When the Walkerton Hawks took the Western Junior C title it named them the league representative in the Clarence Schmalz Cup quarterfinals. While that gives a chance for local players to compete for the provincial title. What wasn't expected was that a local player will be on the other side waiting for them.
Kincardine's Payton Dunlop has finished his first full season for the Alliston Hornets. Not long ago his team was crowned Georgian Bay Mid-Ontario league champions. As in the past that means a meeting with Dunlop's fellow Bruce County boys from Walkerton.
"I know Payton very well." says Walkerton's Brett Coulson. "I am very excited to play against him."
That feeling is mutual, while Walkerton and Wingham were sorting out their 7 game thriller, Dunlop was ready and waiting to see his pals on the other side.
"There's a few guys I know on each team." He said, adding that it allows a chance at self scouting. "It is going to be a hard fought series, you have to be good to get to this point."
Dunlop's place on a team in the "rival" league doesn't come as a spur to local teams, it was just a chance he couldn't miss out on. His mother is from Alliston, giving him a chance to play in the area growing up.
"I got to see the success when I was growing up." He said "When I was invited to camp I saw it as a nice opportunity and just took it from there."
That success Dunlop talks about includes 6 league championships since 2008 and 2 provincial titles. Of course those years were not as kind to Walkerton, losing to the Hornets in Schmalz Cup quarters 6 years in a row.
Some of the players from those meetings with the Hawks remain on this year's Alliston roster. Dunlop says they are looking forward to another trip to the Hawks Nest. He is also looking forward to the series and getting to show off his talent close to home.
"I think you get to know the rink." He said. "There is a comfortability with playing somewhere you've been before and these two teams know each other well."
This season has been solid for the 18 year-old blue liner. In 32 games he scored 7 goals and added 18 assists, adding another 6 points in 11 playoff games. His intentions are to attend Georgian College in nearby Barrie, giving him plenty of opportunity to add to that total as a Hornet.
While that means he likely won't be in a Western Junior C team's colours anytime soon, his local hockey roots run deep. Dunlop's father Chris is a part of the Kincardine Bulldogs management and current Dog's coach Steve Stepaniak was behind the bench while Dunlop and the Kincardine Kinucks won back to back OMHA title's in his midget years.
All the friendships will of course be put aside when the series open's Tuesday night in Walkerton. But no matter the outcome, there will be at least one local player moving on the the Clarence Schmalz Cup semi finals.
*Reminder: All games between Walkerton and Alliston can be heard on CKNX, CKNX.ca and the Blackburn Radio App.
