Tolitas continued to terrorize the Correlieu Secondary School floor hockey league, picking up two wins in the final week of the regular season to carry an undefeated record into the playoffs.
High Noon, Tuesday, April 23
Tolitas 10 - Meatheads 2
The last week of the regular season is all about positioning yourself best going into the playoffs. With that in mind, the renegade Meatheads had dreams of wresting the top playoff seed away from the juggernaut Tolitas boys. To these ends, they arrived in their yellow vest away jerseys ready to rumble against the perennial champs.
Then we dropped the ball and those dreams shattered.
Unable to capitalize on unusually shaky goaltending from Cam Hender “the Tender” — who gave up two soft five-hole specials — the Meatheads found themselves under siege from the get-go. Jesse Schonke held the fort the best he could against the talented Tolitas snipers, but against this bunch, even playing well can see a goalie give up 10. “Spinner” Spencer Dent forced one through Hender’s unusually accommodating five hole, but was stymied by both the post and the crossbar while the game was still tight. When the dust settled, Tolitas had cruised to yet another comfortable victory against a team that had only lost once — to the Nordiques.
High Noon, Wednesday, April 17
Stick Breakers - 5 8% 9
Keyed up to take on their arch-rival Chicks With Sticks on Tuesday, April 30, the Stick Breakers played their finest game of the year. In the end, the 8% proved too skilled and quick for the ladies to earn the win, but it was a hard -fought victory.
Lillian Beuschel snapped a beauty just inside the post for the ladies, while Ashley Carter was over the moon as she celebrated her first of the year in the game’s waning moments. The nicest goal of the year for the ladies came from the stick of Jorja Salmons. Salmons barged across the top of the crease and roofed a dandy over the sprawling goaltender.
The Stick Breakers and the members of the Chicks With Sticks watching from the stands can hardly wait for Tuesday’s final and the inaugural awarding of the Women’s Championship plaque.
High Noon, Thursday, April 25
Tolitas 11 - Silky Salmons 7
The Tolitas’ reign of terror continued, as they pegged a Silky Salmons pelt to the cabin wall to finish the season undefeated. Full credit to the Silky Salmons, though, as they came at the reigning champs hard from the drop of the ball and never ceded an inch all game.
Though the peanut gallery claims there were better games this year, this writer can’t remember when those happened — though that may speak more to a failing memory than anything else.
Playing without standout goalie Cam Hender “the Tender,” Tolitas pressed playmaker Yewta Plamondon into service between the pipes with minimal drop-off in play. Though Plamondon was solid, Sam “I Am” Inwood was even more spectacular at the other end. Inwood stopped numerous point-blank chances, only to be victimized by the Tolitas snipers on rebound chances.
Lief Scott and Diego Ferriera were tremendous in their own zone and the transition game for the Silky Salmons. Though he missed the hat-trick, Dawson McGillveray was great for Tolitas, running miles on the forecheck and backcheck.
Despite the loss, the Silky Salmons were more than happy to observe that a playoff game against the Nordiques was as good as a first-round bye. Get that dog off my lawn indeed, thought several venerable Nordiques within earshot of this pre-playoff trash talk.
This brings another successful regular season an end. Thanks to all the players and fans for making floor hockey great again (though it never stopped being great).
The playoffs began Tuesday, with the first-ever Women’s final. Wednesday will see the No. 6-seed Icemen look for a colossal upset as they take on the ever-quick No. 3-seed 8%, while Thursday will see the old bones of the No. 5-seed Nordiques try to fend off the hungry No. 4-seed Silky Salmons. It promises to beat a great playoff year, as five teams try to stop the runaway train that is the Tolitas team.
READ MORE: Tolitas contionue torrid pace in CSS floor hockey league
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