Aug 05, 2025 | Alyssa Piccolo | 6 views
U15 ICE - Festival Update 2025
It was a memorable and hard-fought weekend for the Thunder Bay ICE U15 lacrosse team, who travelled to Durham, ON to compete in a highly competitive tournament. Joined by players from the SOO Spartans and Sudbury Rockhounds, the mixed Northern Ontario team demonstrated resilience, skill, and unity as they battled through four intense games — coming just shy of a medal round appearance but leaving with a historic win and plenty to be proud of.
It was an exciting weekend in the Durham, ON region for the Thunder Bay ICE U15 lacrosse team.
After a slow start in the first game, being behind 6-3 after the second period, the team rallied behind the stellar net play of Cameron Hole (player of the game) to make it close only to fall 7-5 in the opener to the Hamilton Bengals.
Game two would see more of the same from the backstop and two goals from Captain Tucker Johnson (Sudbury Rockhounds) to lead the team to a 3-1 victory over the West Grey Rampage. This marks the first win for a mixed team in tournament play in 14 years. Player of the game went to Dawson De Dura.
Day two began where the previous day left off. After opening the score early in the first the ICE took a 1-0 lead into the second. There were a few unforced errors in the second that lead to the Orillia Kings taking a 3-2 lead going into the third. Orillia went ahead 5-2 in the third, but the ICE answered back with two of their own, only to run out of time ending the game with a 5-4 loss. Player of the game went to Kat Crowe.
Game four of the tournament was critical for the ICE as they needed a win and a Hamilton Bengals loss to go onto the medal rounds on Sunday, and they came ready!! After trading goals in the first and second it came down to the third period to decide our fate. Play went back and forth until midway through the period when Cameron Burton put the ice ahead followed with goals by Brooke Spring and Tucker Johnson. That was enough to do our part but unfortunately in the Hamilton game they scored with less than a minute remaining to tie, and dashed Thunder Bay's medal hopes. Player of the game went to Joel Simerson.
A special thank you to the SOO Spartans for Brett Bishop, Kameron Kirkey and Mathew McCracken, and to the Sudbury Rockhounds for Leo Gerhardt, Eyrah-Lee Keast and Tucker Johnson. These young athletes provided experience and energy that made this team complete.