By Clark Stork

Northeast Wolfpack wins first AA midget provincial title

Apr 6, 2018 | 12:00 PM

A banner year has concluded for the Northeast AA Midget Wolfpack, who are the Centre Four Hockey League and provincial champions.

The club, made up of players from 14 communities across the region, defeated the Regina Rangers 3-2 to take their best-of-three series in two straight games. Coach Darren Opp said the team showed potential early in the season but then went on to exceed his expectations.

“Most of the people helping pick the team figured we’d be competitive, but I think if you ask most of them I don’t know if they thought this would be the team to win it,” Opp told northeastNOW. “It’s a pretty great group of kids.”

The team finished the regular season with a 19-5-2 record, good enough for third place overall. In round one of the playoffs the Wolfpack knocked out the Saskatoon River Kings in four games. The club then swept Prince Albert in round two and beat the top-ranked Warman Wildcats in three straight games as well. Winning the Centre Four League championship ensured a provincial championship showdown with the winners of the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League.

Opp said the team started to come together around the mid-point of the season and their strong play continued all the way through.

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“Last night it seemed like it shouldn’t be over yet, it went by so quick,” he said. “We didn’t give anybody much. If we didn’t give the other team any freebies we were hard to play against.”

In game one of the provincial final, the Wolfpack edged the Rangers 4-3 in Nipawin April 3. After game two’s clinching victory Opp said the team was congratulated by many people on the organization’s first Saskatchewan championship.

“We probably had 50 alumni, whether it was guys that graduated last year or some that graduated six years ago, contact us saying how excited they were for the team. It’s really fantastic,” Opp said.

clark.stork@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @ClarkStork