The early favorites, Montreal Red Lite and Brampton Midnight Express were both looking for the championship and to preserve their place in the history books. Nonetheless, the upstart Metro Orangemen, Vaughan Red Wings, Quebec UH Clothing, Leominster Flyers, North York Hitmen and Toronto Polar Bears would have something to say about the outcome before it was all said and done.

In the end there were no Red Lite’s or Midnight train that would derail the Orangemen in the inaugural Players Invitational Ball Hockey Tournament. The team went 3-0 in the round robin ensuring a bye into the semi finals and a game versus a team they have battled with for numerous years in the Premier Ball Hockey League, the Brampton Midnight Express.

These two teams know each other very well, but it was timely goals by the Orangemen, combined with their stellar defensive style and the outstanding ball stopping of goaltender, Paul Zarnett would prove to be the difference in the 2-1 victory.

In the other semi final, the Montreal Red Lite would score early and often against the Leominster Flyers en route to the victory highlighted by the hat trick of Nelson Vargas Dias and the championship final would be set. The final would see two opposing styles of play between the run and gun offense of the Montreal Red Lite and the defensively sound Metro Orangemen.

The Orangemen are the best defensive team in the country and this would be their greatest challenge versus the high flying team from the Belle Province. The Orangemen from the first face off would set the tone not allowing the Red Lite to get their offence going playing stifling defence and the first period would end 1-0.

The Orangemen would strike again within the first five minutes of the second taking a 2-0 lead with fifteen minutes to play. At the twelve minute mark, the Red Lite offence would strike on the power play and we were indeed in store for a great finish. The next eight minutes was a time for the goalies as Samuel Beauchamp (Red Lite) and Anthony Flores (Orangemen) would stop all of the chances until the four minute mark where Ricardo Pires would score his second of the game and provide the insurance the O-men would need en route to their 3-1 victory and showed the ball and dek hockey world that they had arrived.

The Orangemen’s rise to prominence did not occur overnight. The team from their inception has been coached and managed by Marcel Vieira and Manny Correia. They are two of the finest gentlemen the sport has seen in many years and father figures to many of these young men.

Before graduating to arena ball hockey, the team used to toil in the gymnasiums within the City of Toronto as part of the Street Buds program playing at either Wallace or Mary McCormick Community Centres honing their skills. These years would be the foundation of what we see today and now the rest of the world is seeing them grow up and become men.

The most important factor in the success of any team is ensuring that the players work together towards one common goal, this responsibility falls on the shoulders of the Vieira and Correia. It’s the team concept that wins and everyone from the stars to the role players must lead and play defence with discipline.

While the team has a its stars in Ricardo Pires, Chris Creador and Chris Cerqueira who can all run, shoot and score and the coaching staff plays them in all situations.

The greatest additions and missing pieces were added last year in the veteran leadership of Glenn Bradbury, Ricky Da Ponte, Andy Pacheco, Danny Pacheco and perhaps most importantly the calming influence of Glen Bradbury Sr, ‘Pops’.

This team has a great make up and with many teams being able to offer one scoring line, this teams can send three solid lines over the boards. Goaltending is always the backbone of any championship calibre team and they have Anthony Flores and most recently picked up Paul Zarnett for the tournament.

While it's almost unthinkable for a team to be building a dynasty in a sport where there is for the most part total free agency, the Orangemen seem prepared to take a run at many provincial and who knows Canada Cup National Championships for years to come.

They are the ORANGEMEN

Game by game results below: