The Virden Collegiate Golden Bears hockey team used to find it a struggle to defeat their rivals in the annual Christmas match against Vincent Massey High School of Brandon.
But a scheduling twist set the Bears up against a new team this year called the Renegades made up of players from Reston, Elkhorn, Melita and Pierson. The two teams faced off last Friday afternoon at TOGP.
VCI Principal Mark Keown said the Bears, “enjoyed this a whole lot more than we enjoyed playing Vincent Massey in past years,” when the score was much more likely to be reversed. He said the five-community contest also brought out a lot more local fans – mostly students who were bussed in for the game (even Reston’s mascot came along to taunt and tease the Oil Cap’s Digger).
Keown says the annual tradition is a good way to close out the last day of school before the Christmas break when “maybe productivity is not at its best, so this is a good way to come together, have fun and celebrate community.”
Glen McKinnon, retired VCI teacher, said the pre-Christmas game goes back to the ‘90s when he was involved. Now, even though he’s no longer on staff, he was there in the stands to cheer on his team.
VCI scored goal six with just one minute left to play, and celebrated a decisive 6-2 victory over the Renegades.
