Chase Madden (front, left) of the Chiefs of Muskegon drives the puck toward the goal as Hunter Frazier of the Junk Yard Dawgs of St. Ignace moves in for the steal during ice hockey play Saturday, February 28. The two teams participated in the first U.P. Youth Pond Hockey Tournament over the weekend on Moran Bay in St. Ignace. Other Chiefs players pictured are Mika Byar (from left, back) and Jack Pendery. Kody Rickley (right) is from the Junk Yard Dawgs..

Ore Dogs of Negaunee took the top spot in the first U.P. Youth Pond Hockey tournament on Moran Bay in St. Ignace. Six teams took part in the tournament that began Saturday, February 28, and concluded with playoff games Sunday, March 1.

 

Plans already are underway to bring the outdoor ice hockey competition back again next winter, say organizers. The youth event took advantage of rinks already set up for the U.P. Pond Hockey Tournament held the preceding weekend.

Mark Sposito, board member of the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau, Willie LaLonde, and John Bentgen spearheaded the event. About 20 volunteers helped prepare the ice rinks, officiated matches, and recorded game statistics.

Thirty-six skaters, ages nine and 10 years of age, participated in the hockey championship.

"With only six teams, we're still very proud of the event," said Mr. Sposito. "Next year, it will be huge."

To draw more young players to the tournament, organizers plan to make presentations around the state to hockey clubs in hopes of getting parent participation and to explain the safety of matches on an outdoor rink, a concern, he said, that may have deterred some from participating.

Injury is less a factor on Moran Bay than in an indoor rink, said Mr. Sposito.

"We have to convey that message," he said. "Right now, it's not out there."

Arena ice rinks are encircled with wooden boards, which skaters can hit during game play. The pond hockey rinks in St. Ignace are bordered with banks of fresh snow. The only limitation with the snowbanks is the occasional lost puck.

The goal for next year's tournament is to have at least 60 teams entered in competition, said Mr. Sposito.

"We'll be back," said Christian Byar, one of two coaches for the Chiefs hockey team from Muskegon. "We love it here."

The event was a good adventure for the downstate team and a learning experience for the boys, he said.

"They've never played in a pond hockey tournament before," he said, "and they've never played outside. We had a blast."

During a break in hockey play, the team also went snowmobiling, which some of the boys had never done.

Teams playing in the tournament were the Junk Yard Dawgs of St. Ignace, Chiefs of Muskegon, Ore Dogs of Negaunee, Rad Poles of Harbor Springs, The Vapor of Cheboygan, and Werner Lightning of Cheboygan.

The event was sponsored by the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau, Jones Soda, K & B Plumbing of St. Ignace, and the St. Ignace Youth Hockey Association. It was sanctioned by USA Hockey and Michigan Amateur Hockey Association.

Upper Peninsula Youth Pond Hockey

Championship Results

The six teams were divided into two divisions — American and National, with games pitting division teams against each other. All teams played three games during the weekend. No goalie was used in the four-onfour matches. Semi-Finals Rad Poles beat Werner Lightning, 23-13 Ore Dogs beat Junk Yard Dawgs, 24-16 Consolation Game Chiefs beat The Vapors, 20-14 Championship Game Ore Dogs beat Rad Poles, 22-15