Muskies to play in new division at OFSAA

Teams heading to OFSAA hockey championship in Burlington next month will find they may not be competing against the same teams as years past.
That’s because for the first time, OFSAA has divided the teams into two divisions–‘A/AA’ and ‘AAA.’
If the Muskies, who are unbeaten in league play heading into their final regular-season game this Friday in Dryden, capture the NorWOSSA crown and advance to the all-Ontarios, they’ll compete in the 16-team ‘A/AA’ division.
“We tried to get it switched to ‘AAA’ but I don’t think that will happen,” said FFHS athletic director Jason Kabel. “OFSAA sees things the way they see things so this year we will be in ‘A/AA.’”
Kabel said he lobbied for the Muskies to play in the ‘AAA’ division since they are having such a strong season–and have captured the provincial crown twice over the years (to go along with a few silver-medal showings).
If the black-and-gold want to play at the ‘AAA’ level next year, they will have to play their hearts out at this year’s tournament. The better they play, the more likely they are to move up.
“It depends on how we do this year to see where we play next year,” said Kabel. “Where we play will be decided as an association.”
Muskies head coach Glen Edwards said playing in the ‘A/AA’ division might mean this miss competing against some of the private schools down east.
“It is hard to say [how we will do]. It depends on where the private schools are,” he noted. “Since we are in the ‘A/AA’ bracket, I am afraid we might miss those schools.”
Peter Morris, special project co-ordinator for OFSAA, said the decision to play in the ‘A/AA’ division was made by NWOSSAA officials.
“I knew they [NWOSSAA] would send one entry but I was surprised when they sent a ‘A/AA’ instead of a ‘AAA,’” he admitted.
But Morris also said people shouldn’t be under the impression the ‘A/AA’ division will be any less competitive.
“I think people are going to find the ‘A/AA’ tournament very competitive,” Morris reasoned yesterday afternoon. “The competition at the ‘A/AA’ level will be excellent. The only thing missing is the big names.”
Morris said the intent with adding another division was to create more representation to the teams, get more kids to attend OFSSA, and to equal out the competition.
“They [OFSAA executives] probably did this because there are more hockey teams involved and if they didn’t have two divisions, then some schools wouldn’t be able to compete,” agreed OFSAA secretary Kathy Bennett.
In related news, the annual Muskie tea and bake sale is slated this Saturday (Feb. 17) from 2-4 p.m. at the Elks Hall here.