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The Kelowna Ringette U14A Rage collected a gold medal following an intense game against their across-the-lake-rival Westside Wildfire at the 29th annual Kelowna Sweetheart Tournament.
Photo Gallery of U14A and U16A games (100 photos) on KelownaNowSports Facebook page
As has been the case during the regular season, Sunday's championship game was an even match with no shortage of nail-biting suspense and impressive athleticism.
Despite falling behind by two goals, Kelowna managed to tie things up with four minutes left in the first period, thanks to an impressive goal by Elise Wozny.
The previous goal seemed to fuel the fire within both teams, as right off the bat in the second period Kelowna when alternate captain, Haylie Duff, put one in the net, with Kori Lahue responding for West Kelowna.
Tied at 3-3, the majority of the second half was fast-paced at both ends, featuring stingy defence and quick plays before Kelowna scored the gold-medal-winning goal with just three minutes left.
It was a short and sweet celebration at the buzzer by the Rage before skating to congratulate their opponents on a hard-fought battle.
“It was a very intense game. I’m really proud of the girls," said Jenni Duff, the Rage head coach. "We’re a small team – with only eight skaters and one goalie – but the girls had a lot of heart to get through five games in three days and we’re really proud of them.”
Though they may have taken a loss, the Wildfire team was equally excited for its opponents and earning the opportunity to play in the gold-medal game.
We couldn’t be happier for them with the outcome," said Michael Dyck, the West Kelowna coach. "Obviously, we’d like to win it ourselves but we’re happy for them. They did a great job.”
“I always dreamed of being in a gold-medal game and then we actually got to do it,” said Molly Dyck, co-captain of the team. "It was a fun competition," added Dyck.
Meanwhile, the Kelowna Heat U19A team struck gold and the Kelowna Elite claimed the silver medal in the U16A division, falling to Coquitlam in the championship game on Sunday at the Rutland Arena. The Elite finished third in five-team round-robin play and defeated Quesnel in their semifinal game earlier in the day.
Kelowna Velocity earned bronze in the U16B division after placing third in round-robin play and dropping a semifinal decision to Houston.
The Open B division saw the Kelowna Mojos take the silver medal after coming out on the short end of a championship game against Port Coquitlam.
About 75 teams and 1,000 athletes — from five years old to over 20 — competed in the three-day event at five arenas in the Central Okanagan.
Congratulations to both teams!
Photo Gallery of U14A and U16A games (100 photos) on KelownaNowSports Facebook page
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