OAKVILLE BEAVER - Before the Oakville peewee AA Rangers’ season began, coach Mike Choma assigned the players some homework. “They had to write down their expectations for the season and they all had to submit that to me,” Choma said.
The Rangers earned an A-plus on one of those expectations last weekend — winning an Ontario Minor Hockey Association championship. Oakville defeated the Kingston Canadians 4-0 Saturday in Kingston to claim the final series in four games.
Winning an OMHA title is nothing new to the squad of 1997-born players. This year marks the third consecutive season the group has earned an OMHA crown, winning as atoms in 2008 and minor peewees last season. “It’s still a great feeling,” said Choma. “There’s always changes with the group of kids you have. (Three) of them had never won, while others won their fourth (in five years).”
The Rangers won with defence, allowing only four goals in four games against Kingston. Oakville posted 2-0 and 5-2 wins in Oakville to start the series, then dropped a 2-1 decision in Kingston Thursday before finishing the Canadians off Saturday. “If you’re good in your own end first, it contributes to your offence,” Choma said.
The Rangers, 28-0-0 in Tri-County play and 50-7-3 overall this year, will compete in next month’s Ontario Hockey Federation championships in London. The team participated in the atom OHF tournament two years ago.
The Rangers also were finalists at both a AAA tournament in Guelph and the Silver Stick qualifying tournament in Sudbury this season. Members of the team are Ben Blacker, Michael Gironda, Brayden Sampson, Anthony Baxter, Scott Abrams, Luke Whitehouse, Michael Choma, Sean Keating, John Carney, Jackson Bales, Tim Arnold, Ben Bernier, Jack Jeffers, Austin Seaver, Luke De Rango, Drew Doherty, Nickolas Serniuck and Spencer Douglas.
Bob Bernier, Steve Sampson and Nick Serniuck are assistant coaches, Paul Jeffers is the trainer and Chris Arnold is the manager.