Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League

The Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League is a Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association. The Champion of the Western will compete for the All-Ontario Championship and the Clarence Schmalz Cup.

:Western Junior "C" Hockey League 1966 - 1970:Central Junior "C" Hockey League 1970 - 1980:Grey-Bruce Junior "C" Hockey League 1980 - 1988:Western Ontario Junior "C" Hockey League 1988 to Present

History

The Western Junior C Hockey League was founded in 1966 when the original OHA Central Junior C Hockey League, a large league, was divided up. In 1970, the Western league changed its name to the Central league. A couple years later, another league from the old Central league, the Intercounty Jr. C league merged with the new Central league. Brought into the fold was the Caledonia Corvairs who won the league and the Clarence Schmalz Cup in 1973, then jumped to the Junior B level.

In 1969, the Hanover Hurricanes made the jump from the Western Junior D Hockey League to the Central Junior "C". Early powerhouses in the league were the Listowel Cyclones, Kincardine Kinucks, and New Hamburg Hahns. The Hanover Barons are the only remaining team that is still a member from the founding of the league in 1966. They won two Clarence Schmalz Cups while playing in the league and dominated in the 1960s. They were promoted to Junior "B" in 1977. The league became one of at least four different leagues in the OHA to be known as the Central Jr. C league since 1960. The league may have changed it name in 1970 to the Grey-Bruce Junior C Hockey League. This lasted until 1988, as the league granted expansion to 2 teams that were not in Grey or Bruce County -- in 1987, the Mount Forest Patriots and in 1989, the Brussels Bulls. In 1988, the league donned its present name, the Western Junior "C" Hockey League.

From 1972 until 1976, the Central league (now the Western league) featured a variety of teams from the Niagara region of Ontario. In 1974, the majority of these teams broke away to form the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League. In 1976, the remainder of these teams walked away to form the Southwestern Junior B Hockey League, which folded in 1978 and the remaining teams went mostly to the Niagara District league to help form a Western division.

During the 2004-05 season, the WJCHL played an interlocking schedule with the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League. The WJCHL lost the series with 44 losses, 32 victories, and 6 ties.

On May 29, 2008, the Western league and the Ontario Hockey Association allowed for the Mitchell Hawks to move from the more southerly Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League and into the Western league for the 2008-09 season. This marks the second time the Hawks have been in the loop, the first being the mid-1960's. Also, they share the same name as the Walkerton Hawks, although Walkerton's name is from the raptor (since 1999), while Mitchell's is from the Native Chief.

The Teams

2006-07 League Playoffs

:"For the Ontario Hockey Association "All-Ontario Jr. "C" Championship", please go to the Clarence Schmalz Cup."3RoundBracket-Byes | RD1= Quarter-finals
RD2= Semi-finals
RD3= Western Finals
group1=
group2=

RD1-seed1=
RD1-team1=
RD1-score1=
RD1-seed2=
RD1-team2=
RD1-score2=

RD1-seed3=4
RD1-team3=Hanover
RD1-score3=3
RD1-seed4=5
RD1-team4=Mount Forest
RD1-score4=1

RD1-seed5=
RD1-team5=
RD1-score5=
RD1-seed6=
RD1-team6=
RD1-score6=

RD1-seed7=3
RD1-team7=Walkerton
RD1-score7=3
RD1-seed8=6
RD1-team8=Goderich
RD1-score8=1

RD2-seed1=1
RD2-team1=Kincardine
RD2-score1=4
RD2-seed2=4
RD2-team2=Hanover
RD2-score2=1

RD2-seed3=2
RD2-team3=Wingham
RD2-score3=0
RD2-seed4=3
RD2-team4=Walkerton
RD2-score4=4

RD3-seed1=1
RD3-team1=Kincardine
RD3-score1=4
RD3-seed2=3
RD3-team2=Walkerton
RD3-score2=1

Western Junior "C" Champions

*2008 Walkerton Hawks *2007 Kincardine Bulldogs *2006 Kincardine Bulldogs *2005 Wingham Ironmen *2004 Wingham Ironmen *2003 Hanover Barons *2002 Kincardine Bulldogs *2001 Hanover Barons *2000 Kincardine Bulldogs *1999 Kincardine Bulldogs *1998 Kincardine Bulldogs *1997 Kincardine Bulldogs *1996 Mount Forest Patriots *1995 Mount Forest Patriots *1994 Mount Forest Patriots *1993 Hanover Barons *1992 Hanover Barons *1991 Hanover Barons *1990 Hanover Barons *1989 Hanover Barons *1988 Hanover Barons *1987 Hanover Barons *1986 Hanover Barons *1985 Hanover Barons *1984 *1983

*1982 Walkerton Blackhawks *1981 *1980 Port Elgin Bears *1979 Kincardine Kinucks *1978 *1977 Listowel Cyclones *1976 *1975 *1974 "Woodstock Navy-Vets" *1973 Caledonia Corvairs *1972 *1971 Hanover Hurricanes *1970 Hespeler Shamrocks *1969 New Hamburg Hahns *1968 New Hamburg Hahns *1967 New Hamburg Hahns

Bolded text indicates Clarence Schmalz Cup Champions.

"Bolded Itallics" indicates OHA Super C Champions.

"This list is not complete, please help"

Former Member Teams

:Arthur Eagles (1978-1980):Brantford Penguins (1974-1976):Brussels Bulls (1989-1999):Caledonia Corvairs (1972-1973):Elmira Sugar Kings (1966-1970):Fergus Green Machine (1980-1982):Grand Valley Harvesters (1989-1993):Hespeler Shamrocks (1963-1970):Ingersoll Marlands (1973-1976):New Hamburg Hahns (1966-1977):Kitchener Flying Dutchmen (19xx-1973):Listowel Cyclones (1972-1979):London Optimists (19xx-1976):Owen Sound Salvagemen (1974-1975):Paris-Burford Flyers (1972-1974):Port Elgin Bears (1976-1989):Preston Raiders (1966-1969):St. Thomas Colonels (1972-1973):Simcoe Jets (1972-1974):Tillsonburg Titans (1974-1976):Wiarton Wolves (1994-2003):Woodstock Navy-Vets (1972-1976)

External links

* [http://www3.sympatico.ca/hmorell/ Western Jr. "C" Website]
* [http://www.ohahockey.org/ OHA Website]