CARLYLE - The Carlyle U9 Cougars won the Moose Mountain Hockey League Championship in Alameda this season.
They only lost one league game all season and won two tournaments, one in Whitewood, and the other being their home tournament in Carlyle. Their head coach was Clayton Geiger, and his assistants were Tyson Morson and Evan Bloomfield. Danielle Steele and Amy Geiger were co-managers.
“We simply had a wonderful season,” said Clayton Geiger. “The team got along well both on and off the ice. The kids played hard and really improved from the start of the year. We didn’t have a lot of players, but we obviously had the right ones. The crowds were great which really got them going.”
Kirk Himmelspach was the head coach of the U15 Carlyle Cougars. Jason Dixon and Danny Kachur were assistant coaches and Karen Fischer was the team manager. They started their year strong, winning tournaments in Estevan and Whitewood.
It wasn’t until Jan. 29 that they lost their first game. The U15s finished league play with an impressive 17-3 record. They played well making to it to the south final in provincials and lost to Radville in the best-of-three league final.
Key injuries and playing 18 games in the last 40 days of the season contributed to not coming home with a championship for 2021-22 but it was a stellar year.
All Carlyle Minor Hockey League teams wish to thank everyone for their tremendous support over the past winter. They appreciated the sponsorship of the large 50/50 draws, the assistant coaches, the team managers, and the volunteers who worked the clock, manned the gate, organized the games, and the announcers in the press box. Scott Kirkness tended to the Carlyle Minor Hockey League Facebook page.
Added Himmelspach: “On behalf of Carlyle Minor Hockey, I wish to extend a big thank you to the community of Carlyle and surrounding area for the making of some huge crowds. I know the players were really pumped to see so many people come out to cheer them on.”
