St. Thomas wins Under-12, U14 and U16 divisions, at Western Region ringette
Monday, April 2, 2018
St. Thomas Thunder, Western Region ringette U-16
champions, from left, front - Emma Dicker; first
row - Emilie Brown, Olivia Cormier, Alissa
Parish; back row - assistant coach Sarah Brown,
head coach Brian Hornbostel, Alexis Walker, Cloe
Locker, Rachel O'Gorman, Breeanna Berdan, Emilie
Fagan, Makayla Walker, Taylor Hornbostel, Cloe
VanderHeyden, assistant coach Kayla Berdan.
(photo / courtesy St. Thomas Thunder)
By Rob J. Ross
KITCHENER, ON - It is three times golden for the St. Thomas Thunder.
The Thunder's under-16, U14 and U12 teams won their respective divisions, two taking their final in overtime, at the Western Region ringette championships, March 30-31.
Rachel O'Gorman scored 1:17 in to overtime, just as a Thunder power play expired, to lift St. Thomas over Hanover, 5-4, in the under-16B division final.
"For her to score the final goal, what a way to go out," Thunder head coach Brian Hornbostel said.
O'Gorman, who attends Monseigneur Bruyere school in London, will attend Carleton University, in Ottawa, this fall. She is one of the overagers allowed on the team, since St. Thomas doesn't have a team at an older level.
Cloe Locker and Chloe VanderHayden assisted on the winner. Olivia Cormier and Taylor Hornbostel, each scored twice during regulation.
"The kids didn't give up, believed in themselves and had confidence in their play," Hornbostel said. "We're a bunch of grinders, with no superstars. The girls all play a similar game."
The Thunder led 4-1 after the first half, before Hanover rallied with three second half goals, including the equalizer with 11 seconds remaining in the second half.
St. Thomas had two wins and a tie with Hanover during round robin action.
O'Gorman and Hornbostel scored in a 2-2 affair with Hanover in a battle of the 2-0 teams, setting up the rematch in the final.
VanderHayden had two goals in a 4-2 win over Tillsonburg, with O'Gorman and Hornbostel having singles.
O'Gorman, VanderHayden and Hornbostel and Alexis Walker, scored in a 4-3 edging of Forest, the Thunder's first win against Forest this season.
St. Thomas Thunder, Western Region ringette U-12
champions, front - Lexie Sawyer, first row -
Grace Charlton, Miya Sutcliffe, Annabelle Brown,
Maxine Gordon, Kayla Cormier, Raghad Al Jouma;
back row - assistant coach Shawna Heather, head
coach Sarah Brown, Colby Cannon, Morgan Wiebenga,
Allyson Mantel, Alyssa Sutcliffe, Julia Boin,
assistant coach Brittany Vance, trainer Jen
Sutcliffe.
(photo / courtesy St.
Thomas Thunder)
"We played them during the season and in tournaments and couldn't quite beat them. The closest was a 5-5 tie," said coach Hornbostel.
The theme of rising to the occasion, was true for the U12 and U14 Thunder. Both teams had "tough seasons," says Hornbostel, but went undefeated at regionals.
"For the St. Thomas teams to go with no losses, get it all right during the tournament, it was like Loyola (11th seeded team made final four) did in the NCAA (March Madness basketball), they clicked at the right time and had the right formula going," said coach Hornbostel.
"I watched the U12 final and they pretty much took it to them from the get-go."
In the U12 final, goalie Lexie Sawyer stopped everything shot her way, while Kayla Cormier, with two goals and Allyson Mantel scored, as the St. Thomas Thunder shutout Waterloo, 3-0.
"What a fantastic weekend. Everyone played amazing, especially our goal. She was very consistent," U12 coach Sarah Brown said. "It was such an exciting and rewarding day for our team. They all have improved so much throughout the season, as we mostly have first and second year players.
"The girls came together as a team, worked hard and played hard when it counted, never gave up and had fun. They played their best games this tournament I'm very proud of how far our team has come."
St. Thomas also blanked Waterloo during pool play, 4-0, with Sawyer between the pipes. Cormier, Miya Sutcliffe, Allyson Mantel and Colby Cannon scored. Maxine Gordon picked up two assists.
Morgan Wiebenga and Cormier both scored twice and Sutcliffe and Julia Bion had singles, in 6-4 defeat of London O.
Cormier, Sutcliffe, and Raghad Al Jouma potted goals in a 3-3 draw with London M.
U14 OT magic
St. Thomas Thunder, Western Region ringette U-14
champions, from left, front - Maggie Bougie;
first row - Myra Brouwer, Tristan Daly, Larissa
McCabe, Lexi Baker, Ava Gough; second row - Ella
Metzger, Alyssa Gordon, Jade Cormier, Shahd Al
Jouma, Charlotte Rose, back row - head coach
Caitlynn Lamont, coach Temma Robins, coach Emily
McNaughton, coach Amy Rose.
(photo / courtesy
St. Thomas Thunder)
Jade Cormier completed a hat trick, her third of the tournament, scoring three and half minutes in to overtime, to carry the Thunder past London, 3-2, in the under-14R division final. Ella Metzger assisted on the winner, her second helper of the game.
"What an epic weekend for the U14 team," head coach Caitlynn Lamont said. "Making it to the gold medal was a huge accomplishment for these young ladies. Their coaches and parents couldn't be more proud. The gold medal game was well played for both teams."
St. Thomas led 2-0, before London struck twice, sending the game to extra time.
The Thunder went 3-0-1 at the tournament.
Cormier had a hat trick in 5-2 win over Tillsonburg. Larissa McCabe also scored for the Thunder, while Ava Gough had two assists.
Cormier fired in four rings in a 5-3 defeat of London, with Alyssa Gordon potting one.
St. Thomas tied Guelph at six, with Metzger scoring twice and Cormier, Myra Brouwer, Shahd Al Jouma and Charlotte Rose, having singles.