The season is nearly over for Ponoka’s minor hockey clubs as the league playoffs conclude this month.
The bantam Moose will look to move to the consolation final series in the Tier I Northern Alberta interlock league after posting a 4-1 win over Whitecourt on home ice March 12. Braeden Toporowski scored twice with singles from Mathias Sandin and Luke Bonnett with all four goals coming in the final frame.
Game two in the two game, total goal series went in Whitecourt on March 13 (result unavailable at press time). The winner of the series will face the winner of the other consolation semifinal between Strathcona and Stony Plain.
And the season is done for the Servus Credit Union bantam squad, who lost the best-of-three North Central Minor Hockey Association (NCMHA) Tier 4 final in two straight games over the weekend.
The Ponoka squad lost the opening game March 10 in Viking by a score of 10-3 then fell by a count of 6-2 on home ice March 12. Ashton Bandet had a pair while Ashton Johnson scored the other goal in Viking, while Bandet and Ethan Little scored for Ponoka on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the atom McDonalds club were blasted by Battle River 10-3 in Sedgewick on March 10 in the opening game of the NCMHA Tier 1 best-of-three final. Jestin Jacklin scored twice with the other marker coming from Nathan Parker.
Female playoffs
With the Lacoka bantam team having ended its season earlier this month, the other two squads began their playoff runs this weekend in Rocky Mountain Female Hockey League action.
The midget club, who earned a bye into the semifinals, faced Endmoor March 8 in Ponoka and took the lead in the two game, total goal series with a 2-1 victory. Abby Sim scored just over four minutes in with Brooke McBurney netting the winner with four minutes gone in the second.
Game two in the series was last night (Tuesday) in Byemoor, though the result was unavailable at press time.
The results from the league semifinal peewee series between Lacoka and Camrose was not available at press time.
However, the peewee squad is gearing up to play host to the provincial championship that runs March 23 to 26. The tournament will take place in Ponoka during the four-day event.
Joining Lacoka will be teams from Bonnyville, Innisfail, Okotoks and Olds with one zone representative and two wildcard teams to be determined.
*****Clarification: Lacoka peewee B female provincials will be held only in Ponoka. The story was changed to reflect that. We regret the confusion.*****