St. Mary’s readies to host hockey tourney

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This article was published 28/01/2019 (2537 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Members of the St. Mary’s Academy prep hockey team have been consummate road warriors so far in 2018-19.

The Flames, currently sitting fourth in the Canadian Sports School Hockey League female prep division with a 12-7-4 record, have played 38 games this season (including tournament and exhibition action) and only nine of those outings have come in the friendly confines of Bell MTS Iceplex.

With travel destinations in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Minnesota, it can be a challenge to balance the demands of academic life with the day-to-day grind of elite hockey.

“This year, especially the first half of the year, we were gone every second weekend from the beginning of school onwards,” Grade 12 forward Kennedy Frank said prior to the team’s Monday practice at the Iceplex. “I find with teachers, every three weeks tests go insane and that’s when it’s a lot. We do miss a lot of school, but since the program’s been going on, a lot of the teachers understand and help you catch up.”

Perhaps Frank and her teammates will also be able to catch their breath this week.

Beginning Thursday and ending Sunday, the St. Mary’s crew will be able to add a few home dates to their resumé when they host the Female World Sport School Challenge at the Iceplex.

The Flames, who won last year’s final for the first time in the history of the tournament, face off Thursday against the Central Plains Capitals. Game time is 3 p.m.

Head coach Larry Bumstead appreciates what the current edition of the Flames brings to the game.

“What I like about it is they’re exciting, they’re fearless, they play on the edge,” said Bumstead, in his eighth year of leading the program. “We have some tremendous skill, we have some speed.”

One of those players exhibiting high-end skill is Grade 12 forward Sarah Dennehy, the team’s captain and leading scorer with 17 goals and 39 points in 38 games.

“It’s definitely a big part of my life and I can’t really imagine my life without being in this program,” said Dennehy, who has committed to attend the University of Manitoba on a hockey scholarship next fall. “We have a really close team, so it’s really nice. We get along really well and we’re very competitive.”

Dennehy, fellow Grade 12 dynamo Kate Gregoire and Grade 11 player Danica Namaka, all centres, are employed throughout the lineup but Bumstead will often use them together on the No. 1 power-play unit. That trio, in addition to Grade 12 goaltender Julianna Thomson, have been named to the squad that will represent Manitoba at next month’s Canada Games in Red Deer, Alta.

Gregoire, a two-sport ace who is also an elite golfer, decided to join Dennehy at the U of M next fall.

“I think I do feel relieved knowing I have a place to play next year and a university to go to,” Gregoire said. “Also, having a chance to play at home is very important to be with family and friends.”

Thomson, who has committed to attend York University next fall, appears to have a very bright future in the game.

In August, she was one of five goaltenders to attend Team Canada’s under-18 national team camp but was not selected for the final team, which was recently backstopped by Ste. Anne’s Raygan Kirk to a world championship in Japan. Kirk will suit up for the Eastman Selects in the tournament.

“We’re a really tight team this year,” Thomson said. “We’re really good at playing together and a very fast team. Winning’s always the goal, but having a good time, too. This is our last year, so I really want to go out with a gold medal.”

The Challenge, which has doubled in size to 16 teams from last year’s eight, will be loaded with local talent and some American influence, too. Teams from Alaska and Minnesota have accepted invites, while the Balmoral Hall Blazers, Winnipeg’s other elite prep program, were unable to attend because of a scheduling conflict.

“When you come and watch this weekend, I think you’re going to see we have the hometown crowd, but now there’s five other teams from Manitoba that have the crowd, too,” Bumstead said.

The Flames have also dealt with some tough defeats this season, losing four times in overtime and dropping two other one-goal decisions.

“Obviously we want to win, but you have to lose a couple of games to learn new stuff,” said Sydney Cancilla, another graduating forward. “I’d say we want to learn from our mistakes and keep pushing.”

Frank, meanwhile, has made her next move all but official. She plans to accept an offer to attend Lindenwood University in Belleville, Ill., and admits making the decision was a relief.

“I don’t know if I’m playing better or not because there’s the pressure before when you’re playing, ‘OK, I’ve gotta show what I can do to get where I want to be,’” Frank said.

“But now, maybe I’m playing better but it’s more like the fun’s back. I can go and play my game and it can be fun. That’s a huge thing for hockey, something I didn’t realize I had before. My dad always says, ‘Give a 110 per cent effort and you’ll have fun.’ And those are the two things you need.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14