|
Mission 93s Win Toronto Marlboros Holiday Classic
The
Chicago Mission 93s won the Minor Bantam division of the
prestigious Toronto Marlboros Holiday Classic over the
holidays, becoming the first Illinois team to ever win a
championship in the event. And in the process, they
beat some of the best teams in North America, including
the host Toronto Marlies
(finalists at this year’s
Silver Stick),
York Simcoe Express
(winners at Silver Stick)
and perennial powerhouses Little Caesars and the Toronto
Jr. Canadians.
After
a lackluster opening game on Wednesday afternoon, a 1-1
tie against the Elgin Middlesex Chiefs, the Mission got
back on track Thursday morning against the Jr.
Canadians, earning a gutsy 5-3 win |
|
that included an
empty net goal. Their third game, against the Whitby
Wildcats on Thursday afternoon, also figured to be a
tough test, but the Mission simply overwhelmed them in a
convincing 7-1 victory.
The
boys were now showing signs of the crisp passing game
that would carry them through the playoffs, but they
first had to get past the Ohio Jr. Bluejackets, a
determined team that needed a win to advance to the
playoffs. And in a hard-fought contest on Friday
morning, the Mission prevailed with a workmanlike 3-0
victory, earning the fourth seed on their side of the
tournament. |
 |
|
The
93s began their playoffs that afternoon against the
fifth-seeded Long Island Royals, a team that only two
years earlier was regarded as the top team in North
America at the 93 age-level. But that was then and this
was now, and the Mission simply dominated the game en
route to a 6-0 win. That set the stage for the Mission
to face top-seeded Marlies that evening. The Marlies
were favored to win the tournament, and were only
playing their second game of the day, but in a
high-paced, up-and-down affair, the Mission got two
goals from Charlie O’Connor and one from AJ Jarosz to
earn an exciting 3-2 win. The victory propelled them
into Saturday morning’s Semifinal against York Simcoe,
and earned them a full-night’s sleep.
York
Simcoe entered the tournament as the top-ranked team in
North America and figured to be the toughest game of the
year for the Mission. But as the game went on, it was
clear that this was not to be York’s day, and when the
final horn sounded, the Mission had a resounding 7-0 win
and a berth in the Finals against Little Caesars, who
had beaten the Mississauga Senators 3-2 in the other
Semifinal.
The
Mission began the game slowly, and the teams were even
at one goal apiece after the first period. But when the
Mission came out strong in the second and again in the
third period, it was all LC could do to keep the score
down as the Mission coasted in for a 5-1 victory and the
first ever Illinois championship in the Marlies’
tournament.
“From
our second game on, we just played unbelievably well,”
said Coach Mike McPartlin. “We definitely had to make a
gut-check adjustment in the Marlies’ game, because
they’re a terrific team and they were bringing it to
us. But we made that adjustment, and once we did, the
pace of our game was really incredible. Our teamwork
and our passing were at times amazing. We got great
goaltending and great team defense, and our offense was
dynamic.”
“And
we also got great leadership,” he added, “and I mean
start to finish, top to bottom, both in the locker room
and in the games. Every single kid competed fiercely,
with great passion and intensity. But every single kid
was also totally focused and disciplined, so much so
that it would have been easy to forget they’re thirteen
year olds. They were that great this weekend, and their
parents and I are extremely proud of them.”
Mike
Chraba the General Manager for the Toronto Marlboro’s
emailed the Mission 93 Coaching Staff the following
statement - “I had the
greatest satisfaction in 16 years presenting and
watching your players accepting their awards and the
banner. Your team was awesome throughout the tournament.
Highly skilled, well-disciplined and coached extremely
well. The Mission started out coming a number of years
ago only to have their back sides spanked. Much has to
be said about the perseverance and hard work that Kevin,
the Mission Executive and the coaching staffs have done
over the years to become one of the top organizations in
Minor Hockey circles. Everyone should be proud.” |
