The Belleville Bearcats brought home championships from the North Halton Fall Showcase.
Both the U11AA and U15A teams captured championships after six-game tournament runs against competition from across Ontario and the United States.
The U11AA Bearcats competed in a 10-team field featuring teams from St. Catharines, Peterborough, North Bay, Kitchener, Etobicoke, Brantford, North Halton, Grand River and Guelph.
For the U15A Bearcats, North Halton presented a different kind of challenge, as the team chose to enter the tournament’s AA division, testing itself against higher-level competition.
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Both the U11AA and U15A teams captured championships after six-game tournament runs against competition from across Ontario and the United States.
The U11AA Bearcats competed in a 10-team field featuring teams from St. Catharines, Peterborough, North Bay, Kitchener, Etobicoke, Brantford, North Halton, Grand River and Guelph.
Belleville finished round-robin play with three wins and a tie before defeating the Kitchener Lady Rangers 4-2 in the quarter-final. That set up a semi-final rematch with the Brock Jr. Badgers after the two teams had battled to a tie earlier in the tournament. The Bearcats came out on top in the rematch, earning a spot in the championship game against the Etobicoke Dolphins.
The final was an offensive battle from start to finish. Belleville continued to press and came away with a 7-5 victory to capture its first championship of the season.
“This group has put in a tremendous amount of work, and what stood out this weekend was how hard they competed for each other,” said U11AA Head Coach Joe Thompson. “They faced adversity, stayed together and kept pushing. To see that work and belief in one another translate into a championship this early in the season is pretty special.”
For the U15A Bearcats, North Halton presented a different kind of challenge. The team chose to enter the tournament’s AA division, testing itself against higher-level competition.
Facing an eight-team field that included opponents from Ontario and the United States, Belleville finished round-robin play with three wins and one loss before meeting the Huron Heat in the semi-final. A hard-fought 2-1 victory sent the Bearcats to the championship game against the WNY Jr. Cataracts. Losing to WNY Jr. Cataracts 5-2 in the round-robin, Belleville had to bring everything to the finals.
Belleville battled to the end, leaving the scoreboard at 4-4 at the end of three periods. Only eight seconds into overtime, Belleville scored with a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory to capture the U15AA division championship.
“I’m incredibly proud of this team and the determination, teamwork and never-give-up attitude they showed all weekend,” said U15A Head Coach Evan Osterhoult. “We chose to compete at the AA level because we wanted to challenge ourselves, and the girls embraced it. They showed what it means to compete, believe in each other and keep battling right to the very end.”
The championships are an exciting start to the season, but the work behind them began well before the first puck dropped in North Halton. Both teams have already invested significant time in training and development, on and off the ice. That preparation is made possible in part by local businesses that invest in girls’ hockey and help Belleville athletes access the training and competition they need to continue developing.
The U11AA Bearcats are proudly supported by Brady Clark Advisory Group – CIBC Wood Gundy and Morven Construction Ltd. The U15A Bearcats are proudly supported by McDowell’s Independent, Tomasso’s Italian Grille and Spry Site Supervision.
It is still early in the 2026-27 season with plenty of hockey ahead. But for two Belleville teams, the season has already started with a championship.
The Belleville Bearcats U11AA North Halton Champions 2026. (Photo submitted)
Belleville Bearcats U15A North Halton Champions 2026. (Photo submitted)
