Raiders earn trip to Mac's tournament

A 14-year old Okotokian is hoping to go into one of Canada’s most prestigious Midget hockey tournaments with a clear head.

Jillian Barvir, 14, missed the Highwood Raiders’ 4-3 victory over the Calgary Bruins Sunday in High River due to a concussion, but she plans to be back in the lineup when the Raiders play in the Mac’s Midget Hockey tournament Dec. 26-31 in Calgary.

The Raiders are making their first trip to the Mac’s since 2008 after they failed to qualify last year.

Barvir is confident she will be ready.

“I got the concussion when I got hit at the Notre Dame tournament earlier this month, but I will be ready for the Mac’s,” said Barvir, a Grade 9 student at John Paul II Collegiate. “I’m stoked about it. There’s going to be a lot of scouts there and it’s going to be really good hockey.”

The Raiders have been playing solid hockey this season. They finished fifth in the tournament at Notre Dame with a 4-1 record. They currently have a 14-6-5 record and are in third place in the South Division of the Alberta Major Midget Female Hockey League.

Barvir will be one of four Okotoks area residents on the team; the others include forwards Giovanna Zanoni and Kenzie Menzak along with goalie Jenn Schmidt.

“We want to go in there with a lot of intensity right from the start, because we know we can beat all the teams there,” Barvir said.

Schmidt played with the Raiders as a 15-year-old goalie in 2008.

“It is definitely different than any other tournament because of all the publicity,” she said. “It’s fun because the games mean so much more than in league play. If you lose a few games, you won’t be going on to the playoff round.”

Schmidt was a late cut for the U-18 Team Alberta which will play in the Canada Games in 2011. She said while she is disappointed, she has put it behind her.

She is now focusing on the Mac’s.

“I have been telling my teammates that every shift is important and to work hard,” she said. “It could come down to points for and against (to make the playoffs).”

She also told the players not to worry about the scouts.

“That will just mess with your head,” Schmidt said. “Just focus on hockey. If you work hard and make it to the finals, the scouts are going to notice.”

Schmidt, a Grade 12 student at Highwood High School, is planning to play hockey for the University of Regina Cougars next year.

The 17-year-old Zanoni, who had a big goal in the Raiders’ victory over the Bruins, said the Raiders are going into the Mac’s on a high note.

“We really bonded when we were at Notre Dame,” the Grade 12 student at Holy Trinity Academy said.

Zanoni, a tenacious forechecker for the Raiders, is having a good year as she has notched five goals and added four assists.

“When I found out we were in the Mac’s I practically freaked out,” she said with a smile.” I got the text from Jennie (Schmidt) and then I told my parents and they were all excited.”

Although Zanoni is in Grade 12 and hoping to play hockey in university or college, she won’t let the fact there are scores of college scouts at the Mac’s get to her.

“I think the time to worry about the scouts is when you’re done playing,” she said. “When you’re on the ice, you have to be worrying about how you play on the ice.”

The Raiders are playing the Mac's in a pool with the Edmonton Thunder, the Calgary Flyers, the Melville Prairie Fire and the Fraser Valley Phantoms.

“We lost to the Fire yesterday and we started off really badly but I think they are beatable,” Zanoni said. “I think the Edmonton Thunder will be our toughest competition in the pool. We beat Melville at Notre Dame.”

Menzak moved from Lethbridge at the start of the year to play with the Raiders.

She said the move has paid off. She’s not only made great friends but she has the chance to play in her first Mac’s tournament.

“I heard it is great competition and I think it will prove how good this team is and what we can bring to the table,” said Menzak, the Raiders’ captain. “I have to make sure everybody is ready for a long week and we can play our best games.”

She admitted to being concerned about scouts.

“I have received a few calls and for sure, I know they are there,” she said. “But I can’t play for myself; I have to play for the team and just work hard every shift.”