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Panthers capture OWHA U15C silver
BAD Blazers right there winning U15C bronze after local semifinal clash
April 14, 2025
By Rob J. Ross
TORONTO, Ont. - Two local teams are among the best in girls hockey provincially.
The St. Thomas Panthers and Belmont Aylmer Dorchester (BAD) Blazers brought home silver and bronze medals, respectively, from the Ontario Women's Hockey Association (OWHA) U15C championship, April 11-13th.
The Panthers won three games and tying one, advancing to the U15C final, including edging the Blazers, 3-2, in the semifinals.
Central Perth Predators won gold, blanking the Panthers, 3-0, in the final. Two first period goals put Central Perth in the driver's seat early.
"It was a challenge to go down early. We handled well for the rest of the game," Panthers head coach Greg Van Herten said. "(Central Perth) had a really good goalie. She made it hard for us to score. We had a lot of chances but couldn't get one by her.
St. Thomas had two wins and a tie in three pool games, outscoring opponents, 11-1.
"The biggest success we got out of this tournament was these girls realizing how good they could be themselves," Van Herten said. "Finding their own confidence and being able to step into their own roles and realize what they can really do out there."
Central Perth finished 5-0, allowing only four goals.
"They were a strong team all around," credited Van Herten. "They had some really good players, who could really move the puck around well."
Kensley Rundle, Mackenzie Korpan and Britton Van Herten with the game winner, scored in the Panthers' semifinal win over their local rivals, the Blazers.
Rundle, Isabel Rodgers, Hannah Kish, Quinn Travis, Faith Nieman and Vera Murray, picked up assists.
Prior to provincials, St. Thomas finished with a 45-14-7, including 10-3-1, second place in the Western Girls Hockey League C division. The Panthers advanced to the semifinals during league playoffs.
The Panthers won the Woodstock Wildcats tournament (5-0), placed second at Markham-Stouffville and brought home tier two silver from the Motown Cup, in Detroit.
"We've been battling towards this tournament all season long. We thought we had
a good thing and they (players) proved it," coach Van Herten said. "We've a
great group of kids. They've got so much resiliency. We've played through up and
downs, injuries, everything, and they've always come to the rink with a great
attitude, with a smile on their faces."
Blazers bronzed
Sofie Bubb-Clarke scored the game's lone goal, while goalie Maria Bistante stopped all pucks her way, as the BAD Blazers, held off Woodstock Wildcats, 1-0, in the bronze medal game.
"The girls played their hearts out and knew what they had to do to win, outwork the other teams and that's exactly what they did," Blazers head coach Paul Hurteau said. "To come here and win a bronze is a big deal for the girls. It's a big accomplishment by all of them."
The Blazers finished first in their pool, with a pair of wins and one tie.
"It's great from where we came from. I don't think we were expecting to do this. We were the underdog in almost every game we played," Hurteau said. "Our expectations were to compete. We were in a really good loop all year. It's been one goal, two goal games against everybody. Anybody could win any game, but we always felt we were the underdog and nobody really gave us the credit that we deserved."
Bubb-Clarke had a goal and an assist in the semifinal, that St. Thomas held on to edge the Blazers. Reese Knelsen also scored, while Ashlyn Hurteau, Abigail Lake and Ashlynn Ball, picked up an assist each.
"We talked about playing for each other, playing each shift for the person next to you, going hard and having fun," Hurteau said. "We didn't give up and that's what we've done all year."
In December, the Blazers captured silver at their International Silver Stick,
losing the final 2-1, to Central Perth, the same team that won OWHA gold.
Provincial wrap
Three Blazers teams finished fourth, U15BB, U13C and U18C.
The U15BB Blazers were 3-0 through pool play, won their quarterfinal over Toronto Leaside, 1-0, before falling to Otonabee, in the semifinals and Temiskaming Shores, in the bronze game.
Following two wins and a tie, in pool play, the U18C Blazers lost their semifinal, 4-3, in overtime, to the eventual champs, Brockville Angels. Ottawa Valley blanked BAD, 3-0, in the bronze game.
The U13C Blazers had two wins and a tie in pool play, but couldn't find offence, in a 2-0 semifinal loss to London, the champs and 1-0 loss to Twin Centre, for bronze.
The U18BB Panthers lost in the quarterfinals, following pool play of a win and two ties.
The U15BB Panthers went 3-0 in pool action, but were shutout in the quarters, by Saugeen Shores, who went on to win gold.
The U13A Panthers went 2-1-0, for second in their pool. Only pool winners advance. The U11A Panthers finished 1-2-0.
In Senior B action, both the Panthers and Blazers missed advancing from their pools.
The London Wheelers won Senior B bronze, with a number of local players, including Nikki Johnson and Lisa Howey of St. Thomas and Hannah Vickers and Kristen Bisschop, from Dorchester.
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