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Sportsmanlike Sharks strike tournament gold

Oceanside’s Novice Sharks went 4-0 to earn gold last Sunday, and scooped some extra hardware when they were named Most Sportsmanlike Team.
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Oceanside's Novice Sharks (from back right): coaches Dave Jamieson and Terry Krastel

The nice guys finished first.

Oceanside’s Novice Sharks went 4-0 to earn themselves a gold medal down Island last Sunday, and scooped some extra hardware when they were named Most Sportsmanlike Team.

According to team manager Sandra Godd, the three day tournament featured 12 teams from across the Island.

The Sharks opened the tournament with an 8-1 win over Juan de Fuca; followed that up beating Saanich #1 10-2 then knocked off Victoria/Esquimalt, who was unbeaten on the season at that point.

The two teams were tied 4-4 after regulation time, but the Sharks were awarded the tie-breaker because they had fewer penalty minutes that game (Oceanside had four, they had eight).

In the gold medal game the Sharks were trailing a tough Saanich #2 team 4-1 after the first stanza and were down 5-3 after two but battled back with five goals in the third to win it 8-7.

“All season long we have never really trailed, so this was the first time we’ve faced any real adversity,” Sharks’ head coach Terry Krastel, adding “they were deflated there for a bit but they rallied and had a big third period to win the game.

“Unbelievably proud,” he confirmed, adding “the tournament was big for these kids — the Victoria competition is really, really strong.”

This small team of 13 nine and 10-year-old Oceanside players are undefeated so far in their seven-team Novice House North Island division regular season at 12-0 with two final games to play this weekend.