Huskies prepare for run at OWHA provincial title

by Brent Cooper

Apr 02, 2008

more stops to come: The Huntsville Huskies midget girls’ hockey team is getting ready for the last tournament of the year, the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association championships set for April 11 to 13 in Mississauga.

The regular-season title may have eluded the Huntsville Muskoka Animal Hospital Huskies, but there is still one more championship to be had.

The midget girls’ hockey team is off to Mississauga from April 11 to 13 to participate in the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) championships.

This is the second trip in as many years for the Huskies to the provincials.

The team had a successful run at the championships, qualifying for the quarter-finals where they dropped a close contest to Ingersoll.

Manager Earl Wurdell said the team had but one team to compete with in order to advance to the 2008 championships.

“We have to win against other teams of similar calibre in our region to qualify. This year we only had to play Parry Sound, but there have been other (qualifying) teams in the region than that. I believe last year there were four teams in the region. So the berth this year was a little easier.”

The Huskies honed their skills for the provincials by competing in a ‘fun league’ this year, which featured another four teams in a loop that Wurdell said was not a formal body.

“There is kind of a void north of Orillia and south of Sudbury where there are not a lot of organized leagues available to play in. So we played against North Bay, Parry Sound, along with a couple of teams in Temiskaming Shores and Sturgeon Falls. It was a league, but it was casually run.”

The league held its year-end playoffs this past weekend in Sturgeon Falls.

The Huskies were one of the favourites to take the league title, having only one loss throughout the year.

However, the team ended up tied for first after the round robin, but didn’t advance to the championship final.

The Huskies now turn their attention to the OWHA playoffs, where they will be grouped in a pool with more than 20 teams all seeking the provincial title.

Wurdell said the Huskies are hoping to expand their program for next season.

“We hope to have tryouts sometime in late August or early September. We are interested in new girls who haven’t played before in the atom or peewee ages. All you need to know is how to skate.”

Those wishing to try out for the team can contact Wurdell at 789-6590 or by e-mail at wurdell@xplornet.com.