Middleton wins Lightfoot tourney

BY JOHN DECOSTE

jdecoste@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

The Middleton Blues won the fourth annual Art Lightfoot Memorial high school hockey tournament Feb. 10 in Kentville, defeating Barrington 5-3 in the final.

Jesse Bent led Middleton with the hat trick, with Brandon Harkness and Tyler Clements adding singles. Brent Symonds scored a pair for Barrington and Dwight Crowell the other. Bent’s hat-trick goal, scored in the third period, was the eventual game-winner.

Middleton had advanced to the final with a 2-1 win over two-time defending champion NKEC, the tournament hosts. Jesse Bent scored both Middleton goals, while Leigh Benjamin replied for the Titans assisted by Nick MacArthur and Xavier Foley.

Barrington, the only undefeated team in the round robin portion of the tournament, topped Central Kings 7-3 in the other semi-final.

In the round robin, Barrington went 3-0, defeating Bridgewater 4-1, Middleton 2-1 and Dalbrae 7-3 to secure first place heading into the crossovers.

Middleton was second in the Black Division at 2-1, losing only to Barrington while beating Dalbrae 3-1 and Bridgewater 6-0. Dalbrae finished at 1-2 and Bridgewater 0-3.

In the Silver Division, NKEC finished at 1-0-2, beating Horton 4-2 and tying 1-1 with both Central Kings and Park View to claim third spot overall.

In NKEC’s win over Horton, Kris Bigelow had all four Titans’ goals. Keegan Wood had four assists and Vince Cashen three.

Central Kings finished 1-1-1, beating Park View 5-0, tying NKEC 1-1 and losing 3-0 to Horton to claim the fourth and final playoff spot. Park View was also 1-1-1, and Horton ended up at 1-2, defeating CK and losing to NKEC and 4-3 to Park View.