Like cream sometimes you have to hit bottom before you rise to the top. The Garb and Gear Grey Bruce Highlanders did just that during their last 5 games.
The Midget bus began skidding in a match, which saw your
Highlanders facing an equally strong Halton Hurricanes team. The match started in favour of Grey Bruce
when the G.V. boys, Quinten Bruce (Grand Valley) assisted by Kyle Hunter (Grand
Valley) teamed up to make it 1-0. Halton was understandably upset by this show
of disrespect in their home barn. They made their ire clear over the next three
periods by putting three through the crease.
The midget’s never quit attitude showed when Colin Rigney (Singhampton)
from Kyle Hunter scored to make it 3-2, but this is where it ended. A
respectable loss, but a loss all the same.
In game two of five, the Garb and Gear Midgets faced off
against Oakville, a team that has earned only a single regular season loss. The
Highlanders were handed nothing less than a drubbing by the Rangers in an 8-3
loss. Highlander goals were earned by Josh Perdue (Port Elgin), Braden Boley
(Owen Sound) and Nick Bruce (Owen Sound). Assists were garnered by Braden Boley
(Owen Sound), Josh Perdue (Port Elgin), Reid Simmons x2 (Hepworth), Justin
Graham (Shelburne) and Ben Scheel (Kincardine).
Flash forward to game 3 and you find your Highlander Midgets
battling the Oakville Rangers in the grudge match. When then horn sounded to
start the first, it look liked things might be turning in the Highlanders
favour. That all changed when, with 1:29
to go in the first, the Rangers scored. They followed up with 2-3-4 and 5
before the second period was completed.
The midgets never say die attitude shone bright when, in the third, Josh
Perdue (Port Elgin) from Ben Scheel (Kincardine) made it 5-1 followed up by Nick
Bruce (Owen Sound) from Justin Graham (Shelburne) and Ben Scheel adding a
second, however it just wasn’t enough
and the 5-2 loss, made it three in a row.
A distraught but motivated Garb and Gear team was back on
the ice only a day after receiving their third consecutive loss. Scheduled back-to-back
games against Niagara North would challenge the team’s resilience at whether they
could pull the train back onto the tracks.
As game one commenced Niagara found the back of the net first, ending
period one. In the second, the Highlanders were determined to fight back and
make it into the W column. Goals were scored by Josh Perdue (Port Elgin) with
help from Braden Boley (Owen Sound) and Reid Simmons (Hepworth) and another
came from Jamie Bennett (Shelburne) who was assisted by Brandon Eagles
(Meaford). With a 2-1 lead, the highlanders capped off the game in the third
when Brandon Eagles got the insurance goal, aided by Colin Rigney (Singhampton)
and Liam Francis (Mt. Forest).
A scant four hours later and the teams were back at it. This
time it would be the Highlanders Kyle Hunter (Grand Valley) from Justin Graham
(Shelburne), who would open the scoring. Before the first was over Jamie
Bennett (Shelburne) unassisted made it 2 – 0. Highlander scoring was continued
in the second by Josh Perdue (Port Elgin) from Braden Boley (Owen Sound) and
Reid Simmons (Hepworth) to make it 3. This clearly upset Niagara North. They made a statement when they scored one to
end the second and another to start the third. The Midget Highlanders would
have no part of an upset and dug in their heels when Jamie Bennett assisted by
Brandon Eagles (Meaford) and Colin Rigney (Singhampton) made it four and a fifth,
by Brandon Eagles from Jamie Bennett made the final 5-2. The second win of the
day capped off a three game slide with two in the win column.