History was made on the ice in Surrey at the provincial B ringette championships.
The Ray's Stucco Prince George Rush knocked off host Surrey 7-6 in Sunday's 18-and-older age division final, the first-ever Prince George team to claim gold in the provincial tournament.
What's even more remarkable in the rise of the geographically-challenged Rush to the crown was they did so with very little game preparation, having played in only two tournaments all season heading into the B.C. playoffs. Most of the teams they faced in Surrey have the benefit of having a league with teams in close proximity to allow a regular season.
"We don't play any games unless we travel to tournaments," said head coach Madeleine Crandell. "That's why we were so excited. We never practice together all year and even the teams in Vancouver said 'How can you guys be so good when you don't have anybody to play against in Prince George.' They loved the way we played and that's why we got the fair play award. Everybody contributed to winning this tournament."
Rory Bird, 23, a mainstay on the Rush roster for the better part of decade and the lone male on the team, was the offensive triggerman at the provincial championship, leading the tournament with 14 goals. One of three Terrace players on the Prince George roster, Bird saved his best for last, scoring five times in the final, including the gamewinner with 3:13 left in the third period.
Layne Ongman, Stephanie Crandell, Justine Lamothe, Nicole Leblanc, Layne Ongman, Aimee Qualizza and Kirsten Tooms also powered the Rush offence, while defensive specialists Nicole Crandell, Stephaney Thompson, Whitney Wilson and Caitlin Zacharias provided blanket coverage in front of goalie Lisa Matzelle. All are from Prince George with the exception of Bird, Tooms and Qualizza (from Terrace) and Stephanie Crandell (a native of Prince George who now lives in Vancouver).
Meanwhile, in the U-14 division, the Hart Modular Homes/PPWC No. 9 selects also came close to bringing home a banner. The Prince George squad advanced all the way to the gold-medal championship but lost 5-1 to Westside.
In the U-14 final, Westside scored three times in the second half to break open a close game and capture the title. Darian Campbell was the lone scorer for Prince George, which defeated Port Coquitlam 8-2 to move on to the championship game. Rebecca Landry scored five goals to lead the P.G. in the semifinal, while Darian Campbell, Austin Campbell and Sarah Irving also scored. Prince George finished the tournament with a 3-3 record and also was picked for the fair play award.
The Andrew Kemp Lawyer and Mediator all-stars of Prince George placed fourth with a 2-3 record.
