The Alberta Major Bantam Female Hockey League held its first ever league All Star Game on Sunday January 4, 2015 in Sherwood Park. The South All Star Team included local player Kennedy Moore from Chestermere and her teammates Emma Borbandy and Erin Fargey from Langdon, Breanne Trotter and Lacey Dimaulo from Okotoks and Karissa Hammond from Strathmore. They were representing the Rocky Mountain Raiders Bantam AAA team that they play for in the AMBFHL. The remainder of the South team was made up of players from the Calgary Outlaws, Calgary Rangers, Red Deer Chiefs, and South East Tigers.
The game was a fast paced hard fought match up featuring the best players from the North and South divisions of the league. The North Team hit the score sheet first early in the opening period and slid into a two goal lead before the midpoint had passed, even though it seemed that the South had carried much of the play. The South then rallied scoring on a creative passing play from the corner to the front of the net initiated by Lacey Dimaulo of the Raiders and they squared the game at two on the power play when the Raiders’ Breanne Trotter deflected a point shot from teammate Karissa Hammond past the North Team’s goaltender.
The play in second period went back and forth with neither team finding the net and the score remained tied at two to open the third. In the third, both teams had early chances to take the lead but it was the North that capitalized on a goal mouth scramble to make it 3 – 2. There was no other scoring for remainder of the period even when the South Team pulled their goalie for an extra attacker and the game ended with the North winning the inaugural league All Star Game.
“The Raiders’ players represented their team very well and enjoyed the opportunity to meet and play with some of the very best bantam aged players in the province. It was a true testament to the state of the female game and all of the work that goes into developing the individual skill of players at the local minor hockey level to have these two teams showcase their talents and have it result in a very entertaining one goal game. “, said Jordan Fenton, principal of Chestermere High School and the coach of the Rocky Mountain Raiders Bantam AAA team.
Moore, who attends grade 9 at Chestermere Lake Middle School, says “It was an honour to be chosen and a privilege to play with a great group of girls. It was a lot of fun and made great memories”. This is Moore’s 9th year playing hockey but only her second year playing on a female team as for her first seven years, she played on an all boys team.
The Rocky Mountain Raiders currently hold the top spot in the South Division AMBFHL.
