Yukon’s Capital Towing Jets broomball team doesn’t crack under pressure. The team strives under it.
The Capital Towing Jets prevailed through two overtime games to win the Road End Tournament in Homer, Alaska, over the weekend.
It was the first time a Yukon team competed in the tournament.
“We’ve been invited before, but this was the first time we could actually field a team,” said Jets assistant captain Milford Allain. “There was a lot of anticipation for it and when we got there, there was a great atmosphere for us. It made us feel right at home, which was good after 19 hours on the bus.
“They put on an excellent tournament.”
The Jets captured the title with a 1-0 overtime win over Homer’s Down East Grey Skulls.
Jets’ Scott Smith pounced on a loose ball and found the top-corner for the game-winner.
The Jets went into the playoffs ranked second after going 3-1 in the opening round-robin.
They had another tight game against the Grey Skulls in the quarter final, winning 2-1 in triple overtime.
That game-winner came off the broom of John Tomtom. Teammate Karl Sundin scored the Jets’ first goal.
“These guys were our toughest competition,” said Allain. “Every time we played them, it seemed to be very, very tight.”
The Jets reached the final with a 2-0 shutout win over the Fighting Pikes from Bethel, Alaska, in the semi.
In net for the shutout was Margo Millette, who was named the tournament’s female MVP following the event. Scoring for the Yukon squad was Meagan Meadowcroft and Sundin.
“It was still an intense game, but it was a little more relaxing when they didn’t score on us,” said Allain.
The Jets squad was not the same Capital Towing team that lost in the final of the Yukon Broomball Association’s league two weeks ago. The team was a mixture of players from throughout the league.
Broomball teams will be converging on Haines Junction for the Function in the Junction this weekend to close out the season.
Next year promises to be a big one for the Yukon Broomball Association.
Not only will it be the league’s 30th annual season, the association is hoping to send one or two teams to the 2014 World Broomball Championships in Japan.
“We’re hoping to put on a couple big events next year to promote our 30th year,” said Allain, who is also president of the Yukon Broomball Association.
“We’re in the process of seeing if we will send a couple teams (to the worlds). One’s going to go for sure - we’re almost guaranteed that - but we’re looking at another one possibly if they will allow it.”
The Yukon Brewing Lead Dawgs team won a bronze at the 2010 World Broomball Championships in Austria.
The Yukon was represented by two Lead Dawg teams in the 2008 world championships.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com