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The Medicine Hat U12B Mustangs captured a Chinook Ringette League U12B Regional Championship over the weekend in Calgary, beating the Calgary Bow View-2 for the gold.
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The Medicine Hat U12B Mustangs swept their way to a Regional Championship.
The Mustangs were in Calgary over the weekend for the Chinook Ringette League U12B Regional Championships, winning all six games to capture the championship banner.
They opened the tournament Friday against the Airdrie Sting, skating to a 5-3 victory. Charlie Lowe led the charge with a hat trick, Aphten Myram and Sloan Loehndorf each added singles. Assists came from Loehndorf and Avery Fuller both with two and Fallyn Weeks added a helper.
Friday afternoon the Mustangs took on Calgary Bow View-3 in a back-and-forth battle winning 6-5.
Lowe continued her scoring streak with another three goals, Fuller, Loehndorf and Weeks each contributed one. Affiliate player Jayla-Ray Klaudt picked up two assists, with single helpers coming from Loehndorf, Fuller, Dylin Kerluke and Zoe Aarden. Zayda Dawson stood tall between the pipes.
Saturday morning the Mustangs faced their South zone rivals, the Lethbridge Rattlers. In a goaltending showdown, Dawson stood her ground, turning aside 37 shots to backstop the Mustangs to a 4-2 win, their first victory over Lethbridge this season. Lowe notched yet another hat trick, Myram added a goal. Assists came from Myram, Fuller, Loehndorf and Isabelle Perrault.
The Mustangs carried that momentum into the afternoon, defeating Calgary South-2 6-4 to finish round-robin play 4-0. Goals came from Ava Lanuk, Myram, and Aarden, Lowe tallied three more. Assists were credited to Loehndorf and Lowe with two each, Fuller contributing one. Dawson picked up the win in net.
Sunday’s semifinal brought a rematch against Airdrie. After an early Sting goal, Katie Vis responded to get the Mustangs on the board. The game remained tight throughout, with Lowe scoring four times and Loehndorf adding one to tie the game 6-6 and force overtime.
Aarden buried the game-winner to secure a 7-6 victory, sending the Mustangs to the gold medal game. Perrault recorded two assists, while Klaudt, Lanuk and Loehndorf each added one. Dawson continued her winning effort in net.
In the gold medal final, the Mustangs faced Calgary Bow View-2.
The Mustangs struck first, but Bow View kept the pressure on in a tightly contested game. Lowe delivered an incredible performance, scoring six goals, including an empty-netter, while Loehndorf added another in the gold medal victory to claim the U12B Chinook Ringette League Championship.
Assists in the win came from Myram and Loehndorf with two each, and singles from Kerluke, Perrault, Klaudt and Lanuk. Dawson came up clutch with several saves to preserve the lead and secure the win.
The U12B Mustangs have four seniors moving on next season, Zayda Dawson, Dylin Kerluke, Ava Lanuk and Katie Vis.
“This group has come such a long way since the start of the season. Early on, we faced some challenges and had a lot to learn, but they never backed down from that challenge,” a release read.
“This weekend was a true reflection of their growth. They competed hard every single game, stayed focused, and trusted each other. No game was easy, each one was within one or two goals against some really great teams. These girls showed resilience and determination right through to the final whistle. They played every game like it was the biggest game of the season and it paid off.
We, as a coaching group, couldn’t be prouder of the hard work and effort these girls put in through the season and this weekend. They earned every bit of this championship.”
