Middleton got on the scoreboard early and was leading 1-0 as the clock ticked down on the first period. Trinity Chesley scored the Monarchs marker from Anna Hazelwood and Sophie Maillet.
But with lest than five minutes left in the frame, Middleton defender Kayla Banks took an elbow to the head and with her feet knocked out from under her as well, landed on her hip and then smashed her head on the ice. She was taken from the arena by ambulance and late reports Tuesday evening had her at Valley Regional Hospital for a CT scan for possible head and neck injuries.
“Kayla Banks, one of our very senior players and a strong, strong defence had her feet taken out from under her and an elbow to the head and ended up leaving the rink in an ambulance,” said team manager Tammy Belanger. “The momentum was on our side before this happened and we were up 1-0, nearly 2-0, and after this it shook the girls quite badly and they tried with all their might to pull together but were unsuccessful.”
Yarmouth, a team the Monarchs had never met before, took control and score five consecutive unanswered goals before the final buzzer. Middleton rallied several times in the final frame but to no avail.
Middleton’s goalie Maddie Reeves took a lot of heat from the Vikings, but turned away shot after shot as the Yarmouth squad ended up with the puck in Monarchs territory too many times.
“Our goalie is phenomenal,” said Belanger. “We’ve been told she’s the top goalie in the league. And they don’t have to tell us. We know that she is. She’s proved that time and time again. Maddie not only saves the first or second or third shot, sometimes it’s up to the fourth and fifth shot. She has a great eye for the puck. We’re lucky to have her.”
Middleton will be going to provincials along with Yarmouth as West Kings host at the arena in Kingston.
The Jimmy Johnson/Matt Hazelwood-coached Monarchs made it to the final by defeating No. 1 seed Horton Griffins 3-0 in the tournament opener on Monday. Middleton lost their second game to Northeast Kings, and rallied and won their third game against Tusket's Par-en-Bas. That put them in first place over the other two teams and in a tie with Horton, but because Middleton had defeated Horton, they went on to the championship final against Yarmouth.
Middleton got on the scoreboard early and was leading 1-0 as the clock ticked down on the first period. Trinity Chesley scored the Monarchs marker from Anna Hazelwood and Sophie Maillet.
But with lest than five minutes left in the frame, Middleton defender Kayla Banks took an elbow to the head and with her feet knocked out from under her as well, landed on her hip and then smashed her head on the ice. She was taken from the arena by ambulance and late reports Tuesday evening had her at Valley Regional Hospital for a CT scan for possible head and neck injuries.
“Kayla Banks, one of our very senior players and a strong, strong defence had her feet taken out from under her and an elbow to the head and ended up leaving the rink in an ambulance,” said team manager Tammy Belanger. “The momentum was on our side before this happened and we were up 1-0, nearly 2-0, and after this it shook the girls quite badly and they tried with all their might to pull together but were unsuccessful.”
Yarmouth, a team the Monarchs had never met before, took control and score five consecutive unanswered goals before the final buzzer. Middleton rallied several times in the final frame but to no avail.
Middleton’s goalie Maddie Reeves took a lot of heat from the Vikings, but turned away shot after shot as the Yarmouth squad ended up with the puck in Monarchs territory too many times.
“Our goalie is phenomenal,” said Belanger. “We’ve been told she’s the top goalie in the league. And they don’t have to tell us. We know that she is. She’s proved that time and time again. Maddie not only saves the first or second or third shot, sometimes it’s up to the fourth and fifth shot. She has a great eye for the puck. We’re lucky to have her.”
Middleton will be going to provincials along with Yarmouth as West Kings host at the arena in Kingston.
The Jimmy Johnson/Matt Hazelwood-coached Monarchs made it to the final by defeating No. 1 seed Horton Griffins 3-0 in the tournament opener on Monday. Middleton lost their second game to Northeast Kings, and rallied and won their third game against Tusket's Par-en-Bas. That put them in first place over the other two teams and in a tie with Horton, but because Middleton had defeated Horton, they went on to the championship final against Yarmouth.
