For two 16-year-old Kings County players, winning an Atlantic hockey title this month was their second shot at the trophy - they weren’t going to let it slip away
Kira Memet and Keisha Kane play with the Metro Boston Pizza in the female midget AAA league – the highest level of minor female hockey in the province - the team that lost the 2015 Atlantic final in a shootout. In Charlottetown, April 3, they faced off against against Moncton, the reigning champion.
“This year at Atlantics, it felt good for redemption,” Kentville’s Memet, the tournament’s top-scorer, said April 13. “It felt so good to beat Moncton,”
“It felt awesome,” Kane, who lives in Cambridge, agreed. “We had no doubt in our abilities. We played together and it felt really good. It was a really good revenge weekend.”
On the road to Atlantics, Metro defeated the East Hants Penguins in Nova Scotia Female Midget AAA Hockey League championship. At Atlantics they went undefeated in round robin play before defeating Moncton 4-0 in the final.
Along with the trophy came a trip to the Esso Cup, the national female midget championship, in Weymouth, Sask. Play starts today, April 17, and runs through April 23. Fellow Valley hockey player Digby’s Meadow Carman is also on the team.
“I’m really excited for it,” Kane said April 14, the day before the team left. “ It’s going to be a great opportunity for me and my teammates. Not a lot of people get to experience what we get to do: compete with the best girls our age across the country.”
This is the second year on Metro for both Kane and Memet, who played as an underager last season. It’s a big commitment and long drives for the players and their families: two practices in the city each week, two training sessions at Acadia University and two games.
However, both girls say it’s worth it.
“It’s definitely the best two years of hockey that I’ve had,” Kane said. “With the coaches and my teammates. I used to play against all my teammates (from the city), now it’s really cool to play with them instead. ”
“They’re a great group of girls,” Memet agrees. “Our coach really stresses a family atmosphere. It’s like having a second family.”
Offensive impact
In her second year at midget, Memet’s statistics show she’s making a big contribution: 22 points in 22 games in the regular season and another eight points in nine league playoff games.
She started at eight in the Acadia Minor Hockey Association house league at the novice level, played boys’ hockey in atom and switched to female hockey in peewee. The winger played with the Valley Wild for three years - as well as playing basketball, tennis and soccer – before moving to midget in her second bantam-age year. With the commitment to Metro Boston Pizza, the Grade 10 Horton student had to ease up on her other sport commitments, but she doesn’t plan to give up hockey anytime soon.
“I would like to play in university either NCAA Division 1 or the CIS,” Memet said, adding she isn’t sure what she wants to study, but women’s rights are a current interest.
“I’m trying to keep all my options open,” she said, adding a dream job might be promoting women’s hockey at the international level.
Adaptable threat
Kane started hockey earlier than her teammate. She was playing at five: first with a Berwick novice team and then progressed through female teams at Acadia and Western Valley, before a year of female bantam with Valley Wild and then a year of bantam with a boy’s team.
“(It was) a little bit faster and it was definitely more physical because there’s hitting in guys hockey,” she said.
In her second year of midget, she made another switch: from defenceman to forward and finding a new role on right wing. She seems to be adjusting well: Kane had 10 points on the regular season and another two in the playoffs.
“I think I like forward better,” she said, “because I get the puck more and feel more involved.”
The Grade 11 student at Central Kings is also competitive in the rugby scrum for the Gators and the Valley Bulldogs’ women’s team.
“Not sure if I’m going to play hockey or rugby or maybe both (after high school),” Kane, who hopes to study biology and then go to dental school, said. “I just have to see what options I have.”
When not competing on the ice or field, Kane says she likes to hang out with friends and hit the gym with her brother, Lucas. He won the Atlantic major midget title with Valley Wildcats in 2013 and this month’s win settled a little competition between the siblings.
. “He used to say ‘you’re not Atlantic champion; you didn’t get to nationals,” Kane says. “Now he can’t say that anymore!”
We asked: What’s your favourite thing about hockey?
“I love the team atmosphere and getting to know so many new people through the sport.” - Keisha Kane, #55
“There’s a lot I love about it: travelling, meeting people from all across different provinces, having that second family. On the ice? The competition. I just love it all.” - Kira Memet, #18
Esso Cup schedule
April 17 - 3 p.m. ADT
Metro Boston Pizza vs Express du Richelieu Watch Game
April 18 - 3 p.m. ADT
Metro Boston Pizza vs Rocky Mountain Raiders Watch Game
April 19 – 6:30 p.m. ADT
Metro Boston Pizza vs Brantford Ice Cats Watch Game
April 20 - 10 p.m. ADT
Metro Boston Pizza vs Weyburn Gold Wings Watch Gam
April 21 – 6:30 p.m. ADT
Metro Boston Pizza vs Saskatoon Stars Watch Game
April 22 - 6:30 p.m. ADT
Semifinal - Watch Game
April 22 – 10 p.m. ADT
Semifinal - Watch Game
April 23 – time TBD
Bronze medal game - Watch Game
Apr 23 - time TBD
Gold medal game - Watch Game
Full schedule here.
