Orillia Minor Atom A Terriers beat Essex 9-1 Saturday March 22, 2014 earning the OMHA Championship title in a 3 game sweep.
The Julie Emery RBC Mortgages Orillia Terriers minor atom A squad put the icing on an outstanding season Saturday by adding a provincial title to its long list of accomplishments during the 2013-14 campaign.
The Terriers, who finished with a record of 64-7-4 this season, throttled the Essex Ravens 9-1 in Essex on the weekend to sweep their Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) championship series, giving the Orillia Minor Hockey Association its lone Ontario title this season.
Terriers head coach Mike Holenski said the many accomplishments this season were thanks to a total team effort.
“The boys played with grit and determination all year and our success was the culmination of this effort and unselfishness,” said Holenski. “It was a great team effort by a great team.”
The Orillia skaters set up the sweep a week earlier by taking their two home games at Rotary Place by scores of 5-1 and 6-2.
In the finale Saturday, Robbie Rutledge opened the scoring for the Terriers at the 8:43 mark of the first stanza. The Ravens got that one back late in the period, but, just 10 seconds later, Rutledge struck again with what proved to be the game winner and opened the floodgates for Orillia, which scored five times in the second period and twice in a penalty-filled third. Eleven penalties were handed out in the third, with Essex taking seven of the calls.
Point getters for the Terriers in the deciding match were Rutledge (2g,2a), Austin Holenski (3g), Trenten Marlow (2g,1a), Nolan Inglis (1g,1a), Ethan Marwick (1g), Owenn Banks (1a), Brock Jeffels (1a), Sam Laughlin (1a), Owen Palaro (1a), Kaiden Robitaille (1a), Sam Trumble (1a) and Whyatt Winkel (1a). Jackson Mitchell had a solid game between the pipes.
The Terriers and Ravens met twice prior to the OMHA final. Both matches were at the International Silver Stick Championships in Newmarket. The Orillia skaters won both of those games (4-0 in preliminary play and 3-1 in the semifinals) winning the title.
The Terriers also topped the field at the Owen Sound Silver Stick regionals, which advanced them to the Silver Stick finals, and the Orillia Jim Wilson Winter Classic in November. They also reached the finals of a minor atom AA tourney before bowing to eventual Ontario champion Clarington.
Orillia advanced to the all-Ontario finals by sweeping Uxbridge in one semifinal. The Ravens followed suit with a sweep of Woolwich in the other.
In the OMHA six-point quarter-finals, the Terriers eliminated East Gwillimbury 6-2 and the Ravens ousted Niagara Falls 6-0.
Team members included Banks, Marwick, W. Winkel, Jhett Winkel, Inglis, Palaro, Trumble, Jeffels, Marlow, A. Holenski, Robitaille, Rutledge, Laughlin, Mitchell and Sam Neely.
Wes Winkel is the assistant head coach of the Orillia squad. Team trainers are Brent Robitaille and Rick Marwick. Club manager is Michelle Robitaille.
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http://www.orilliapacket.com/2014/03/24/terriers-are-omha-champions