It’s time to drop the ball on another season of floor hockey at Correlieu Secondary School (CSS).
The season’s ice breaker game, held on Jan. 31, saw the teacher-manned Nordiques squeak out a 10 – 2 victory over the Stick Breakers, a Grade 12 Girl’s team, before an estimated crowd of 45 loyal fans in the CSS gym.
The TSN turning point was a Biller save on a Stick Breaker penalty shot.
Large volumes of laughter and goodwill were the highlights.
Biller played much of the game out of the net because it’s not sporting to have game one end in a mercy (defeat by 10 goals).
Scoring was equally divided, though Troy Moore put one upstairs where Norman keeps his mother.
Although much of the contest looked like a power play for the Nordiques, the girls were full of try and made several good plays, particularly Jorja Salmons.
The teachers were committed to short shifts above all else. It is odd but it seems the teachers keep getting older while the students annually stay the same age.
According to our resident archivist and Methuselah-in-Chief, one Fred L. Rogger, this will be the 15th season the league has run here at CSS or back at the now-abandoned Quesnel Secondary School.
As always, Rogger remains the driving force behind the organization, scheduling, and management of the league, though the daily tasks of refereeing have been delegated to subordinate types like Rob Biller and Jim Sagert.
A strong field of eight contending teams have thrown caution to the wind and joined the fray.
We are particularly proud to have two all-female teams this year – the Stick Breakers and the Sopranos — and an all-Indigenous team — the Icemen.
Teams like the Meatheads, Silky Salmons and 8% will need to test their mettle early and often to see if they are to the task of raising the Correlieu Cup at season’s end.
The ever-aging –—none too gracefully in many cases — Nordiques staff team will once again rely on years of experience and the presence of the nearby defibrillator to navigate a season of battles with far younger legs.
The returning Tolitas franchise — the New England Patriots of CSS floor hockey — led this year by a duo of Thons, will likely once again be the rock on which many a floor hockey dream is dashed.
Still, the game’s the thing; the winning is just a bonus.
Thanks to everyone who watched and played.
The season is off and running!