Rookie T1 Tigers take St. Thomas Championship

The Waterloo Tigers Minor Rookie Tier 1 team travelled to St. Thomas this past weekend to compete in the 12th Annual Cardinal Classic Minor Rookie Ball Tournament. The facilities in St. Thomas were top notch and the organizers of the tournament ran a very well run event.

The experience that the boys gained last season paid dividends early in the tournament as Waterloo emerged 3-0 out of round robin play and qualified for the semi-finals in the 16 team tournament. In the semi-finals they met up with another experienced team, the Leaside Leafs who, like Waterloo, had a number of players who already had a year of Rookie Ball under their belts. This was a back-and-forth game that saw Waterloo win in dramatic, walk-off fashion, 20-19. Being the home team, was the difference in this one as both teams battled hard right to the end.

The exciting semi-final win moved the Tigers to the tournament championship game where they met up with the host team, the St. Thomas Cardinals. St. Thomas was a very scappy team that forced Waterloo to make some big defensive plays early in the game. Waterloo’s bats continued to stay hot and Waterloo emerged with a 17-7 win to capture the tournament championship.

A special thanks to all parents and siblings for providing support throughout the weekend and the BBQ between games helped make the weekend experience even more enjoyable for all involved.