A funny thing happened to the Rocky Mountain Raiders on the way to repeating as provincial champions.
Someone forgot to tell them they were in a rebuilding year.
After going 24-3-1 in the regular season, the Raiders rolled up six-straight playoff wins to claim their second-straight Alberta Major Bantam Female Hockey League (AMBFHL) provincial championship.
So much for rebuilding.
“To tell you the truth, we didn’t really know that we had this team when we first started,” admitted Raiders head coach Jason Seper. “We only had five returnees from last year’s provincial-winning team. The girls just exploded out of the gate and it was a really fun year to coach.
“The girls played awesome all year. Kudos to them, they deserved everything they got.”
The season culminated with a 2-0 final series sweep of North Division-champion Sherwood Park Royals, the clincher a 4-1 March 23 win over the Royals in Sherwood Park. The Raiders – with players from Strathmore, Chestermere, Indus, Okotoks, Nanton, Airdrie and four from Cochrane – won the first game 3-2 March 22 at Cochrane Arena.
“We knew they (Sherwood Park) would come out strong against us. The girls figured out a way to get her done there in Friday’s game and, in Saturday’s, it was kind of a carbon copy of the first game. They came at us strong in the first period. We adjusted and got the win. We got it done.”
To get to the provincial championship, however, the team had to start from the beginning – a team with five returning players and a plan.
“They wanted to be a hard-working, never-quit team that plays good defence first. And then the offence would come.”
Classic understatement.
The Raiders scored more goals than any other team in the AMBFHL regular season (133 in 28 games) while tying for the least allowed (49). Including regular season and playoffs, the Raiders won 30 games, lost three and tied one.
“I don’t know if a 30-win season will ever happen again in a Bantam AAA season. This group of girls was a phenomenal group.”
Four of those players – Nicolette Seper, assistant-captain Brette Matheson, Taylor Sawka and goalie Amanda Zeglen – were all key contributors from Cochrane.
“It was that kind of year,” coach Seper marvelled. “They followed the game plan to a ‘T.’ They’re just a joy to coach.”
And, after going through a “rebuilding” phase this season, the Raiders expect 10 players back next season.
Can you say three-peat?
“This team next year will be very strong going forward,” coach Seper predicted. “This team will be very, very strong and possibly one of the teams to beat next year.”
For now, basking in the glow of repeating as champions in a season that will be tough to duplicate is enough.
“That’s the thing about Cochrane and area. They produce some really, really strong female hockey players.”
