AAU Championships

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

One of IHC's regular readers is helping out with updates from the USARS Junior Olympic tournament. Here's some news:

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The first night of the Men's/Women's USARS USA Championships is underway. I watched only the last half of the Tour Mudcats game versus F.T.G.A.A. The Mudcats played loose and slightly sloppy, but won anyway in a high-scoring affair.

The Tour Jaguar women's team play a 4-4 tie with the Tour Riot. In a physical, back-and-forth game, the refs let most infractions go, missing a few obvious calls. In the early going, they called a weak penalty that swung the early momentum to the Riot. The Riot goalie was very good and very agressive; in the last three minutes of a 4-4 tie game, she stopped numerous 2-1 and 1-0 situations. The young Jaguars team showed that speed can dominate versus the older, more physical Riot team. The Riot had 3-1 lead at one point, but Jag's speed seemed to tire them out.

Look for all the scores from Friday's games tomorrow.

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If any other readers have updates from the event that they'd like to share, either send them to me or post them here. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[moogy35]

hey that was me....I was the goalie. :) Did we have a chance to meet at the tournament? Sorry I am new to the board.

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

Here's another update from our inside source at the AAU Championships.

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Scores from Day 1:

Men's-Silver: All American Blast (9) Team Wisconsin (3)
Men's-Silver: The Never Will Be's(5) Labedra Extreme (6)
Women's Gold: Team Mission Detroit-West (2) The Wave (1)
Men's Gold: Tour (4) Beemers (9)
Men's Silver: Team Wisconsin (1) The Never Will Be's (9)
Women's Gold: The Wave (2) Tour Riot (10)
Men's Gold: Tour (6) The Packers (8)
Men's Silver: Labeda Extreme (12) Mission Cobras (4)
Men's Gold: Mudcats (8) F.T.G.A.A. (6)
Men's Silver: All American Blast (10) Dust Devils (2)
Women's Gold: Tour Jaguars (4) Tour Riot (4)

End of Day 1

Day 2: note: Scores are only up to 3:30 p.m games.

The Cal Selects 19u team beat Team GEAR 8-0. The Cal Selects also beat the Tour Jaguars 5-1, and Team Mission Detroit-West was beating the Tour Jaguars in the 19u division, also in the 8 p.m. game.

M-Gold: Mudcats (7) The Packers (6)
W-Gold Cal Selects (9) TMD-West (2)
M-Silver: Dust Devils (6) Mission Cobras (3)
M-Silver: Team Wisconsin (4) Labeda Extreme (12)
M-Silver: All America Blast (5) The NEver Will Be's (5)
M-Gold: F.T.G.A.A. (3) Beamers (9)
M-Gold: Mudcats (14) Tour (8)
M-Silver: Team Wisconsin (7) Dust Devils (3)
W-Gold: Mission-Garvey (1) Cal Selects (6)
M-Silver: All American Blast (8) Mission Cobras (0)
M-Gold: Mudcats (8) Beemers (5)
M-Gold: F.T.G.A.A. (6) Tour (11)
W-Gold: Tour Jaguars (1) TMD-West (4)
M-Silver: Team Wisconsin (7) Mission Cobras (6)
M-Silver: The Never Will Be's (9) Dust Devils (1)
M-Silver: All American Blast (9) Labeda Xtreme (8)
W-Gold: Mission-Garvey (4) Tour Jaguars (4)

General observations:
The main rink at Midwest Roller Hockey, which is within Queeny Park (unless you live here or have been here before you would never know this, as it was never mentioned anywhere on the AAU website), is freezing cold and I am guessing on top of ice. It is approximately 80 x 200, made of a very slick, hard to grip on, grey sport court. Rink 2 at Midwest (the Toddler Rink, as it is affectionately called), looks to be about 60 x 150.

Three strides and a strong adult skater is end to end; defensemen can shoot from their own end and reach the goal with ease. And neither rink has protective nets over the boards. Three people so far have been hit by flying pucks, myself included. It is a lawsuit waiting to happen. It is a county-owned facility and the management, led by former NHL'er Perry Turnbull, have their hands tied on funds for improvements.

Ambiance is same as usual for Junior Olympics, more like a huge regional with great competition, than the pomp and circumstance that comes with NARCh or TORHS. Every team has a minimum of five games with some getting seven to eight, depending on the divisions and the time blocks scheduled. Every team makes the playoffs and in most divisions it is double elimination (you can lose and still "win" you way back to the Bronze Medal game).

So far in the games I have watched the refereeing has been relatively consistent, with certain calls being "missed" and certain one's being called regularly.

Have been told that scores are being posted on AAU website, but have not checked that out yet.

19u Girls has been a wierd division; every game was a shutout for winning team. Cal Selects went 3-0 in round robins, TMD-West 2-1 (after recruiting three players who were on Team USA); Tour Jaguars 1-2; and GEAR 0-3.

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Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RichardGraham]

Hi moogy35,

I am not at the tournament myself, so you probably met our correspondent. Feel free to add your comments about the tournament here as well. It would be much appreciated. Good luck at the tournament!

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central