The U11 A2 Blues capped a remarkable 2025-26 season with a dramatic comeback victory to claim the city championship.
The season began in unconventional fashion, as the team opened play without a full-time goaltender. Despite the challenge, the Blues went undefeated at the Robwest tournament with players rotating through the position before Reese Maxwell and Gracie Bergen stepped in to share goaltending duties moving forward.
The team faced strong competition at the Brandon Female Hockey Challenge in November, finishing with a 1-2-1 record, but found its stride after the Christmas break.
At the Stonewall tournament, the Blues showed their resilience. In the semifinal against Stars White, Hannah Corrigal scored shorthanded in overtime to secure a 3-2 win. The momentum carried into the final, where Emilia Lazo netted a power-play goal in overtime to lift the Blues to a 2-1 victory over Winkler.
The following weekend, the team added another strong showing with a 3-1 record at the Springfield tournament to finish third.
The Blues closed out the regular season in second place with a 13-3-2 record, scoring an impressive 107 goals in 18 games — 44 more than the next closest team.
Carrying the slogan “Passion Ignites the Blues” into the playoffs, the team opened with a 4-2 win over Niverville, followed by a 4-1 victory against Stars White. They advanced directly to the A-side final, where they defeated St. Adolphe 6-2.
The city championship final against Stars White proved to be a thriller. The Blues led 2-0 after the first period but trailed 4-2 after the second before mounting a comeback to win 6-5. Esmae Chartrand led the offence with three goals, while Emilia Lazo and Scarlett Campbell added singles. Janey Gemmill scored the game-winning goal with just 20 seconds remaining.
The Blues finished the season with an overall record of 30-6-3. The turning point came at the Stonewall tournament, where the team found ways to win under pressure — a trait that carried through the playoffs.
The team also recognized Hannah Corrigal and Scarlett Campbell as its graduating players moving up to the U13 level. Both were key leaders throughout the season.
The Blues coaching staff included head coach Brian Davis, assistant coaches Lance Marohn, Johnny Lazo and Matt Wutzke, along with manager Brett Chatfield. The team also credited its parent group for strong support throughout the year.
