I'm going to try and get through writing this article without tearing up...ah too late.
I knew before tryouts started way back in the fall that we were going to have a good team mostly made up of 1st year '07's. I've had the pleasure of coaching many of these players at various levels since Tyke (IP) and we've won our fair share of Championships together.
Alliance U18 NBC is a tough league though (don't sleep on it) and generally the top teams are full of 2nd year vets who have played some very good hockey. Much like our 2022-23 U18 Championship team (that's right Oaktown Hockey went back to back baby) led by Coach Dan Bradburn that was almost entirely made up of graduating '05 players. Coach Dan's decision to take one of the young gun '06's over some really talented '05's turned out to have a much bigger impact on the Oaktown program then we knew at the time.
When tryouts started we had one single veteran '06 signed up. A now legendary night of chicken wings later and suddenly we had four. Well let me tell you it was the right four guys both on and off the ice. We set lines at the 1st practice and they never changed. That's never happened in all my days of coaching. The pieces of the puzzle just fit.
Regular Season highlights included a super fun tourney weekend in Niagara Falls (coming up just short in the final to Burlington White who would later be Tier 2 Alliance U18 Champs), Nazem Kadri Classic Tourney Champs and Alliance U18 Regular Season Champs. An already successful season was in the books but no we weren't done there.
This past weekend was the Alliance U18 Championships and we entered as the #1 seed in the Tier 1 Division. We had some tough opponents in our group with the Kitchener Jr Rangers, Cambridge Hawks, an '06 West Gold team that were pre-season favourites for good reason and a rising/scrappy North London team.
We went 1-1-1 in the 1st 3 round-robin games beating North 3-1, tying West Gold 3-3 and taking one on the chin from Kitchener 5-3 (wasn't happy with that L but I think we needed it). The 4th round robin-game vs Cambridge got us back on track with a 4-3 win and a beauty selfie stick celly (in past U18 seasons that definitely would have resulted in a bench clearing brawl lol). Our mojo was so back and we ended up 2nd in the division setting up a semi-final re-match with Cambridge on Sunday.
We've had some memorable tilts (not all of them for a good reason) with Cambridge to say the least over the years and this was certainly one of them. Down 2-1 late in the 3rd with the goalie pulled (that never works for me lol) and we tie it up sending the game to OT. The boys aren't exactly sure who put it in as it was a "mass of humanity" as Coach Jeff said but nobody cared. They don't call him Big Play MacKay for no reason and the breakout pass to Benny for the sick breakaway game winner was a thing of beauty. A clip I've probably watched 100 times since. Everyone in the building knew that puck was going in when it was on Benny's stick in that moment. I'll never forget it.
The OT win set us up with a final vs Kitchener. Revenge season was on and they were not going to beat us twice in one weekend. Big Play MacKay put us up 2-0 early with both goals and Tosher buried another one to make it 3-0. Kitchener battled back to make it a 3-2 nail bitter before Janger had one of the shifts of the tourney/season and scored to make it 4-2. It was only fitting that Benny put the final goal of the season into an empty net making it a 5-2 final. Watching the bench empty and the sticks/gloves flying into the air never gets old. Alliance Champions again making it Back to Back titles for the Oaktown U18's.
Every single player in that room contributed to this Alliance Championship. From pretty goals to ugly goals, getting pucks out, winning the battles in the corners and in front of the net, big saves from both our tendys, Brad blocking shots with every part of his body (get in line behind me for the Brad fan club). You boys should all be proud of your unselfish play, hard work, determination and team first attitude to get this job done. I'm so proud of all of you and so thankful that you gave me one of my now all-time favourite hockey memories.
Congrats to graduating '06 vets Brownie, Jacks, Benny and our leader Tosher (the only returning player from last year's Championship team) on an amazing season. You are all Oaktown legends, incredible players/athletes but much, much more importantly awesome humans. You will all do big things in whatever you choose to do in your lives. Electricians, business owners, teachers, probably an Olympic athlete (Jacks), the sky is the limit for all of you. If you fellas ever need a vet presence in your future beer league squads,
Give me a call, I'll fly with ya. The Grey Line jerseys will be retired from our team next year #greylineforlife
Congrats to all the '07 "rookies", enjoy your summers and come back hungry at tryouts next fall. Oaktown Hockey is going for the U18 Alliance THREE-PEAT!!!
For those who are still hanging in there and reading this (I sound like Lori MacKay now lol) a few BIG thank you' s are in order:
Thank you to my friends and fellow coaches Jeff Petruzella, Jamie Howes and Kirby Oudekerk. Special thanks to my friend, former Oaktown alum and non-parent coach Reid Verhaverbeke. It was an all-star bench and we don't win without you all.
Thank you to the GOAT of all team managers Kristi Howard. Everyone knows a successful season only happens when you have a great manager and you are the best.
Thank you to Leigh-Anne Macintosh for not only being an amazing team manager last season but returning as our treasurer this year and allowing us to have one more year with your family. I wish we could do it again.
Thank you to Shannon Wong for being our official team photographer and capturing all these moments on camera throughout the year. I think I can speak for everyone and say we are forever grateful to have these pictures of our kids. We also appreciated you doing the stats all year long which were extremely helpful in our team chats between periods and after the games.
Thank you to the Lathems for handling the dressing room keys and Greg for the video footage during the Alliance tourney. Steve Keith for sponsorships. Mark Chortos for fundraising/hockey pool. The Jangs for jerseys, letting all the kids pretty much live at their house and Tony's famous Costco hot dog lunches. Steve Milne as the parent rep (I don't think he did anything) and Jamie's personal photographer. Liz for the team FaceBook page as well as helping out with some pics and vids. Vicki Petruzella and Lori Palser as the social/event coordinators. Carey Benson in advance for promising to host the celebratory team party (we're holding you to it).
Thank you to our entire parent group including some very special grandparents and other family members/friends who positively supported our team all year. I believe that awesome energy contributed in a big way to our Championship. The now traditional signs at the finals were so well done too.
Thank you to our sponsors EllisDon, Pro Electric, Manulife Investment Management, Canadian Cutting & Coring, Facca Fasteners, Oxford Builders & Palser Enterprises for supporting our team.
Thank you to the West London Hawks organization for hosting a fantastic Alliance Championship Weekend and to Alliance Hockey for giving the older guys one last chance to make these memories.
Sorry this might have been longer than my dressing room speeches. Coach Rich is landing the plane for the 2023-24 season. Time to grab a lawn chair and watch soccer. Cya at Carey's house.
Go Aeros!!!
Rich