Dozens of teams from these parts are making their way south this month, attending all-Ontario sporting championships of various kinds.
A far, far smaller number will savour the opportunity to partake in same, all while enjoying the benefits of home cooking, sleeping at home and looking out into a crowd full of familiar faces, with friends and family offering their support to those teams who play host to provincial playdowns.
The Copper Cliff U13 “AA” Reds count themselves among the fortunate few.
Beginning on Friday, the Reds will be joined by the London Jr Knights, TNT Tornadoes, Leaside Flames and Soo Jr Greyhounds, the entire quintet vying for an OHF (Ontario Hockey Federation) banner at McClelland Community Centre & Arena this weekend.
The CCMHA reps who posted a regular season record of 17-3-4, finishing first in their division of the Nickel District Minor Hockey League but upset by the Soo in the semi-finals of the NOHA Tournament of Champions last month, did enough to sit at # 18 in the provincial rankings in a field of 91 teams.
“It’s a similar group since U10, but with a couple of new faces over the years,” noted 12 year-old forward Clark Montgomery, now in his second winter with the team after suiting up previously with the Nickel City Sons.
Knowing his team would be playing host to the OHF championship, Montgomery, for one, was thankful for the steady progression the U13 “AA” Reds witnessed in 2025-2026, now a unit that is very much ready to go toe to toe with #2 (London), #3 (TNT Tornadoes) and #5 (Leaside) in Ontario.
“We’re playing a lot more as a team and have developed more chemistry,” suggested the grade 7 student at St Benedict Catholic Secondary School. “There’s a good mood in the dressing room. Everybody wants to be here, everybody wants to win.”
Like pretty much every other hockey team known to man, the Reds will rely on solid goaltending at provincials, with Nate Didone and Mio Martic sharing the crease. A houseleague skater in his earliest days, Martic made the unexpected jump directly to “AA” hockey in his very first year as a netminder, tapping into some natural athleticism and flexibility that had come to light during a brief stint with gymnastics.
“I feel like I have more movement in net than some other kids,” said Martic, who has no trouble whatsoever covering from one post to the other while in the splits. And like most successful goalies, Martic knows enough to remain in constant communication with his defensemen.
“Sometimes I yell at them – if they don’t see a guy who sneaks up behind them,” he said. “I prefer they try and move the guy in front of the net. Sometimes he might be a passing option, or maybe just tupping – but he might not be a passing option if we’re right on him.”
“And with a shot from the point, he might be able to easily tip it; but if our “D’s” stopping him or holding his stick up, then he can’t.”
For as much as Martic might approach his development as a puckstopper far differently than most of his teammates, the grade 7 student at Ecole St Denis likely has the best view in the rink as to just how much further ahead the five other CCMHA players on the ice might be now versus the start of the year.
“We’re better than last year,” said Martic. “This year, we worked a lot on skill skill and that helped us improve – and we did some video sessions so that we could learn about our mistakes.”
To a player, this team understands exactly what lies ahead in terms of a challenge.
“We will have to focus in because these are good teams,” said Martic. “When we don’t focus, we don’t play too well. I would rather we are focused, ready to go and play Reds hockey.”
“We’re excited and hoping to do our best and try and get to Sunday,” added Montgomery. “We have to play togeter and capitalize on our chances because there’s going to be some really good teams here. We want to play as hard as we can. It’s the end of our season, so there’s nothing else to save it for.”
The Copper Cliff U13 “AA” Reds will kick off round robin play on Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. against London, scheduled to face Leaside later that day (2:30 p.m.). The all-NOHA battle is set for Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m., with the host team closing out their preliminary games with a showdown against TNT at 4:00 p.m.
The remainder of the U13 “AA” Reds roster features Malik Ariss, Merrick Charbonneau, Tyce Cousineau (the team prankster, by all accounts), Noah Kritz, Coen Larochelle, Mylo McHugh, Carter Meunier, Chase Morrell, Jeremie Neale, Cedric Poulin, Wyatt Powell, Jaxon Rocca, Sam Seguin and Patrick Snow.
The Copper Cliff team staff is led by head coach Claude Charbonneau, assistant coaches Eric Larochelle, Chase Montgomery and Blake Didone, assistant coach / trainers Rob Snow and Martin Martic and team manager Tammy Meunier.
