LEMHA holds year-end banquet for travel players

Teams that advanced to the OMHA championships were recognized at last Thursday night’s Lake Erie Minor Hockey travel banquet. That included the U11B team, pictured here.

The first travel hockey season under the new Lake Erie Minor Hockey Association (LEMHA) is over and it was time for some awards.

LEMHA held its travel hockey banquet last Thursday night at the Libro Centre, with it being the first travel banquet as part of the new association. The 2025-26 minor hockey season was the first as LEMHA after the amalgamation of the Amherstburg Minor Hockey Association (AMHA) and the Erie North Shore Minor Hockey Association (ENSMHA).

The U21 team (above). Photo was submitted.

Co-presidents Wes Ewer and Gary Toupin went over this past season, which they believed to be a success. Toupin said he spoke to presidents and executive members of other minor hockey associations that amalgamated and they had warned him it could be difficult in the beginning.

“They said in the first year is the toughest,” said Toupin.

Toupin indicated it went better than expected.

“I think we had a really great season,” he said.

Two teams made it to the OMHA championships, and while neither won the championships in their respective age divisions, the U21 and U11B teams represented themselves and the association well.

Two long-time pillars of the region’s minor hockey who passed away during the season were honoured. Sandy Repko, a major figure in Kingsville hockey and with ENSMHA, was recognized for her many contributions to minor hockey.

“She donated considerable hours and years of service in Kingsville and with ENSMHA,” said Toupin.

Joe Laframboise was also honoured, with Laframboise making similar contributions in Amherstburg. Laframboise’s passing earlier this year was described as “a huge loss” for the minor hockey community, noted Ewer.

“People like that paved the road for the kids of today to play minor hockey,” said Toupin.

Ewer said the banquet, the season or minor hockey itself would not have been possible without the parents, families, coaches, officials, trainers and players

Awards for most dedicated, team spirit and most improved were handed out through Esso, with the LEMHA also presenting North Star Awards at every level for “the player whose performance, skill, and attitude contributed in the most outstanding way to their team’s success”

North Star Award winners were as follows:

U8MD - Parker Pajot; U9MD - Augustus Melo; U10A - Elliott Santarossa; U11A - Patrick MotrukU11B - Silas Mailloux ; U12A - Connor Buchanan; U13A - Jase Pye; U13B - Jackson Schnekenburger; U14A - Hudson MacLeod; U15A - Ty Crawford; U15B - Brady Mutterback; U16A - Ryder Cookson ; U18A - MVP - Alex Strong; U21A - MVP - Maxton Evans

There were also additional most dedicated awards for the two older groups.

Mason Matschulat won at the U18A level while Cameron Roussell won at the U21A division.

LEMHA holds year-end banquet for travel players

By Ron Giofu