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NEWS 
The OBHA’s Cream of the Crop Crowns a New Champion!
After a half-a-dozen seasons there is a new king of
the hill in the Ontario Premier Ball Hockey League.
Despite the addition of some exciting new teams from
the ranks of the AA division of play and the increased
level of parity enjoyed by the league over the past
few years, no one has been able to dethrone the perennial
champions, the Midnight Express. Until now.
The Toronto Panthers
are the 2002 Molson Premier Ball Hockey League Champions.
The Panthers, whose origin as a team dates back to the
late nineties as an A and then a AA franchise (1996
& 1997 AA Provincial Champions) in the OBHA, have
patiently and persistently worked their way to the top
(AAA) of the ball hockey podium in Ontario. They have
been the quintessential model for a progressive and
developmental approach to constructing a competitive
and successful team that has finally reaped its reward.
The Hurricane Flyerz,
yet another team fresh out of AA, were yet another pleasant
surprise in 2002. In their first year at the AAA level,
coach Joe Baptista and the Flyerz (spelled with a Z)
finished third among the league leaders with a record
of 9-5-2 for 20 points. In addition, the team also made
a trip to the Canadian Ball Hockey Championships in
St. John's, Newfoundland where they were one of three
premier teams (along with the Midnight Express and the
Toronto Panthers) that represented the province respectively.
But in the end kudos goes out to the Panthers who were
led by the MVP season of Gus Kourousis and the resurgence
of goaltender Marco Arduini. The allstar center and
ball stopper sparked the ‘Cats’ to a 13-3-0
record with the best goals against average in the league
and a first-round bye in the playoffs. In the post season,
the Panthers defeated the Toronto Flyers (2 games to
1) in the semi-finals and the defending champions Express
(2 games to 1) in the championship final to claim the
premier prize. Congratulations to coaches Gerry and
Pino Panza and to the rest of the team who have qualified
for the 2003 National Championships scheduled in Montreal,
Quebec as a result of their accomplishment this past
year.
The
West End Oilers
posted a record of 4-1-0 and a tournament leading 23
goals scored enroute to the 2003 AA Provincial Championship
in London, Ontario. Rob Dinis, Glen Bradbury and Andy
Pacheco provided some timely offense in the absence
of highly skilled forward Leroy Amaral. Tournament allstar
goaltender John Dinardo (Associated Player) back stopped
the team to a 5-0 shutout over the United Hawks in the
championship final to give the Oilers the victory and
the provincial gold medal.
The Oilers dominated the individual prize podium with
four players selected to the allstar team. Mike Maciel,
James Faguendes and Dinardo were tournament allstars
along with Glen Bradbury who was chosen the event’s
Most Valuable Player. Rajwinder Sandu and Sean Wood
of the United Hawks rounded out the award winners.
Congratulations to all of the participants and to the
West End Oilers for their accomplishment.
The
Kitchener Ramparts
are the 2002 ‘A’ Provincial Champions. Our
friends from the west, in the land of ‘Octoberfest’,
traveled east to Scarborough in August to post an undefeated
6-0-0 record with only 8 goals against to capture the
provincial title. However, don’t let the statistics
deceive you into thinking that it was easy, because
the tournament was anything but a walk in the park as
the majority of the games were tightly contested right
up to and including the championship final.
Eight out of the twenty-four teams had to play an elimination
round game prior to the medal round of competition,
including the Ramparts who cruised to a 7-0 victory
against the North York Hitmen in their preliminary encounter.
The team defied their detractors and continued to find
ways to win as they went on to defeat the United League
Penguins 1-0 in overtime in quarterfinal action. The
veteran team, led by tournament All Star and MVP Brian
Liboiron, then outscored Brampton’s Bosco Plumbing
by a score of 6-4 enroute to the tournament final where
they hung on to get past the York Central Toronto Thugs
by a slim margin of 2-1 to capture the title.
Mike Eaton, Jerry Olivera and Jason Cartier were other
Ramparts selected to the tournament all-star team. Cesar
Vazquez and Gus Michalis of the Thugs completed the
list of award winning roster.
Congratulations to all the teams for a very exciting
tournament and to the Kitchener Ramparts, the 2002 A
Provincial Champions.
The
Men’s ‘D’ participation in the OBHA
has become one of the most popular and enjoyably competitive
venues in recent years due in large part to the number,
diversity and range in the ages of the players at that
level in recent years. In addition, travelling abroad
has always been an attractive incentive for the teams
involved and this years event was no exception as 40
teams throughout the province went to Belleville/Trenton
to compete in the 2002 ‘B’ Provincial Championships.
It was one of the largest tournaments hosted by the
OBHA and when it was all said and done and the smoke
had finally cleared after the weekend competition there
were only two teams standing. In the Champions Division,
the Coyotes from Northwest
Toronto, led by Shawn Noble, Frankie
Gambino and Domenic Spiloba, went undefeated (5-0-0)
with a paltry 6 goals against to win the gold medal.
Those desert dogs, however, didn’t get away with
the title easily as the had to get past the Peel
Regional Ruff Ryders by a score of 3-2
in overtime in the championship final. Domenic Spiloba
of the Coyotes was named the tournament MVP.
A new generation of player was introduced in the men’s
division of play at the B level as Canadian Junior member
and captain Jordan Freeland (B Tournament Allstar) and
Spencer Irving played for the hometown Belleville Insurance
Guys. Their team finished third overall before bowing
out 3-2 respectively in the final four against the Ruff
Ryders, the eventual tournament finalists.
In the Consolation Championship, the York
Central Kings defeated the Etobicoke
Hitmen by a score of 4-2. Congratulations
to all of the participants for a great tournament and
to the city of Belleville/Trenton for putting on yet
another great event.
The
Masters division of play, home to many former great
players who once played at the elite level in the OBHA,
has produced some of the most competitive and exciting
ball hockey in recent years. Ottawa has produced some
of the best players and teams in the history of the
OBHA and has always been a perennial powerhouse in the
sport of ball hockey in Ontario. The successes of the
infamous Senators, Voyageurs and Cobras are well documented
in the annals of the OBHA record books.
Well, that tradition has continued in the Masters Division
of play, as a collection of 30 + ball hockey enthusiasts
from the nation’s capital captured the ‘A-5-3-5’
title for the third time in the past four years.
In semi-final action Ottawa’s Midas All Stars
defeated the Toronto Sabres 3- 2, while Brampton’s
Hats Off upended Penetang 2-1 to advance to the gold
medal game.
In the tournament final, the Midas All Stars from Ottawa,
led by the outstanding performances of Greg Weins (All
star Goaltender) and Pierre Carron (Tournament MVP),
won the Masters Provincial Championship as they defeated
Art Bevis and the Brampton based Hats Off Sportswear
by a score of 2-0. Preston Dyer, Tom Hansford and Chris
Nestor from Hats Off were also named to the events all
star team.
Congratulations to all of the participants and to the
London BHL for hosting the event.
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