NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA HAWKS
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The U15BB Orillia Hawks travelled to London, Ont., to compete in the 34th annual London Devilettes Tournament from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, 2025.
In their opening game on Jan. 31, the Hawks faced the Cambridge Roadrunners. Defenceman Peyton Hoyt opened the scoring, assisted by Jorgia Kitcher. Just four minutes later, forward Kyah Thompson added another goal with help from Isabella Cheslock. The second period remained scoreless for both teams, but in the third, centreman Ellie Lynch extended the lead with assists from Cheslock and Bethany Lewis. To cap off the victory, centreman Cheslock scored off a pass from Kailee Taylor-Wood. Goaltender Sawyer Seberry secured a shutout as the Hawks soared to a 4-0 win.
Later that day, the Hawks went up against the London Devilettes, a team that had defeated them in a previous tournament. Determined to prove themselves, the Hawks came out strong. In the first period, centreman Molly Mee found the back of the net, assisted by Taylor-Wood and Hoyt. The Devilettes responded in the second period, sneaking one past Hawks goaltender Olivia Weaver. Undeterred, the Hawks reclaimed the lead when centreman Isabella Cheslock scored, with assists from defencemen Cabot Ferguson and Lauren Torrance. The third period saw Mee notch her second goal, with helpers from Kitcher and Taylor-Wood. With just two minutes remaining, centreman Kaydence Thompson sealed the game with a goal, assisted by Lynch and Cheslock.
On Feb. 1, the Hawks took on the Stoney Creek Sabres. Goaltender Sawyer Seberry recorded her second shutout of the tournament as the Hawks secured a 2-0 win. Centreman Ellie Lynch scored both goals, assisted by Torrance and Mee.
Bright and early on Feb. 2, the Hawks battled the Burlington Barracudas. Despite the wintry conditions, the Hawks stayed hot, earning a 1-0 victory. Olivia Weaver posted a shutout, while centreman Isabella Cheslock netted the lone goal unassisted.
Competing for gold, the Hawks faced the undefeated Lucan Irish in the championship game. Both teams fought hard, but the Hawks fell short, losing 2-0. Lucan Irish remained unscored upon throughout the tournament. Though disappointed, the Hawks proudly took home the silver medal.
Head coach Troy Thompson reflected on the team’s performance, saying, “This tournament was a great confidence boost for us. Even though we were missing key players throughout, we still found ways to win. Our goaltending was solid, our defence was strong, and we had plenty of offensive firepower. Our only loss came against Lucan, marking our second tournament final defeat to them. I have a feeling we’ll face them again — this time with our full team.”
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