Valour Voyageurs host 15th annual Single “A” High School Hockey Tournament

On Wednesday, Dec. 18 at the Silver Dart Arena, Valour JK-12 School hosted eight girl’s high school hockey teams in the 15th Annual Valour Voyageurs Single “A” High School Hockey Tournament

The action at the Silver Dart Arena included eight teams in a bracket tournament.

Valour began the day with a hard-fought loss to Opeongo High School. Hilary Dick and Emily George both had hat tricks for Opeongo while Hali De Ruiter supplied the lone goal for Valour.

Madawaska Valley District High School from Barry’s Bay earned a 6-2 victory over ESC Jeanne Lajoie and ESC Algonquin from North Bay easily handled Pontiac High School from Shawville 6 - 1.

In the final first round match, Almaquin Highlands High School from South River was defeated 5-2 by St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic High School from Russell.

In the B-side quarter-finals, Valour was defeated 5-1 by Jeanne Lajoie with Tana Doughty scoring Valour’s lone marker. Hannah Debeau had a hat trick for Jeanne Lajoie.

In the other B quarter-final Almaguin narrowly edged Pontiac 3-2. This set up a B-Championship game between Almaguin and Jeanne Lajoie.

Almaguin opened the scoring in the first period but then Jeanne Lajoie tied it up in the second, but Almaguin sealed the deal with a goal in the third to win the B Championship 2-1.

In the B Consolation Finals, Pontiac easily handled Valour.

In the A-side quarter-finals, Madawaska met Opeongo in a fiercely contested match. Opeongo prevailed 5-0 to give them the win and a berth in the A-final, Emma McGrath had a hat trick for the victors.

In the other semi-final, ESC Algonquin defeated St. Thomas Aquinas 3-0.

In the A-Consolation game Madawaska met St. Thomas Aquinas and won 3-1 with Avery Foy scoring all three Madawaska goals. Madawaska from Barry’s Bay are the “A” Consolation Champs.

In the “A” Championship final, Opeongo faced off against ESC Algonquin, with Algonquin opening the scoring in the first period. Both teams traded goals in the second and Algonquin entered the third ahead by one.

Opeongo scored half way through the period to tie the game and then went ahead with only a few minutes to play. With only 1:20 to play, Algonquin tied the game, and it appeared we were headed for a shootout. But with a mere 39 seconds left, Julia Swant of Opeongo scored the winner. The Opeongo Wildcats are the 2019 Valour Voyageur Girls “A” Hockey Tournament Champions.

Valour would like to thank the staff of the Silver Dart for their hard work and all the student volunteers who helped organize a well-run tournament.