For two 16-year-old Kings County players, winning an Atlantic hockey title this month was their second shot at the trophy - they weren’t going to let it slip away
Kira Memet and Keisha Kane play with the Metro Boston Pizza in the female midget AAA league – the highest level of minor female hockey in the province - the team that lost the 2015 Atlantic final in a shootout. In Charlottetown, April 3, they faced off against against Moncton, the reigning champion.
“This year at Atlantics, it felt good for redemption,” Kentville’s Memet, the tournament’s top-scorer, said April 13. “It felt so good to beat Moncton,”
“It felt awesome,” Kane, who lives in Cambridge, agreed. “We had no doubt in our abilities. We played together and it felt really good. It was a really good revenge weekend.”
On the road to Atlantics, Metro defeated the East Hants Penguins in Nova Scotia Female Midget AAA Hockey League championship. At Atlantics they went undefeated in round robin play before defeating Moncton 4-0 in the final.
Along with the trophy came a trip to the Esso Cup, the national female midget championship, in Weymouth, Sask. Play starts today, April 17, and runs through April 23. Fellow Valley hockey player Digby’s Meadow Carman is also on the team.
“I’m really excited for it,” Kane said April 14, the day before the team left. “ It’s going to be a great opportunity for me and my teammates. Not a lot of people get to experience what we get to do: compete with the best girls our age across the country.”
This is the second year on Metro for both Kane and Memet, who played as an underager last season. It’s a big commitment and long drives for the players and their families: two practices in the city each week, two training sessions at Acadia University and two games.
However, both girls say it’s worth it.
“It’s definitely the best two years of hockey that I’ve had,” Kane said. “With the coaches and my teammates. I used to play against all my teammates (from the city), now it’s really cool to play with them instead. ”
“They’re a great group of girls,” Memet agrees. “Our coach really stresses a family atmosphere. It’s like having a second family.”
Offensive impact
In her second year at midget, Memet’s statistics show she’s making a big contribution: 22 points in 22 games in the regular season and another eight points in nine league playoff games.
She started at eight in the Acadia Minor Hockey Association house league at the novice level, played boys’ hockey in atom and switched to female hockey in peewee. The winger played with the Valley Wild for three years - as well as playing basketball, tennis and soccer – before moving to midget in her second bantam-age year. With the commitment to Metro Boston Pizza, the Grade 10 Horton student had to ease up on her other sport commitments, but she doesn’t plan to give up hockey anytime soon.
“I would like to play in university either NCAA Division 1 or the CIS,” Memet said, adding she isn’t sure what she wants to study, but women’s rights are a current interest.
“I’m trying to keep all my options open,” she said, adding a dream job might be promoting women’s hockey at the international level.
Adaptable threat
Kane started hockey earlier than her teammate. She was playing at five: first with a Berwick novice team and then progressed through female teams at Acadia and Western Valley, before a year of female bantam with Valley Wild and then a year of bantam with a boy’s team.
“(It was) a little bit faster and it was definitely more physical because there’s hitting in guys hockey,” she said.
In her second year of midget, she made another switch: from defenceman to forward and finding a new role on right wing. She seems to be adjusting well: Kane had 10 points on the regular season and another two in the playoffs.
“I think I like forward better,” she said, “because I get the puck more and feel more involved.”
The Grade 11 student at Central Kings is also competitive in the rugby scrum for the Gators and the Valley Bulldogs’ women’s team.
“Not sure if I’m going to play hockey or rugby or maybe both (after high school),” Kane, who hopes to study biology and then go to dental school, said. “I just have to see what options I have.”
When not competing on the ice or field, Kane says she likes to hang out with friends and hit the gym with her brother, Lucas. He won the Atlantic major midget title with Valley Wildcats in 2013 and this month’s win settled a little competition between the siblings.
. “He used to say ‘you’re not Atlantic champion; you didn’t get to nationals,” Kane says. “Now he can’t say that anymore!”
We asked: What’s your favourite thing about hockey?
“I love the team atmosphere and getting to know so many new people through the sport.” - Keisha Kane, #55
“There’s a lot I love about it: travelling, meeting people from all across different provinces, having that second family. On the ice? The competition. I just love it all.” - Kira Memet, #18
Esso Cup schedule
April 17 - 3 p.m. ADT
Metro Boston Pizza vs Express du Richelieu Watch Game
April 18 - 3 p.m. ADT
Metro Boston Pizza vs Rocky Mountain Raiders Watch Game
April 19 – 6:30 p.m. ADT
Metro Boston Pizza vs Brantford Ice Cats Watch Game
April 20 - 10 p.m. ADT
Metro Boston Pizza vs Weyburn Gold Wings Watch Gam
April 21 – 6:30 p.m. ADT
Metro Boston Pizza vs Saskatoon Stars Watch Game
April 22 - 6:30 p.m. ADT
Semifinal - Watch Game
April 22 – 10 p.m. ADT
Semifinal - Watch Game
April 23 – time TBD
Bronze medal game - Watch Game
Apr 23 - time TBD
Gold medal game - Watch Game
Full schedule here.
