Virtually every Langley arena capable of hosting a ball hockey game, did so, during the five-day-long provincial championships that wrapped up on Canada Day.
And that still wasn’t enough to handle the 1,400 players and 72 teams from eight divisions across B.C., so the Cloverdale arena was pressed into service, too.
Those who watched were treated to high-speed play that hardly ever slowed down.
At the new Aldergrove arena, the match to watch on Sunday pitted Victoria against the Valley team in the “Major Mountain” division of 15- to 16-year-old players.
Teams in the Langley-based Valley Ball Hockey Association (VBHA) had qualified for the championships during their season-ending gold tournament the previous weekend.
READ MORE: VIDEO: Best ball hockey teams compete in Langley
Victoria, it turned out, was not a gracious guest.
They opened a huge lead in the opening minutes and never looked back, winning 9-2.
In the finals, the Valley team took gold in the Minor Pacific division.
In other final division games, teams from Victoria (Minor Mountain), Richmond (Peewee) Surrey (Junior Mountain, Junior Pacific and Major Pacific) and Ridge Meadows (Major Mountain, Pup and Peanut) took gold.
VBHA head Craig McDougall called it one of the “most anticipated ball hockey tournaments in B.C.”
It was the biggest event that VBHA has hosted in 10 years.
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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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