There might not have been the podium finish that the Nickel City Major Bantam "AA" Jr Sons would have liked, but there is little doubt the local crew represented the NOHA (Northern Ontario Hockey Association) well at the OHF (Ontario Hockey Federation) Championships on the weekend.

Competiting in a five team field in North York, the Jr Sons posted a record of 1-2-1 in round robin play, and earning a berth in the semi-finals. The locals opened with a 5-2 win over the Mississauga North Stars, as Mathieu Gaudet scored twice to lead the way, with Jamie Wahamaa, Landon Thomson and Brett Huard adding one goal each.

Nickel City got their first look at just how tough the Barrie Colts would be, dropping a 3-1 decision late Friday evening, despite opening the scoring courtesy of a goal from Kyle Heighington.

The team rebounded nicely on Saturday afternoon, playing to a 2-2 draw with London Jr Knights, as Thomson powered the Sons attack with a two-goal effort. Despite suffering a 5-1 setback to the North York Knights - Mathieu Lamothe with the Nickel City goal - coach Steve Chenard and company settled into third place, earning a rematch with the Colts.

Unfortunately, the NOHA champions forgot to request a different script the second time around, as Barrie downed Nickel City 3-1 for a second straight time, with all of the scoring in the opening period.

Thomson netted his fourth of the tournament, but it wasn't enough to offset a pair of tallies from Lucas Rampton, and another from Adam Hoppe, as Barrie moved on to capture gold, edging North York 3-2 in double overtime in the championship affair.

The only other local team competing at an OHF Championship on the weekend found it a challenge to make their way to the win column, as the Copper Cliff Redmen lost four straight games in Brampton, attending the Midget "AA" tournament.

It took very little time for the Redmen to realize the level of their competition, blanked 7-0 in their first game by the Mississauga Jets, but keeping it much closer later than night in a 4-3 loss to the Brampton 45's.

Keegan Gillis-McAnulty, Stephen Berardi and Alexander Barry scored for Copper Cliff, who came back with another solid effort Saturday afternoon, doubled 4-2 by the London Jr Knights.

After a scoreless opening frame, Riley Coome and Gillis-McAnulty traded goals, leaving the Redmen and Knights deadlocked at 1-1 heading to the third period. But a second marker from Gillis-McAnulty would not be enough, as the Copper Cliff crew fell to 0-3.

With no hope of qualifying for semi-final play, coach Claude Larocque and company were blanked 5-0 by the Ajax Knight. Mississauga would go on to lay claim to the championship banner, slipping past London 3-2 in the final.