The Yorkton UCT Bantam AA Terriers had a satisfying end to a tough season. The bantams, who struggled all season, squared off against the Regina Canucks in the B-side semi-final emerging with a two game sweep in the best of three series to advance to the Consolation final against the Moose Jaw Bantam Warriors.
The best of three games series began in Moose Jaw where the Bantam Terriers claimed an 4-1 win to take a one game lead.
The second game of the series was played at the Kinsmen Arena in Yorkton. Moose Jaw ran up a 3-0 first period lead before Yorkton managed to score in the second period.
Five goals in each of the second and third periods clinched the B-title for the UCT Terriers. Following Evan Werle's opening goal of the second period, Steven St. Marie was awarded a penalty shot after being hauled down from behind on a breakaway. St. Marie was good on his penalty shot to pull the Bantam Terriers within one. Caleb Sutter tied the game at three. After that there was no stopping the Bantam Terriers who managed to claim a 10-4 win in the second game and win the South Sask. Minor Hockey League B title.
Tanner Mak and St. Marie led the scoring, each with a pair of goals and three assists. Evan Werle added two goals while Kholton Shewchuk scored a goal and earned two assists for three points in the game. Turner Ottenbreit added a goal and an assist while Sutter and Rozdeba each scored a goal. Tristen Mundt, Jarod Hilderman, Levi Morin and Adam Neibrandt each earned an assist in the total team effort for the win.
Bantam Terriers head coach Damon Kustra admits the season was tough. With 11 first year players, the Bantam Terriers took their lumps but competed and believed they could win. As the players developed their hockey skills and came together as a team the bantams took the B playoffs as their own and wanted to win them, he says. "When you win three league games all year and then rattle off four (wins) in a row in the playoffs, we're very satisfied," Kustra closes.
