Underdogs win East Region Senior Boys tier two championship

The RH King Academy Lions hosted the SATEC @ WA Porter Eagles in the Toronto District School Board’s East Region Senior Boys Tier Two B Division hockey championship on Feb. 24 at Centennial Arena.

The stands were packed to the rafters with multiple busloads of screaming high school fans to watch the third place team and underdogs, the SATEC @ Porter Eagles, upset the first place King Academy Lions for a triumphant 4-1 gold medal victory.

“It’s great – we were the underdogs!” SATEC @ Porter assistant Coach Carl Mah said. “The kids were very disciplined. They did exactly what we told them to do. And we capitalized on our chances.”

The Eagles coaches agreed that their boys’ discipline and ability to listen to instruction is what won them the game.

“Team play and disciplined play were the reasons our boys were successful,” Eagles head coach Joel Gardner said. “Even though there were a couple of infractions, they didn’t get frustrated. They played their positions great, they skated hard, it’s kind of cliché, but that’s the way the games are won and lost.”

The first period was scoreless, with both teams getting robbed by the goalies on both ends of the ice. The second period ended the shutouts, and saw only one goal, by Eagles assistant captain Jake Stroscher, #24.

The third period saw lots of action, with tempers flaring; hard hits, and little scraps after the whistle – and four goals. With a man advantage King Academy’s #15, Landon McGhee, scored a goal to tie the game. Eagles #17, Stratos G. scored two goals, and #95, Julian D. scored one goal to end the game.

The two teams had played each other once in the regular season; the Eagles gave the Lions their only tie of their otherwise perfect record. The Lions finished 5-0-1, and the Eagles finished 3-1-2.

“We think that Porter’s a pretty good team,” said King Academy assistant coach Ben Posthumus. “We weren’t expecting to play them here.”

SATEC @ Porter had drawn Cedarbrae – who had beaten them 5-3 once in regular season play and had finished in second place – for the semi-final round on Feb. 17. Against the odds, they won the game 6-4.

“They were awesome; today’s game was the best game they’ve ever played. Everyone I sent out there did their job,” Gardner said. “It feels good to be champions, the boys are really pumped.”

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By: Kaitlynn Ford
Posted: Mar 4 2010 10:51 am
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