Bulldogs Junior Review: Under-18s, Under-14s and Under-12s

TOP BOMBING: Jacob Mardell (U-18 Spirit of the Game), Mikey Jenkins (U-14 Spirit of the Game), Daniel Baker (U-14 ‘Digger’) and Jacob Shaw (U-12 Spirit of the Game). Alez Szwajcar (not pictured) donned the Under-12 ‘Digger’ award.

IT proved a tough weekend for the Bulldogs’ junior teams, with all three in action - the Under-18s, Under-14s and Under-12s - coming off second best in their latest outings. 

The Under-18s were first up as they travelled east to take on Kingston Sharks, looking to avenge a 7-1 home defeat against their Yorkshire rivals on home ice back in December. 

Heavily out-gunned, the Bulldogs dug deep and trailed by a single goal after the first period, Charlie Barker beating Jacob Mardell on the power play at 12.41. 

That’s how the score stayed until late in the second period when Will Durgan and then James Hebb scored within a minute of each other to give the hosts a 3-0 lead.

Early in the third, though, the Bulldogs hit back through Charlie Farrow, only for Barker to restore the three-goal advantage five minutes later at 46.44. 

As the Bulldogs pushed for a way back they were hit by two further goals at the other end, Durgan grabbing his second of the game at 55.50 before Lucas Cockerline completed the scoring just under two minutes later for a deserved 6-1 win.

Once more, goaltender Jacob Mardell picked up the Spirit of the Game award for the Bulldogs, standing tall as he turned away 44 of the 50 shots on his net.

Back on home ice, the Bulldogs Under-14s played host to Sheffield IHA, just a week after playing them at Ice Sheffield. 

It was to prove another tough examination for the youngsters, who found themselves 3-0 down after the first period through goals from Teddy Hancock, Brandon Lake and Elliot Oades. 

The second period proved a lot tighter, with the Bulldogs making it 3-1 with a power play strike at 19.07 from Louis Brook. 

Sheffield hit back with goals from Spencer Sheldon-Wright and Ethan Widdowson to take a 5-1 lead into the third when they raced into a 9-1 lead with four goals in just two minutes, Harrison Fisher making it 6-1 at 32.15 with further goals from Hancock, Ollie Brown and Tyler Softley. 

The Bulldogs hit back with a goal from captain Thomas Lee at 35.41 but Sheffield made sure of the points with five more goals in as many minutes, Brown completing his hat-trick while Softley finished the game with four goals to his name in a convincing 14-2 win. 

Mikey Jenkins picked up the Bulldogs Spirit of the Game, while Daniel Baker was awarded the ‘Digger’ award.

Earlier, the Bulldogs Under-12s had taken on Solihull Junior Barons in a lively encounter, which saw the visitors 5-3 ahead after an eventful first period. 

Solihull sped into a 3-0 lead through Noah Earl, Bobby Bowers and Jackson Dudley before the Bulldogs hit back with a Bentley McEwen effort at 7.35.

The visitors’ lead stretched to 5-1 with a double strike from Guy Teeple, although the game was finely balanced at the fist break after Robson Bagott and George Clarke both found the net for the Bulldogs, only for Michael Dummong to quickly respond to make it 6-3 to the Barons.

It was in the second period where the game was ultimately decided though, scoring five further goals, while the Bulldogs hit the back of the net once, through Evan Bulmer at 33.17. 

In the third period, Solihull rounded out their 12-4 win with further goals from Drummond and Jackson Dudley.

Jacob Shaw picked up the Spirit of the Game award, while Alex Szwajcar was awarded the ‘Digger’ award.