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BARRIE, ON – February 1, 2010 - Ball Hockey Ontario has been hosting these championships since 1996 and this will be the 15th year for the tournament. It has grown from a small collection of teams from Southern and Central Ontario into an International event with teams traveling in from Montreal, Boston, San Jose, Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, Buffalo, Connecticut, Pittsburgh and from all across Ontario.
In 2009, a record 95 teams competed for the opportunity to have their names permanently added to the eleven Championship Cups and to receive the coveted custom leather jackets that go to the first place winners. Each member of the Championship team has their name engraved on the Trophies.
In our first 15 years, we’ve seen a dominant presence from Southern Ontario with teams from the City of St. Catharines winning 25 titles. The rest of the Niagara region including Welland and Niagara Falls have won another 8 titles. Barrie as a community has won 12 titles, led by the Ladies with six. Toronto has won 7 championships with Montreal & U.S. based teams winning five.
Historically, five players out of St. Catharines have won an amazing number of “Jackets” in these first 15 years. Brian Henderson & Dan Riga (5 A, 7 O35) have the honour of having won 12 Championships. Luc Monterosso (5 A, 5 O35) has 10, Kevin Sexsmith (3 A, 6 O35) and Pat Henderson (3 A, 1 B, 5 O35) have 9 each.
In Men’s “A”, the St. Catharines Wizards have won five Championships in the seven years from 1996 through 2003. The Wizards lost to the Niagara Falls Cheaters in the 1999 final and lost to the Montreal Red Lite in the 2002 semi final, so they have been a dominant force and the team to beat through the first eight years.
Toronto teams made up of some great indoor ball hockey players have won 5 of the past six “A” Championships. The Toronto Leafs have three titles in 2005, 2007 & 2008. The Toronto West End Oilers won the 2001 “B” Championship, the 2004 “A” Championship and lost to the Toronto Leafs in the 2005 Final. The West End Oilers have been a great competitive team that has enjoyed success in their years of participating in Barrie. The current 2009 defending “A” Champions are the Metro Rangers, with the core of their team playing previously with the Oilers.
Some strong U.S. teams have participated in Barrie with the Boston All Stars appearing in six championships, but not making it to the final podium. Pittsburgh teams have represented themselves well with the Pittsburgh Bad Company winning the 2006 title and another Pittsburgh team having a final appearance in 2003. That outstanding final saw the Wizards score an overtime goal to defeat the charging Pittsburgh team 5-4. The Pittsburgh Bad Company team also lost a close 3-1 game in the 2005 semi final to the eventual winners, the Toronto Leafs.
In the Men’s “B” division, Southern Ontario teams have dominated as well with the Welland Hot Shotz winning in 2000 & 2003 & The Welland Young Guns winning back to back in 2007 & 2008. Those two teams have been the only repeat winners. A number of St. Catharines players have enjoyed a couple of “B” Championships with the City winning six titles. The Men’s “B” title is a little more of a marathon with up to 36 teams traditionally competing for this title.
In 2009, the Men’s “C” event was added because of the large number of teams competing for the “B” Title. After some preliminary games, teams are seeded and split into two groups for this event. The Montreal Selects have won this title in 2009.
St. Catharines have their name on the Over 35 Championship title seven times with the Roughriders winning 3 in 2003, 2005 & 2007. Barrie National Freight has 3 titles as well, winning in 2000, 2004 & 2006. The Barrie Blackhawks have yet to win a Championship, but were a finalist in five of the first eight years of the tournament. The 2009 Championship was won by the St. Catharines Wizards, who came out of retirement as a team to play in the Over 35 Division.
In Ladies “A” Championship play, the St. Catharines Rectangle Auto Supply team led by Charmaine Lounsbury has won and defended their title in 2004, 2005 & 2006. The only team to win three consecutive titles in any of the events. Barrie women won four titles in a row from 1998 to 2003 with the Barrie McBride Mustangs winning back to back in 2001 & 2002. The U.S. National Ladies team won in 2007, A Strong Barrie Canada cartage Beavers won in 2008 and the Toronto Crush took the 2009 title with all of the above teams chasing them down.
A Ladies “B” event was added in 2007 and The Barrie Bass Kickers won the first title that year. USA Stripes won in 2008 & the Niagara Mad Scramble were the 2009 Champions.
COED WOBHC “A” & “B” and Youth U18, U15 & U12 were added to the roster
of events in 2009 as the WOBHC tournament series became a three weekend effort from August to October.
St. Catharines continued to prevail in competitive play winning both COED events and one of the youth events. The Niagara Mad Scramble won the COED “A”, The Niagara Scared Hitless won the COED “B” and the St. Catharines Explosion won the U18 YOUTH Championship. The Barrie Rock Solid Renegades won the U12 division title and the Innisfil Wave won the first U15 title in 2009.
This event has become a great destination for ball hockey enthusiasts from everywhere to enjoy some Central Ontario hospitality, some competitive play and to renew friendships with others who enjoy the exciting sport of ball hockey.
If you haven’t attended yet, join us for some fun in 2010 ……….. |
