Two teams with the Sea to Sky Bears are already off to a hot start to the season.
The Sea to Sky Bears U18A1 team just returned from a Penticton tournament from Oct. 13 to 15, claiming the gold medal.
“Our U18A1 Bears brought home gold from the Penticton Tier 2 Fall Face Off tournament this past weekend,” wrote a spokesperson for the team, Wendy Moore, in an email to The Squamish Chief.
The opening two games for the team saw the Bears beat Vernon and Trail. The Bears lost their third game against Port Moody in a tight affair.
But, in the semi-final match, the Bears topped Mission before heading to the finals against Port Coquitlam where they eventually won an even match. Players Jaxon Kearns, Joshua Wilson, Dan Moses and Sam Mehta were all among the Top 10 point earners for the tournament.
Earlier in the month, over the Thanksgiving weekend, the U15A1 team took home gold at the Jim Lindsay Memorial tournament in Ridge Meadows.
In round-robin play, the Bears toppled Abbotsford, Ridge Meadows, and Langley with a one-goal loss to the Portland Jr. Winterhawks. The Bears would get their revenge, however, earning the gold medal in a rematch versus Portland with a 9-2 victory.
MVPs for the Bears during the tournament included players Tristan Laurie, Matthew Moses, Keegan Hole and Sterling Seitz.
This season marks a new development for the Bears, as they are fielding four teams for the first time: U18A1, U18A2, U15A1 and U15A2. Moore said over 70 athletes are participating from all over the Sea to Sky Corridor, including Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton.
Last season’s U18A1 head coach, Mike Borrelli, moved into a management role with the squad, and Riley Wagner stepped in as head coach after being an assistant coach last season.
Keep up with the Sea to Sky Bears throughout the season through the team’s website seatoskybears.com.
