Gazette staff
PORT HARDY — The Semiahmoo midgets made the longest trip to Port Hardy Minor Hockey's annual midget hockey tournament, but it paid off with the biggest reward.
Semiahmoo capped an unbeaten run through the nine-team tourney with a 9-1 romp over Comox Valley's Team 5 Sunday to take the big trophy.
Earlier in the morning, Comox needed a shootout to edge defending champion Lake Cowichan 7-6 in a game to determine the final spot in the championship. Cowichan finished third in the tourney.
Port McNeill wrapped up a snake-bit run through the tournament with a 3-2 loss to the Campbell River Badgers in the sixth-place game. Two of the Whalers' three round-robin games ended in ties, and the team was rallying and had just gone on a power-play with 8:48 remaining in the finals when the game was ended due to limited ice time.
Taylor Ellis scored off Natalie Chester's assist and Zac DesRochers added an unassisted score as Port McNeill rallied from a 3-0 deficit against the Badgers. Goalie Drake Baron was solid after spotting Campbell River a pair of quick goals in the opening period.
Host Port Hardy fell 9-2 to Gold River, the 2009 tourney champs, in the eighth-place game. Malcolm Richards and Jesse Gooding scored for the host club, with James Crawford, Kelly McLaughlin and Tim Demoe contributing assists.