Ridgetown-Blenheim Chiefs Are OMHA Champions
The Ridgetown-Blenheim Chiefs celebrate on the ice in Ridgetown after winning the 2014 OMHA Juvenile title – Photo by Kelsey Vermeersch
Friday, the Chiefs moved within one win of the title with a 3-2 victory on the road in Drayton, with Matt Fleury, Devin Tedford, and Derrick Van Every scoring the goals.
Saturday, in front of a packed house in Ridgetown, the Chiefs closed out the series and captured an OMHA crown with a commanding 6-3 win.
Devin Tedford of the Ridgetown-Blenheim Chiefs – Photo by Kelsey Vermeersch
“I thought the boys played fantastic tonight and all year,” said Chiefs goaltender Brandan Joyce, who stopped 31 shots in Friday’s win, and again took the victory Saturday. “Winning felt great, it’s been a culmination of all of our hockey careers to win OMHA.”
The Chiefs, who lost the opening game of the series, and tied the next, won three straight games to capture the OMHA crown, and were led throughout the series, including Saturday, by Ridgetown’s Derrick Van Every. After Drayton got on the board first, Van Every scored four goals for the Chiefs in the victory.
“All I can say is I’m so proud of the boys. We executed everything perfectly,” said Van Every, who served as an assistant captain with the Ridgetown-Blenheim Chiefs this year, after spending multiple seasons in Junior C. “Winning on home ice was an unbelievable feeling and we want to thank everyone for all the support this season.”
Also scoring for the Chiefs in the championship game were Kurt Beecroft and Kurt Beecroft, who had the OMHA winning goal.
For several of the Ridgetown-Blenheim Chiefs, Saturday night marked their final game of competitive hockey, while others will surely move into contributing roles with local Junior hockey teams next season.