Ruling mars peewee championship

These minor atom Kinghts closed out their season with an appearance in the finals at a tournament in Stouffville.

Having an ineligible trainer behind the bench led to an abrupt end of the season for one team, and some unpleasantness for a local peewee squad.

The NobleKing local league peewee team, sponsored by Langdon's Coach Lines, squared off against their Thornton Tigers opponents for the York - Simcoe title, but according to articles published in last Wednesday's and Thursday's Toronto Sun, it was supposed to be two Thornton teams battling it out. One of the clubs had eliminated the Knights, but was forced to forfeit the victory because a substitute trainer behind the Tigers' bench did not have a Prevention Services (PRS) number, as required.

Several people associated with hockey in Thornton were upset that a technicality should impact so much on events.

"It's difficult on the children," commented Thornton hockey mom Wendy Maenz. "It's on ice that counts."

But NobleKing Minor Hockey president Michael Bennett said the incident was blown out of proportion.

He added the NobleKing

association is trying to play

the situation down. He said

CLUB

they received a number of

unpleasant e-mails over the publicity they got in issue.

Bennett did agree the penalty was harsh, but added he had nothing to do with invoking it. "I'm just an administrator and I just go by the rules," he said.

"We will be dealing with it through the appropriate channels," he added, "through the OMHA."

Thornton won the series in six games, Bennett reported. "Great hockey, great kids.