Wiarton Rock

Wiarton Rock
City	Wiarton, Ontario, Canada
League	Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
Founded	2006
Home arena	Wiarton Arena & Community Centre
Colors	Blue, Red, and White
General manager	Tina Ziel
Head coach	Joe Ziel
Franchise history
2006–2010	King Wild
2010–2011	Vaughan Wild
2011–2014	Lefroy Wave
2014–2016	Grey Highlands Bravehearts
2016–present	Wiarton Rock

The Wiarton Rock are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Wiarton, Ontario. The team is in the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL). The Rock have been relocated multiple times, spending time in King, Nobleton, Lefroy, and Markdale, Ontario.

Lefroy logo for three seasons before move to Markdale.

History

Bravehearts goalie on Breast Cancer Awareness night during 2014-15 season.

The King Wild's first game was the first game in the GMHL's history taking place on September 8, 2006, against the Richmond Hill Rams in Richmond Hill, Ontario. The Wild lost 6-0 to the Rams despite outshooting them. The Wild's first victory was a 5-1 decision over the Toronto Canada Moose on September 9, 2006. The team's first home game was against the Nipissing Alouettes on September 10, 2006. The Wild were victorious, winning by a 5-3 score.

The 2006–07 finalists started the 2007–08 season off rather slow. After playing poorly for most of the season, the Wild surged in the last quarter with a long winning streak to pull to a .500 record by the final regular season game. In the bye round of the playoffs, all byes had been picked and the final two teams remaining were the Wild and the Douro Dukes who would play in the first round by default. Although the Dukes played well, the Wild swept the series 4-0. The Wild continued to play well against the Temiscaming Royals in the league quarter-finals, but were still defeated by the second-seeded team in six games.

In March 2008, the Wild and the Richmond Hill Rams challenged the Mexico national ice hockey team to a set of four exhibition games. The first of two games for the Wild happened on March 22, as the Wild defeated the Mexican Senior team 7-6 in overtime. On March 25, the Wild beat them again 7-6, this time in regulation.

At the 2010 Summer Annual Governor's Meeting, it was announced that the Wild would relocate to the Vaughan Ice Plex in Vaughan, Ontario, after two seasons in Nobleton and two previous in King City.

In the summer of 2011, the Vaughan Wild moved to Lefroy, Ontario, and became the Lefroy Wave. In the spring of 2014, the Wave moved to Markdale, Ontario, and became the Grey Highlands Bravehearts. The Bravehearts were the first junior team to call home since the Junior D Markdale Mohawks played their final season in 1984–85.

After two seasons in Markdale, the Bravehearts moved again to Wiarton, Ontario, for the 2016–17 season where they became the Wiarton Rock.

Season-by-season records

Playoffs

King goalie with GMHL Official (2007)

Bravehearts player on Breast Cancer Awareness night during 2014-15 season.

• 2007 Lost final

King Wild defeated Toronto Canada Moose 4-games-to-1 in quarter-final

King Wild defeated Richmond Hill Rams 4-games-to-2 in semi-final

Bradford Rattlers defeated King Wild 4-games-to-1 in final

• 2008 Lost quarter-final

King Wild defeated Douro Dukes 4-games-to-none in bye round

Temiscaming Royals defeated King Wild 4-games-to-2 in quarter-final

• 2009 Lost division quarter-final

Deseronto Storm defeated King Wild 3-games-to-none in division quarter-final

• 2010 Lost quarter-final

South Muskoka Shield defeated King Wild 3-games-to-none in quarter-final

• 2011 Lost last minute qualifier

Toronto Canada Moose defeated Vaughan Wild 9-1 in last minute qualifier

• 2012 Lost quarter-final

Lefroy Wave defeated Shelburne Red Wings 2-games-to-none in bye round

Bradford Rattlers defeated Lefroy Wave 3-games-to-2 in quarter-final

• 2013 Lost division quarter-final

Bradford Rattlers defeated Lefroy Wave 3-games-to-none in division quarter-final

• 2014 Lost qualifier

Toronto Predators beat Lefroy Wave 5-3 in qualifier

External links

• Rock website