Junior round up

Sunderland Cherokees were in North Wales at the weekend participating in the first Flintshire Under-12 tournament. They were one of ten teams taking part and finished in sixth place.

Two groups of five played in a mini league format with the position in the tables dictating the cross-over league matches and final placing play-off games.

Cherokees were drawn with Broadleaf Bullies (Flintshire 2nd entry), Basingstoke Bison, Bracknell Bumblebees and Telford Terrahawks. First match for Cherokees brought them up against Bracknell Bumblebees who scored in the first minute only for James Moutrey to level the scores after nine minutes. Cherokees did not have a shot on Bracknell's goal in the final period while Steven Ashley in Cherokees net made six saves to give his side a 1-1 draw.

Telford scored twice in three minutes in the final period to give them a 2-0 win over Sunderland.

Cherokees gained their first win when defeating Basingstoke 3-2. Nathan Salem gave Cherokees the lead at 03.58. Moutrey and Jake Shanks increased the lead to 3-0 after 15 minutes. Basingstoke cut the deficit to one within five minutes, but Cherokees were never in danger of losing the match.

Flintshire's second entry Broadleaf were Cherokees next opponents. Joshua Lalande put Sunderland ahead and Salem doubled the lead at 12.09. The lead was cut two minutes later as Cherokees played out the 2-1 victory.

Sunday brought the qualifier matches in cross-group games for play-off place games. Cherokees started the day's games against Solihull Kings and were 3-1 winners. Grant Sharp opened the scoring in the first minute and Moutrey scored a second at 10.35 and two minutes later Jake Roberts extended the lead. Solihull grabbed a consolation goal after 18 minutes.

The win brought Telford as Cherokees next opponents. A close encounter which went to a penalty shoot-out. Nathan Salem gave Cherokees a five minute lead before Telford drew level on the powerplay.

No goals in overtime took the tie into a penalty shoot-out which Telford won by converting three to Sunderland's two.

The defeat meant Cherokees were up against Basingstoke Bison for fifth-sixth play-off. Lalande's stroke after six minutes put Cherokees into the lead.

Basingstoke were level two minutes later and went ahead after 12 minutes. Cherokees could not find a way past netminder Kurt Butler and Cherokees finished sixth.

Results (Cherokees): Bracknell 1, Sunderland 1; Sunderland 0, Telford 2; Basingstoke 2, Sunderland 3; Sunderland 2, Broadleaf 1; Sunderland 3, Solihull 1; Sunderland 1, Telford 1 (Telford win 4-3 after penalty shoot-out), Sunderland 1, Basingstoke 2.

Cherokees: James Moutrey 3+2, Nathan Salem 3+1, Joshua Lalande 2+0, Grant Sharp 1+1, Jake Shanks, Jake Roberts 1+0, Daniel Pye, Callum Davies, Daniel Coffey and Ross Hanlon 0+1.

Kirkcaldy Redskins won the tournament with a 6-3 win over Bracknell Bumblebees.

Cherokees defenceman Daniel Pye was voted into the tournament all-star team.

The English National Hockey League held their fixture meeting last weekend, which included Billingham Eagles, Sunderland Chiefs and Whitley Warriors.

Billingham Forum Ice Arena is currently having renovations being done which will be completed hopefully by the end of the month.

Sunderland will be playing out of Newcastle Telewest Arena this forthcoming season with Crowtree Leisure Centre ice rink still out of action.

Chiefs home games will be on the lunchtime (face-off 1pm). In most cases when Newcastle KBS Vipers have home Findus British National League games.

ENHL North Conference will consist of ten teams playing each other one home and one away.

Sunderland begin their season on September 7 when Kingston Ice Jets visit Telewest Arena and Chiefs are at Sheffield Scimitars eight days later.

Billingham host Blackburn Hacoks on September 14 with a trip to Altrincham Aces two weeks later.

Whitley begin their defence of the league title on September 14 when at Grimsby Buffaloes and 24 hours later entertain Bradford Bulldogs at Hillheads.

The first derby match is on October 19 when Billingham host Whitley Bay with the return on January 5. Eagles have Sunderland as visitors on December 7 and Eagles to go Telewest on February 1.

Warriors have home advantage over Sunderland on November 17 with Chiefs hosting Whitley on December 28.

Fixtures

Billingham Eagles: Sept 14 Blackburn (H); Sept 29 Altrincham (A); Oct 5 Flintshire (H); Oct 12 Grimsby (A); Oct 19 Whitley Bay (H); Oct 27 Flintshire (A); Nov 2 Bradford (H); Nov 10 Kingston (A); Nov 16 Grimsby (H); Nov 17 Sheffield (A); Dec 7 Sunderland 9H); Dec 15 Blackburn (A); Dec 21 Sheffield (H); Jan 5 Whitley Bay (A); Jan 12 Bradford (A); Jan 18 Kingston (H); Feb 1 Sunderland (A); Feb 8 Altrincham (H).

Sunderland Chiefs: Sept 12 Kingston (H): Sept 15 Sheffield (A); Sept 22 Sheffield (H); Oct 6 Bradford (H); Oct 13 Bradford (A); Nov 3 Blackburn (A); Nov 17 Whitley Bay (A); Dec 1 Grimsby (H); Dec 7 Billingham (A); Dec 21 Kingston (A); Dec 28 Whitley Bay (H); Jan 11 Blackburn (H); Jan 18 Altrincham (H); Jan 25 Grimsby (A); Feb 1 Billingham (H); Feb 2 Flintshire (A); Feb 15 Flintshire (H); Feb 22 Altrincham (A).

Whitley Warriors: Sept 14 Grimsby (A); Sept 15 Bradford (H); Sept 22 Altrincham (H); Sept 29 Blackburn (A); Oct 5 Kingston (A); Oct 13 Sheffield (A); Oct 19 Billingham (A); Oct 26 Blackburn (A) English Cup; Nov 10 Sheffield (A) EC; Nov 17 Sunderland (H); Nov 24 Altrincham (A); Dec 1 Kingston (H); Dec 8 Blackburn (H) EC; Dec 15 Sheffield (A)' Dec 22 Altrincham (A) EC; Dec 28 Sunderland (A); Jan 5 Billingham (H); Jan 18 Sheffield (H) EC; 19 Flintshire (A); Jan 26 Flinitshire (H); Feb 2 Grimsby (H); Feb 9 Blackburn (H); Feb 15 Bradford (A); Feb 23 Altrincham (H) EC.

Whitley Warriors have also been accepted into the English premier league cup. They will be in a North group alongside Peterborough Phantoms, Telford Wild Foxes plus Blackburn Hawks and possibly Altrincham Aces. Dates yet to be arranged.

Billingham Ice Hockey Club have got new owners. Managing director John Rogers because of work commitments has decided to step aside. The club will now have four joint directors and Ace are no strangers to the sport and have Terry Wad, a former Billingham netminder plus Allen Flavell, Jeremy Griffiths and Brian McCabe. Ward is club coach and the others have been team managers for several seasons.

John Rogers rescued the club in 1995 from bankruptcy and kept ice hockey club going even though the senior team was not playing at the highest level - which was then Heineken premier league.

He was unable to have much involvement last season due to work commitments and the reason he has relinquished his position.

New director Brian McCabe said: "John Rogers has to be thanked for keeping hockey alive here in Billingham. He put in a great deal of effort, often without the appreciation he deserved. Hopefully now we can continue the good work he started and take the club from strength to strength."