On Friday, April 11, The Observer reported the Weyburn Gold Wings had won the provincial title of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League and would be facing the Pembina Valley Hawks of Manitoba as they attempted to reach the Esso Cup, Canada's National Female Midget Championship.
In this series they lost their first game to the Hawks, but would come back strong in the next two to clinch their spot at the Sixth Annual Esso Cup in Stoney Creek/Hamilton, ON.
Continuing to work hard local youth Caitlin Dempsey of Heward, daughter to Joan and Bart Dempsey, and Paige Smith with her younger sister Raine of Carlyle, daughters to Sandy and Jaime Smith, experienced a first for the Gold Wings, winning the national title.
It was the team's first showing at nationals and they battled each game out to take first place.
On April 20, the Gold Wings took on the Sudbury Lady Wolves winning the match in a score of 2 to 1. They would then take on the Edmonton Thunder the next day during round robin action with a score of 4 to 2.
Hockey continued on April 22 against the Fraser Valley Phantom with the Gold Wings able to inch ahead in a score of 3 to 2. On April 23 the Gold Wings suffered their first loss to the Stoney Creek Sabres with a score of 2 to 3, but this couldn't keep them down as they headed into a game with the Moncton Rockets the next day with the Weyburn team garnering a 3 to 2 win.
This led the Gold Wings into playoffs where they faced the Sudbury Lady Wolves on April 25, where they were able to score 3 while holding their opponents at 0.
The final, the game to determine whether their hard work would mean first or second, came on Saturday, April 26, where they faced the Edmonton Thunder again. Their hard work had paid off and they continued to fight as they took the win with a score of 2 to 1.
The local players did exceptionally well with Caitlin tying for seventh in overall goals scored throughout the entire tournament with three.
Paige also earned two goals throughout the tournament.
Raine, though not leading in points, contributed to the win as she continually works hard on the ice when given the opportunity. She also had the honour of being the youngest player at the Esso Cup at 13-years-old.
Overall the tournament has met great success over the years and has seen extremely talented young women take to the ice with bright futures.
"It has been a wonderful week of women's hockey here in Hamilton and Stoney Creek," Fran Rider, 2014 Esso Cup co-chair and Ontario Women's Hockey Association president, told Hockey Canada. "This year's Esso Cup is proof positive that the female game is becoming increasingly competitive and continues to grow both in Ontario and across the country."
