Stars win Essex-Kent league

LEAMINGTON – On Sunday, April 3, the Southpoint Stars U13 girls faced off against the Windsor Wildcats in the Tier 1 championship game for the Essex-Kent Girls Interlock Hockey League (EKGIHL) in Essex. These teams faced off twice against each other in the regular season and playoffs, which saw each team walk away with a win.

The Wildcats came out strong as soon as the puck was dropped and pushed past the Stars to pop it past Chloe Taylor to take an early lead.

The Stars refocused and battled back to eventually tie up the game with less than a minute to go when Ava Carreiro flew past the Wildcats defence to put the Stars on the scoreboard.

The Stars then dug deep at the beginning of the second period and began dominating against the Wildcats to see goals from Alexa Thiele, Taylor Lefaive and Grace Bedard to end the period with a 4-1 lead.

The Southpoint Stars U13 team became Essex-Kent Girls Interlock champions on the weekend with a 5-1 win over the Windsor Wildcats. In front with trophy is Chloe Taylor. Kneeling from left are Selina Gualtieri, Marla Amaral and Portia Steel. Players standing, from left, are Grace Bedard, Isla Thiele, Taylor Lefaive, Ava Carreiro, Alexa Thiele, Payton Insley and Natalie Edwards. The coaches in the back are Whit Thiele, Chris Taylor, Taylor Insley and Karen Burgess. Absent were Zoey Williams and coach Mike Williams.

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In the third period, the Wildcats just couldn’t get past the resilient defense of Natalie Edwards, Payton Inlsey, Isla Thiele and Taylor Lefaive.

The offense also continued to push the Wildcats with great plays from Portia Steel, Selena Gualtieri and Marla Amaral.

With 52 seconds left in the game, Ava Carreiro once again sped past the Wildcats to land the puck in the top right corner to increase the lead to 5-1.

Chloe Taylor made a few last-minute saves to give the Stars their final victory of the season.

The Stars finished the season as league champions with an overall record of 34-4-1.

They also walked away as the London Devilettes champions, Hockey for Hospice champions and runners-up in the Keith Lindsay Memorial Tournament.

The team is coached by Chris Taylor, Whit Thiele, Karen Burgess, Taylor Insley and Mike Williams.