Bermuda Select fifth best in Worlds

By Don Burgess
(Sports from 2001-06-13 Edition)

IT WAS the Miracle on Cement as the novices from the Bermuda Select Team shocked the world in placing fifth at the World Ball Hockey Championships in Toronto.  The Bermuda Ball Hockey Association’s squad was the talk of the tournament as it beat Germany, Austria and Switzerland in exceeding anyone’s expectations.  The squad had no experience playing at the international level, had never played on a regulation-sized rink and was competing against countries that had tens of thousands of people to draw from.

Canada may have won the tournament, but the Bermuda Select Team won the hearts of the fans.  The Select Team put in a gritty performance against the defending World Champions Slovakia, before allowing four goals in the final period to lose 7-0.  It then almost upset Switzerland, but was valiant in a 4-3 defeat.
The team beat the U.S. 5-2 to finish third in Pool B. The first consolation game went into overtime before the Bermuda Select upset Austria 3-2.  It then played tough defence as it edged Germany 2-1 for fifth place.

The squad was powered by Eric Bertrand who had five goals and two assists. Chad Critchley and Kevin Haddon-Harris both had two goals apiece while Critchley assisted on five goals. Haddon-Harris had two assists. Also finding the net were Jeff Ingleman, Tom Murray, Jeff Sangster and Kirby Smith.  Peter Brodsky led the team in penalty minutes (8), but also had two assists. Other assist leaders were: Sheldon Chychrun (1), Ingleman (1), Shawn Mckee (1), Mike Moore (2), Murray (2), Wayne Newhook (2), Sangster (2) and Smith (1).