Blaze win provincial title

Posted on: Staff Writer

From edition: March 13 2020 Strathmore Times

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By Kim Bailie U16 AA Blaze

Alyssa Bailie (l-r) and Bailee Wathen of Strathmore and the rest of the Zone 2 U16AA Blaze captured the 2020 AA Ringette Provincial Championships in Spruce Grove on the weekend of Feb. 28. The Blaze, consisting of players from Airdrie, Chestermere, Cochrane and Strathmore, will now represent Alberta at the Canadian Ringette Championships in Ottawa on April 4-11. Photo Courtesy of Kim Bailie

Alyssa Bailie (l-r) and Bailee Wathen of Strathmore and the rest of the Zone 2 U16AA Blaze captured the 2020 AA Ringette Provincial Championships in Spruce Grove on the weekend of Feb. 28. The Blaze, consisting of players from Airdrie, Chestermere, Cochrane and Strathmore, will now represent Alberta at the Canadian Ringette Championships in Ottawa on April 4-11.
Photo Courtesy of Kim Bailie
The Zone 2 U16AA Blaze ringette team returned home as champions and as Team Alberta from the 2020 AA Ringette Provincial Championships in Spruce Grove on the weekend of Feb. 28.
The Zone 2 team is made up of players under 16 years of age from Airdrie, Chestermere, Cochrane and Strathmore. They completed the round robin undefeated as they beat Calgary Peak, Sherwood Park and Spruce Grove.
In the semifinal game, Zone 2 found themselves in a battle against Calgary Tenacity. The game went back and forth before going into overtime. Each team had chances to win it before Alyssa Bailie (Strathmore) stole the ring at the blue line, went in on a breakaway and buried the winning goal.
In the gold medal match, Zone 2 met St. Albert. Early in the game, St. Albert jumped ahead 2-0 but Zone 2 battled from behind and tied it up 2-2 after the first period.
In the second period, Zone 2 took the lead but St Albert came back to tie it. With the score tied 4-4, Rachel Bushfield of Airdire scored her fourth goal of the game to give Zone 2 the lead with just a few minutes left. With some outstanding goaltending by Carly Crone of Cochrane, Zone 2 was able to hang onto the lead and bring home the gold.
As Team Alberta, the Zone 2 U16AA Blaze team will compete in the Canadian Ringette Championships in Ottawa on April 4-11.