The Estevan Cathedral Energy bantam Warriors captured the bronze medal during their opening tournament of the season in Swift Current.
There were four teams, including Estevan, in the bantam division of the tournament.
Despite losing all three of the round-robin games, the Warriors defeated Brooks 5-4 in the bronze-medal game.
In that game Brooks scored the opening goal in the first period, but Estevan responded shortly after, to tie the game at one.
Coach Colin Fogarty said the game was tied a few times, but after falling behind in the first period, the Warriors never trailed again.
Dylan Pratt, Cale Adams, Kaden Ludwig and Jacob Dukart were the goal scorers for Estevan and some of them had two goals, Fogarty said.
Leighton Muss, Pratt, Adams and Dukart were the game’s most valuable players.
Before the start of that game, Fogarty gave a speech in the locker room to encourage the team.
“After repeating ourselves all weekend, telling them how to play, something must have finally sunk in, because they played like an actual team and looked really good,” Fogarty said.
In the Warriors first game of the tournament, they lost 6-3 to Swift Current. Dukart scored twice and Ludwig also had a goal.
Estevan also fell 6-1 in their second game against Saskatoon, with Dukart scoring the lone goal.
Before the Warriors beat Brooks in the bronze-medal game, they dropped a 9-1 decision to them in their final matchup of the round-robin. Ludwig had the only goal for Estevan.
Throughout the tournament, Fogarty was happy with the way the team played, since this was their first tournament of the year.
“Overall, I think everyone had lots of fun, and it was a good time,” he said.
Fogarty hopes that they can build momentum from the bronze medal win, and believes there are certain parts of the game the team needs to continue to work on.
“They got to learn when they need to change, to switch shifts, setting up on defence and offence and how to move properly,” he said.
The Warriors don’t play in another tournament until June, but Fogarty said the team will, hopefully, be playing exhibition games against teams from Regina and other associations, such as Moose Jaw.
“If they (the Warriors) play the rest of the season like they did in that last game, I think we’ll be fine,” Fogarty said.
