Warburg and Lloydminster battle it out in a final game Sunday, Mar. 18 during Hockey Alberta’s Female B Championship. Lloydminster won 3 – 0 to take gold. ECA Review/L.Joy
Nine hockey teams from across Alberta converged on Stettler over the Mar. 15 – 18 weekend for the 2018 Alberta Provincial Championships.
The provincials kicked off Thursday with 14 tournaments being held across Alberta. Stettler Minor Hockey Association and Stettler Storm hosted the Bantam Female B tournament.
Stettler Mayor Sean Nolls, in a prepared statement on Hockey Alberta’s website, welcomed all the players, coaches, parents and fans to the community. He also thanked the local volunteers and organizing committee members who stepped up to help.
“Ensuring that the players experience a fair and fun tournament both on and off the ice is no simple task, however, one in which Stettler (takes) with pride.”
Stettler tournament chair Shannon Shingoose, in an interview with the ECA Review March 19, said the event went off without a hitch.
“We had nothing but compliments with each and every team coming up and thanking us for putting on such a memorable weekend.
“They praised the event, facility, volunteers and community.
“It takes a village to put on an event of this nature and our organizing committee rose to the occasion without batting an eye.
“The families within our association volunteered to scorekeep, timekeep, work the penalty boxes, raffle table, sell 50/50 tickets and much more from Thursday through Sunday and not one volunteer shift was missed. That in itself speaks volumes.”
The teams competing included Stettler, Beaverlodge, Lloydminster, Athabasca, Warburg, Okotoks, Strathmore, Camrose, Edmonton and Calgary.
The stands were packed with hockey enthusiasts.
“Our fans were also incredibly committed in supporting not only our team (Stettler Storm) but several showed up to watch the semifinals and championship game on Sunday,” said Shingoose.
“There were busloads of students from the Stettler Elementary and Wm. E. Hay that came to watch our 11:30 a.m. Friday game against Warburg.
“We didn’t pull off the win for them but their chants and cheering were very humbling.”
Stettler Storm had two wins and two disappointing losses.
“Our two losses were to Warburg and Lloydminster who both ended in the gold medal game,” said Shingoose.
Warburg and Lloydminster faced off in a final game Sunday with Lloydminster winning 3 – 0 to take the Bantam Female B Championship.
Lisa Joy
ECA Review