The
Louie’s Pizza and Pasta Bantam Rep team put on a show for their home town fans
on Saturday night, playing with energy and confidence, entertaining the crowd
with great passing and playmaking.
The Express out-hustled, out-hit and out-scored the Simcoe Warriors, skating away with a 5-0 victory in the Southern Counties semi-final match up. Christian Lee played perhaps his best game of the season, giving 110 percent on every shift and earning a goal and an assist. Mick Donker and Dayton Racicot were in high gear. Brennan Rupert played tough, smart, disciplined hockey. Isaac Westlake and Parker Hodgson punished the Warriors with bruising body checks. Goaltender Logan White and the group of solid defensemen in front of him were impenetrable. After a scoreless opening period, Ingersoll got on the board first when Westlake batted home the rebound after Daniel Martineau had unleashed a wrist shot from the blue line. Ben White came close to making it 2-0 when he took a great pass from Westlake and powered his way toward the Simcoe net. Later in the period Mick Donker made no mistake, finding the back of the net on a pretty three way passing play, Ethan Emerson and Parker Hodgson working their magic to set up number 11 who was all alone in front. Speedy winger Joel Verspeeten scored twice in the third period before Christian Lee put the Warriors out of their misery with an empty net goal seconds before the final buzzer. This talented, hard-working Bantam Express team, crowned OMHA champions earlier this month, will attempt to put the icing on the cake with a win over the Twin Centre Stars in the Southern Counties Championship game Sunday afternoon in Burford. Go Express!!
Submitted by M. Martineau