Neal Violetta from the Ore Dogs of Negaunee takes a shot against Kody Rickley of the Junk Yard Dawgs of St. Ignace during the first half of the U.P. Youth Pond Hockey championship game Sunday, February 28. The Ore Dogs won first place in the tournament, defeating St. Ignace 22-19. Twenty teams of young hockey players, along with friends and family, gathered on the ice of Moran Bay Saturday, February 27, for the second U.P. Youth Pond Hockey Tournament in St. Ignace. The tournament included five divisions of teams with players ranging from ages 7 to 12, and games continued through Sunday afternoon, February 28.

Winning the Squirt House Division were the Ore Dogs of Negaunee, defeating the St. Ignace Junk Yard Dawgs 22-19 in the championship game. Players and spectators from Negaunee, who also took home first place in 2009's tournament, said they really enjoyed the event and planned to return next year.

The Thunder Bay Wrecks celebrate after defeating the Alpena Whales, winning the Pee Wee Travel Division during the weekend Youth Pond Hockey tournament in St. Ignace. Twenty teams competed in five divisions Saturday, February 27, and Sunday, February 28. Butch Borlace, who came for the first time this year to watch his grandson, Trevor Borlace, play for the Ore Dogs, said he enjoyed the fast play of a running clock.

“This is real hockey here,” Mr. Borlace said. “It's such a good time, and so fun for the kids.”

St. Ignace teams took trophies in the Mite and Pee Wee House divisions. The St. Ignace Super Mite team lost in the championship game to Petoskey, and St. Ignace Timmy Lee's Pub Pee Wee team took first place, defeating St. Ignace North Stars in the championship game.

The youth tournament consisted of four-on-four play with no goalies, and small, flat nets measuring six inches by six feet. Individual medals and trophies were awarded to the first and second place teams in each of the five divisions.

The Ore Dogs of Negaunee took first place in the U.P. Youth Pond Hockey Tournament Sunday, February 28, on Moran Bay in St. Ignace after defeating the Junk Yard Dawgs of St. Ignace 22-19. Team members pictured are (back, from left) Wyatt Tull, Jacob Talaga, Neal Violetta; (front) Josh Ryynanen, Trevor Borlace, and Jackson Vilona. The event has grown from six teams in 2009. Recreation Director Scott Marshall said he expects the youth tournament will become as big or bigger than the adult pond hockey tournament, held the previous weekend in St. Ignace.

Mr. Marshall said he expects at least 40 teams signing up in advance for next year's tournament, and will cap the number of teams at 64.

The St. Ignace Recreation Department took over the event this year, after it was organized last year by the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau and volunteers. Mr. Marshall said as the annual tournament grows, it will help bring in revenue to the city's recreation department and bring visitors to St. Ignace in the winter months.
At left: The St. Ignace Junk Yard Dawgs took second place in the Squirt House Division of the U.P. Youth Pond Hockey Tournament. They lost 22-19 to Negaunee's Ore Dogs in the championship game Sunday, February 28. Pictured are front, from left) Sawyer Kulman, Hunter Frazier, Kody Rickley; back) Andy Metz, Logan DeKeyser, and Jared Helms.