KIVALLIQ
The Rankin Inlet bantam team evened the score with Iqaluit this hockey season by capturing the territorial championship in the capital earlier this month.
Nunavut champion territorial bantam hockey players from Rankin Inlet who visited the legislative assembly in Iqaluit this past week are Bubba Maktar, Ian Paniyuk and Kaelan Collier, front row from left, Minister Lorne Kusugak, Randall Qiyuk, Stephane Nukapiak, Tyrese Dias, Wager Tatty and Jakob Voisey, middle row from left, and Noah Paniyuk (coach), Craig Collier (manager), Issaluk Tattuinee, Nik Deagle, Jaden Sigurdson, Darrin Nichol (coach), Sidney Nichol, Nickolas Makpah, Kalaa Tartuk, Eric Nukapiak (coach) and Ethan Makpah, back row from left. - photo courtesy of Ron Elliot
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The Rankin bantams equalled what Iqaluit had accomplished at the midget territorial in Arviat earlier in the season, going through the entire tournament with a perfect 5-0 record and capping it off with a mercy-rule win over Iqaluit in the championship game.
Arviat took bronze at the event.
Head coach Darrin Nichol said the territorial was well run and a lot of fun for the kids.
He said the championship game was closer than the final score would indicate.
"I knew we had a strong team, but I was very surprised to go through the tournament undefeated," said Nichol.
"The host committee members did a fantastic job in Iqaluit and, thanks to them, it was an awesome experience for the kids."
Bad weather struck at the end of the tournament, stranding the Rankin team in Iqaluit for an extra two days.
Nichol said the extra time in Iqaluit cost the Rankin team a good deal of money.
He said the coaches will now meet to assess the situation, and decide if that was the final tournament of the season for the Rankin squad.
"We'll have to take a hard look at our finances because they're pretty tight right now.
"Those extra two days really cost us a lot.
"We had a penny sale this past weekend to raise funds, but it all comes down to dollars with the remaining tournaments this year."
Despite the cost, the extra days in Iqaluit proved to be a great experience for the Rankin players.
The bantams were given a tour of the legislative assembly by Lorne Kusugak and recognized by the minister during the afternoon session.
Nichol said at first, he worried the players would be bored at the assembly.
But, he said, they seemed to be really taken by the experience, especially the tour.
"We were in the lobby when Lorne (Kusugak) came out and saw us, which led to us getting a real nice tour the following morning.
"They showed us around and then invited us back for the afternoon session, during which Lorne recognized the participants as visitors in the gallery.
"It's a beautiful facility and to get a tour and see our politicians in action was really cool.
"The players wore their jerseys to the afternoon session and being recognized by Lorne and Tagak Curley was pretty special for them."
