p.m. and game two will be played March 18, in Brockville at 8:30 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, will be in Morrisburg, March 20, at 7 p.m.

[…]

The annual Memorial Day tournament was played Sunday, July 7th at the Cedar Glen Golf course with 56 golfers participating. Each year the tournament is played to honour individuals of the Williamsburg community for their contributions to the community and the Cedar Glen Golf Course. Those honoured include the late Cliff and Agnes Casselman on whose farm Cedar Glen’s first nine holes are located and  the late Stuart and Ethel Saddlemire on whose farm the golf course expanded for its second set of nine holes. Also remembered at the tournament are longtime Cedar Glen member and supporter the late Lyell Strader and the late Dr. M. W. Locke. Winners of this year’s tournament in the mixed division was the team of Barry and Janice Casselman and Bruce and Sharon Whitteker. Second low gross in the mixed division was won by Gary, Dana and Grant McMillan and Sarah Myers. In the men’s division the team of Lyle Schell, Mitch Hutt, James Morrell and Billy Dejong were the low grow winners. Lindsay Waddell struck the ladies longest drive, while Andrew Byvelds hit the longest drive for the men. Closest to the pin winners were Jessica Whitteker on the part three 12th hole and Bunny Warner on the par three ninth. Pictured, l-r, are Bruce and Sharon Whitteker, Cedar Glen owner Dennis Casselman, Barry and Janice Casselman, Kylie and Lyle Schell and Mitch Hutt.

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