By Kevin J Sabo For the Advance
Castor celebrated Boxing Day in a very Canadian way.
The Beaver Dome played host to the annual Cyclones Boxing Day hockey tournament, a tradition that goes back many years. The 2018 edition of the tournament had four teams made up of players from the area or with ties to the area.
This year the tournament bragging rights were won by team “Out of Time, consisting of: Kelly Hildreth, Dallas Hildreth, Trent Roth Sean Fuller, Jordan, Tanner Spady, Clay Spady, Logan Spady, Evan Spady, Mike Neumieir, Aaron Neumieir, Niel Pourier, Jordan Taylor, Benson Van Hienen, Taylor Starling, and Derek Mulbach, with Taylor Frank backstopping the team in net.
“Out of Time” faced off against “Slime Time” consisting of: Troy Slemp, Delwin Slemp, Calvin Slemp, Clay Renchler, Steve Fletcher, Bryce Cooke, Chase Cooke, Carter Cooke, Mitch Finkbiner, “AC”, Garret Compton, Brian Weeks, Chris Stewart, Justin Slemp, and Mike McCallum being backstopped by Goalie Derick Van Hienen.
“Out of Time” won the tightly contested game by a score of 6 to 5.
“It was close,” said “Slime Time” player Brian Weeks. “We even pulled the goalie for the last two minutes.”
Phil Dietz, a long-term resident of the community and hockey fan, said he remembers the Boxing Day Tournament going back to the days when he was with the Elks and they still hosted the Boxing Day Community Dance, something that has not occurred in decades.
“We had the dance at the community hall,” said Dietz. “Then later in the evening the players would finish the party at the legion and come to the dance.”
The four teams in the tournament are put together by the Castor Cyclones, with whom the players wishing to attend the tournament register. The teams are put together at the Cyclones annual Christmas party, where Captains are selected and a mini-draft held. It’s a no-contact tournament and a party is held at the legion afterwards. Regardless of who wins, a shootout is held after the game to determine which team gets an extra flat of beer at the party.
The Castor Beaver Dome was opened to the public earlier in December after undergoing months worth of renovations.
