It was a successful weekend for the Township of Russell at the 28th annual Finch Youth Broomball Tournament. The U12 Russell Forest Rangers claimed gold, the U16 Russell Dark Blue Atlanteans took bronze, the U16 Russell Paladins earned silver, and the U16 Russell Druids secured gold.
The tournament kicked off on Friday evening with the U16 Paladins defeating the Finch Orange Panthers 5-0. The U16 Green Druids followed with a 2-0 victory over the Finch Black Tigers. The U16 Dark Blue Atlanteans edged out the Finch Red Cougars 2-1, while the U12 Forest Rangers fell short against the Finch Black Shadows, losing 1-0.
On Saturday, the Paladins faced the Druids in a close match, emerging victorious with a 1-0 win. The Atlanteans defeated the Finch Yellow Wildcats 1-0, and the Forest Rangers bounced back with a 1-0 victory over the Finch Blue Cyclones.
Saturday also saw fundraising efforts by local teams. The U20 Eastern Thunder Girls Broomball team hosted a breakfast for players and attendees, while the U20 Warriors Juvenile Boys Broomball team organized a spaghetti supper. Both events aimed to raise funds for the upcoming 2025 Juvenile Broomball Nationals in Val-d’Or, Quebec.
Sunday featured intense matchups. The Paladins triumphed over the Atlanteans 2-1, while the Druids defeated the Finch Yellow Wildcats 2-0 before facing the Atlanteans again and winning. In the final showdown between the Paladins and Druids, the Druids clinched the gold medal.
The U12 Forest Rangers had a standout Sunday, defeating the Russell White Hurricanes 3-1 and the Vankleek Hill Rockets 2-0. In their final game, they avenged their earlier loss to the Finch Black Shadows with a hard-fought 2-1 victory, earning them gold.
The tournament, held from Friday, January 10, to Sunday, January 12, brought together teams from the Finch Youth Broomball League, the Russell Minor Broomball League, and the Vankleek Hill Rockets League. Over 12 players from Carleton Place and Lanark, who did not have a team, were welcomed to join other leagues.
A total of 24 teams participated over the weekend: four in U7, four in U9, eight in U12, and eight in U16, totaling approximately 355 players. This year’s tournament featured two more teams than in 2024 and five more than in 2023.