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Atom team cohesion leads to gold and silver medals

Cowichan Valley girls impressive in two hockey tournaments
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Silver medal was the reward for the Cowichan Valley Atom Female Capitals at Fuller Lake Arena. Back row, from left: Jaret Irving (assistant coach), Brad Scafe (head coach), Kris Kennedy (assistant coach). Players back: Seren Elkiw, Karlee Poznecov, Delilah Varcoe, Riley Wing, Savanah Sanchez. Front: Alijah Scafe, Sophia Kennedy, Elena Irving, Natalie Ellinson. (Photo submitted)

Gold in Langley, silver at Fuller Lake.

The Cowichan Valley Atom Female Capitals hockey team achieved impressive results in two tournaments after Christmas.

“We played 10 games in a week,” said team manager Jessica Sanchez. “You could tell they were wearing out at the end there.”

Coaches Brad Scafe and Kris Kennedy had the Capitals fired up to successfully defend their Angels On Ice Tournament title in Langley.

“That was nice,” noted Sanchez. “No goals were scored on us.”

Sophia Kennedy posted the remarkable five shutouts in a row, backed by the solid defensive effort of the team.

“They just did amazing,” raved Sanchez.

The first-ever Ice Fest Atom Female Tournament Jan. 2-3, with nine of the 10 games at Fuller Lake Arena, featured the Saanich Braves, Delta Stars and Ridge Meadows in addition to the host Cowichan Valley team.

Teams each played a three-game round robin the first day.

It began for the Caps with lopsided 14-0 and 15-1 wins over Ridge Meadows and Saanich, respectively, followed by a 2-2 tie against Delta.

“They were our toughest competition yet,” noted Sanchez of the Delta team. “We were down 2-0 and exhausted, but we pulled through as a team and came back.”

Savanah Sanchez, 9, of Crofton scored on a penalty shot and the Caps added another to tie it.

The teams played a rematch for the gold medal the next morning and Delta shut out Cowichan Valley 5-0.

“That was our first game we lost since we played in a peewee tournament in Nanaimo at the beginning of the year,” pointed out Jessica Sanchez.

“The girls are just amazing - great team off the ice and on the ice. Their hard work and dedication pays off and reflects on the ice when they play as a cohesive team.”

The players are all between nine and 11 years old.



Don Bodger

About the Author: Don Bodger

I've been a part of the newspaper industry since 1980 when I began on a part-time basis covering sports for the Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle.
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