The Yorkton Atom AA Xerox Terriers successfully defended the Brandon Tournament of Champions Title for the second year running.
The tournament's been running for many years, says Chad Korczak, head coach of the Xerox Terriers.This is the first time Yorkton has won it two years in a row.
They played in three round robin games, downing Portage, the powerful Regina Capitals, and the Selkirk Steelers.
Upon successful completion of those matches, Yorkton placed an undisputed first overall in their pool.The biggest challenge was still yet to come, according to Korczak.
"Only the top two teams in each pool went on," he explained via phone call Sunday night. "Brandon was first in their pool (too). Yorkton and Brandon both won their semi final game."
All of the sudden Yorkton's astonishing record of 43-1 through season play, didn't seem to mean so much at that point.
"All the games for the most part were close most of the way," says Korczak of the tournament games in Brandon. Yorkton won them, but had to work for it.
"It was good for us. We didn't go in expecting to win the tournament."
He added that he "kind of had an idea what the Capitals were like" but had never played the Avalanche."
When the team wins during the season the way that they have been, it makes coaching easy, he said, but noted that it is interesting to see a team that can play them the way the Avalanche did.
"It is and it isn't," he offered. "Honestly as a coach, it's always more comfortable coaching when you're winning by five goals."
The tournament ran from Feb. 10-13 and featured eight of the top teams from Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
In round robin play, the Terriers went through undefeated which brought them to the semi-final game vs the Regina Avalanche.
Although Yorkton outshot the Avalanche 46-13, both goalies made some great saves to keep their teams in the game. Final score was 3-1 for the Terriers.
The win brought the Terriers into the championship game vs Brandon, which was the only team that had defeated them in the season to date, a 3-2 loss in the Regina tournament. Brandon stormed out to a 2-0 lead which the Terriers responded by notching one of their own at the end of the second period. The third period was back and forth, with goalie Nolan Budz making some key saves to keep his team in check.
The Terriers kept pushing for the win, and tied the game up with four minutes remaining. With the momentum swinging their way, the Terriers notched two more goals within the next two minutes to secure the championship.
Budz played really well in net.
The Yorkton Atom AA Xerox Terriers had previous tournament wins in Moosomin, Weyburn, and Yorkton and currently sit in first place in the South East Minor Hockey League.
Team members are: Kennedy Lutz, Ethan Evanovich, Reid Arnold, Keanen Sperling, Keenan Taphorn, Kaeden Korczak, Reid Perepeluk, Kaeden Taphorn, Brett Kemp, Colby Vranai, Jordan Repsch, Michael Coleridge, Carter Lake, Nolan Maier & Nolan Budz. Coaches are: Chad Korczak, Jerald Sperling, Monte Taphorn. Kim Maier is the team trainer and Shawna Kriger-Kemp is manager.The Xerox Terriers play two league games with Moosomin next week and in the beginning of March means the beginning of the playoffs.
