Over the April 9th to 12th weekend in Mississauga, Sault Ste. Marie natives Maija St-Pierre and Skylar Ruschpler competed at the U22 Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) Championships as members of the Etobicoke Dolphins from the OWHA’s U22 Elite League—and came away as champions.

The Dolphins opened the tournament in dominant fashion on Thursday afternoon, cruising to an 8-0 victory over the Bluewater Hawks. They carried that momentum into Friday morning, delivering another strong performance in an 8-1 win over the Ottawa 67’s. Later that day, Etobicoke was tested in a tightly contested matchup against the Whitby Wolves but held on for a 4-3 victory to remain undefeated heading into the playoffs.

In semifinal action on Saturday evening, the Dolphins continued their impressive run, defeating the Mississauga Hurricanes 3-1 to punch their ticket to the gold medal game. Facing the Durham West Lightning on Sunday afternoon, Etobicoke capped off a perfect weekend with a 7-4 win to secure the championship.

For St-Pierre and Ruschpler, the tournament marked a memorable achievement on the provincial stage, representing their hometown of Sault Ste. Marie while contributing to a championship-winning performance. The Dolphins’ undefeated run showcased their depth, skill, and determination, solidifying their place as one of the top U22 teams in Ontario.