10u travel A GOLD Division Champions

This weekend the Lexington Thoroughbreds traveled to Indian Hill Winter Club for the Buckeye Travel Hockey League 10u A Gold Division End of Season Tournament. The Thoroughbreds were seeded in the Silver division this season, but played up in the Gold Division for the tournament after an incredible season record.

The Thoroughbreds faced the Dayton Stealth in the first game, their 5th meeting in February. The Stealth came out strong and kept the game scoreless in the first period, but 5 minutes into the second period, Wyatt Smith hit the net with an assist from Jackson Tarter. Smith wasn’t finished, as he knocked one home off a rebound attempt from Adam Wooldridge to put the Breds up 2-0. Ty Zimmer and team held the Stealth scoreless for the remainder of the game, with a final score of 2-0 for Lexington. In the second game of the tournament, nearly 11 hours later, the Thoroughbreds would face one of their toughest opponents this season, the West Virginia Wild. Wyatt Smith picked up where he left off in game one, scoring an early goal with an assist from Avery May and Quinn Scott. Smith answered the call again with a power play goal 3 minutes later, followed by a goal from Callan Bandy with an assist from Rhys Walters to finish out the period. In the second, the Wild got on the board with one goal, but Adam Wooldridge answered back with his first goal of the day, and later Jackson Tarter fired off his first goal of the day to finish off the second period. With the Wild on the run, the Thoroughbreds didn’t back down, and Wyatt “man on fire” Smith pulled out a hat trick goal in the third. Jacob Leestma continued his stellar play at net, letting just one goal in for the game, with a final score of 6-1, Breds.

On Sunday, The Thoroughbreds faced the #1 team in the Gold Division, the Cincinnati Swords, for the division championship. The Thoroughbreds and Swords met earlier in the season for a couple of friendly games, and it was sure to be a challenging matchup for the two teams hungry for a championship. Both teams took a bit of time to calm the nerves and get into the groove, but after aggressive play by the Thoroughbreds, Jacob Leestma hit one home off a pass from Tyler Johnson-Sutula to put the Breds up 1-0. The Swords answered back with their own goal, ending the first period 1-1. In the second, the aggressive play continued from both ends, and Adam Wooldridge found his stride and the net with an assist from Jackson Tarter for a 2-1 lead. Just before the second period would end, Wyatt Smith would cap off his incredible tournament run with a goal assisted by Adam Wooldridge, ending the period with the Breds up 3-1. The third and final period was a heated battle on both sides, and the Swords were able to bring another goal home with 5:25 remaining. Both teams took the puck up and down the ice, and the Swords never gave up the fight. But the Thoroughbreds laid every ounce of heart and effort out on the ice in the final minutes. Ty Zimmer showed his skill with unbelievable stops at net, and all the cheetahs, gators, hawks, and possibly even a tasmanian devil would not back down and allow another goal. The clock ran down and the Lexington Thoroughbreds earned their way to a 3-2 Championship win to remember! The apex to an incredible season, the Thoroughbreds team earned the champions title with all 14 players stepping up to contribute to each win in remarkable ways. 

This season, and this team with coach May at the helm, has been nothing short of special. Our hearts are so full from this weekend of games and time with our team family, and we are so proud to bring home a third championship for the CKHA organization this season. To each of our coaches who played an integral part in this season and in the lives of these kids: Coaches May, Nipp, Scott, Smith, and assists by Bandy, Leestma, and Zimmer, we are so grateful. Your words, dedication, and impact will long outweigh any medals or banners our kids have earned.

10u travel A GOLD Division Champions – that’s a wrap. Go Thoroughbreds! 💙🤍💚

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