The U13 Victoria Vipers just went through two weeks straight of ball hockey madness – and came away with a gold, a silver, and a whole lot of stories to tell.
Fresh off a gold medal at the BC Cup on home court, the Vipers departed towards Saskatoon for the 2025 Western Challenge Cup and powered their way to a silver finish, falling only to the Edmonton Kings in the final.
“It was 13 games in six days – 10 wins, two losses, one tie,” said head coach Ian Taylor. “Five elimination games, six shutouts. These kids were nothing short of incredible.”
At Westerns, the Vipers went 3-1 in round robin play – their only early loss coming to the Kings, the eventual champions.
In the knockout stage, they edged Calgary Fury White 3-2 in an overtime quarterfinal, then handled the Metro Hawks 5-2 in the semis. The gold medal game saw a worn-down Vipers squad fall 6-1 to a deep and relentless Edmonton team.
“We were a little shorthanded going in – just 14 runners and two goalies,” Taylor said. “But the boys hit the ground running and picked up right where they left off at BC Cup.”
While the Saskatoon lineup included a few tweaks from the Victoria tournament, chemistry wasn’t an issue.
“Coming off the high of winning gold at home, we had to reset – new time zone, new teams, new atmosphere,” Taylor said. “But the group bought in completely. They never backed down.”
Leading the charge was Finnegan Follick, who finished third in tournament scoring with 21 points – 18 goals and three assists – including all three goals in the quarterfinal win.
“Finnegan was an absolute beast,” said Taylor. “He’s strong, fit, and he’s a gamer. He played big minutes and came through in the clutch more than once.”
Austin Joyce also made a big impression, earning all-star honours as a defenceman, he added seven goals and two assists.
Between the pipes, Nolan Jordan and Bryson Stone-Frost shared the load. Jordan got the nod in both the quarterfinal and semifinal victories, while Stone-Frost stepped in for the second and third periods of the final and, as Taylor put it, “stood on his head.”
“We actually tied the second and won the third period in that game,” he said. “The game was out of reach by then, but that effort showed just how much character this group had.”
Across both tournaments, the Vipers posted a combined 10-2-1 record and a +18 goal differential.
“And it didn’t start with Game 1,” Taylor added. “It started in tryouts. Every kid bought in – to the practices, the dryland, the system. They all contributed something meaningful.”
With players from all across Greater Victoria, the team brought together a mix of hockey, lacrosse and soccer athletes. Many are now shifting focus back to their primary sports for the fall, but Taylor hopes the spark from this summer run keeps the momentum going.
“This was the best team I’ve coached in ball hockey – maybe the best I’ve coached, period,” he said. “They were galvanized. They believed in each other. And they left everything out there.”
