Simcoe Warriors U11 Team 1 celebrated its Southern Counties Inter-Town C Division playoff championship Thursday evening with a ride on the Simcoe Firefighters Association’s antique Bickle fire truck.
“These kids, they got a fire underneath them and we got to the semifinals,” said Josh Davies, coach of Simcoe Warriors U11 Team 1 (McDonald’s). “Then the finals against Tillsonburg.”
The team was second from the bottom in the Southern Counties Inter-Town league, he said, but in C Division they climbed to second by the end of the season.
After going 4-11-1 from Oct. 19-Jan. 14, they turned it around finishing 7-2-3 in the final six weeks, including a string of back-to-back-to-back shutouts.
In C Division semifinals, Simcoe Team 1 defeated Langton Leafs 1 (Long’s Lumber) 3-2 in Simcoe on March 8 to qualify for the finals against Tillsonburg Tornadoes 1 (Dairy Farmers). The Warriors swept the best-of-three championship series winning 5-3 at home on March 22 and 2-0 in Tillsonburg on March 26.
“They went through a lot this year, and being able to be on the Bickle, these kids are on Cloud Nine,” said Davies as the Bickle truck pulled into the lot behind Simcoe Fire Station.
“Typically this Bickle is only for the rep teams,” Davies noted, “and last year our (U11) team, which is a house league team, went on it. So, yes, these kids are excited.”
“We’re all excited,” nodded captain Jonah Michaud.
“Super excited,” a teammate echoed.
The bright red antique fire truck, loaded with hockey players and coaches, siren sounding and bells ringing, was expected to turn heads in downtown Simcoe.
“Probably,” said teammate Haley Braun. “Probably a lot.”
“Hopefully,” Michaud smiled.
