By JIm den Hollander
Editor/Publisher
Saukhockey.info
The First Annual EV42 Evelyn Gurney Memorial Hockey Tournament united youth hockey fans from Sauk County and beyond this past weekend.
In its first season, the tournament was run as a peewee/bantam event with four teams in each division. Round robin play determined the two finalists in each group and in the end, the bantam Blue Devils and peewee Wildcats collected the extra commemorative puck as tournament champions.
As expected, the tournament saw primary involvement from the RWD youth hockey organization, but Baraboo Thunderbirds along with Sauk Prairie Flyers, Monkeys and Lake City Whitecaps were also well represented. Others came other area organizations, some as far as Milwaukee or Rhinelander.
While the primary focus was on the ice, there was also some raffles and tons of locals renewing acquaintances with other locals at the event that fittingly took place at both the Lake Delton Ice Arena and Reedsburg Area Community Arena (RACA).
Pictures of the two winning teams appear below, but this was an event to remember Gurney and celebrate the game she loved. The best description of what the game meant to the young hockey player appeared on the back page of the program, written by her parents and copied with permission below.
“Evelyn Gurney was a loving daughter, sister, friend and teammate. Her love of hockey was bigger than her.
“She was not a big kid, but played as if she was, always aggressive and never afraid of getting hurt. She lived her lif the way she played the game, Big. She was down for any adventure and loved to sing and dance through house. Beyond her hard work on the ice, she was a straight A student and loved to help her Dad with projects around the house. We called her our worker bee, always busy and helping.
“She loved to help people and animals. This tournament keeps her memory alive while helping kids continue their hockey dreams.
“Forever in our Hearts and on our Ice.”
Sauk Hockey 