Julian Demiglio, Riley Pope, Jacob Winsor named assistant captains
When David Paglia was informed he was the new captain of the Stouffville Spirit Jr. A Hockey Club, he didn’t have to search far for inspiration.
“I look back on my first two years here, having Odaro Ewere as our captain,” Paglia said this week. “I know I have big shoes to fill but to be put in the same category as Odaro feels pretty special.”
Ewere wore the ‘C’ the past two seasons in Spiritville.
Now 21, Ewere is playing for the Jr. C Georgina Ice this season while completing his studies at Seneca College in Toronto. Unlike Jr. A teams, Jr. C squads are allowed to roster overage 21-year-olds.
Ewere, who took part in a wide variety of community events during his three years with the Spirit, was named the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Humanitarian of the Year for 2023-24.
The Spirit named Julian Demiglio, Riley Pope and Jacob Winsor assistant captains, following a vote by the players this month.
“Just a great group of guys,” said Paglia. “I look at a guy like Winsor, who came to our team this year after winning the league (in Collingwood and Ottawa) the past two years. To have someone like that who all the guys can look up to… He can even give examples. Great to have him here.”
“Poper, like me, has been here three years. He knows the ropes. He knows his role. He comes out every night. He’s been one of our best players, if not our best player, in the past 10 games.”
“With Demiglio, you can’t go wrong. He brings it every night. He does what it does. A second-year guy who already has the commitment (to NCAA Division I RIT) and he deserves it.”
With four goals and 11 assists in the Spirit’s first 17 games, Paglia is one point off his point total from last year.
The 6-foot-3 defenceman first played minor hockey in his hometown of King.
“David, Riley, Jacob and Julian epitomize what it means to be a Spirit,” Spirit Head Coach TJ Hill said. “All four are not only great players on the ice but very high-character people off the ice. They are highly regarded and respected by their peers and coaches.”
The Spirit is preparing for a grueling run, playing three games in three nights, book-ended by home games at the Stouffville Arena on Thursday and Saturday.
Now 8-6-0-3, the Spirit is in fifth place in the tightly packed 12-team OJHL East.
The Stouffville team has earned points in its past four games, including wins over Markham and Pickering. Three of those games were decided in double-overtime, in which the teams play three-on-three.
THE SCHEDULE
Oct. 24, Cobourg at Stouffville, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 25, Stouffville at Aurora, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 26, North York at Stouffville, 7:30 p.m.
All games broadcast on 102.9FM whistlefm.ca radio and FloHockey TV https://www.flohockey.tv/leagues/10826657-ontario-junior-hockey-league-ojhl (subscription required).
THE SCORES
Stouffville 7, Markham Royals 0, Oct. 17
Riley Pope had two goals and Danny Thomakos picked up a goal, two assists and the team’s player of the game belt in a weekday matinee at the Stouffville Arena. Kyle Downey made 16 shots for the shutout.
Lachlan Wells, Griffen Boyle, Maxime Morin and Josh Bonnyman also scored.
Wellington 5, Stouffville 4 2OT, Oct. 18.
The Spirit scored three straight goals in the third period but Wellington scored in the final minute of regulation and double overtime in Wellington. Evan Breckles, who scored twice, leads the Spirit with 11 goals on the season. Wells scored and assisted on two more goals. Paglia had the other goal.
Haliburton County 5, Stouffville 4 2OT, Oct. 20
Big Ivan Mentiukov, fresh off the injured list, and Wells scored the only goals of the third period to force overtime at the Stouffville Arena. Thomakos and Winsor had the other Spirit goals against Haliburton, the top-ranked team in the 24-team OJHL.
Spirit This Week is sponsored by Farmer Jack’s in Stouffville and Sharon.
