Like Alex Ovechkin in the final minutes of a one-goal game, the youngsters and teenagers who play 2Hot4Ice inline roller hockey surrendered to their passion for the sport and their competitive juices as the series skated into the “back nine” of its 2008-2009 season.

 The Greenville regional qualifier featured only one unbeaten division champion and three one-goal title games as 2Hot4Ice inched past the midway point in its season and moved ever closer to its annual national championship showcase, Showdown 2009, June 24-28 at the Dreamsports Center in Apex, North Carolina.

 Only one division champion won all of its games in Greenville. The Columbia Cobras went 4-0-0 at the Greenville Pavilion, opening with a 6-5 edging of the Carolina Comets and closing with a 6-4 win over the Charlotte Checkers Red to claim the 14U Gold division crown. The Cobras were paced by Patrick Hayes, who took home the coveted Deebs Young Award as the division’s unsung hero.

 14U Silver Division

The Charlotte Checkers Red bounced back from their loss to the Cobras to thwart the Stampede 6-5 to win Silver division honors. The Checkers Red, 3-1-0 in Greenville, was led by top dishman Sam Farson. The Greenville Grizzlies’ Erik Evans and Coleman Schmerbeck were the division’s points leader and top goalie, respectively.

 16U Gold Division

Having won its first three games by a combined score of 19-2, the Mission Blackout stumbled against Team Carolina White, losing 5-2 before righting its ship to nip the White 5-4 in the division finale behind top goalie Stephen Crudele and Deebs Young Award recipient Ellis Hess.

 16U Silver Division

After opening the regional with a 9-1 loss to the Mission Blackout and tying Team Carolina White 8-8, the Columbia Cobras stopped the Vette City Stingrays 5-3 and blasted Team Carolina Green 8-0 to face off with the Stingrays again in the division title game. There, the Adam Patterson-led Cobras prevailed 9-4 for the program’s second championship of the weekend. Patterson shared the division’s top dishman honors with Eli Spear of Team Carolina. The points leader was Mike DeLong, also a Team Carolina skater.

 18U Division

Team Carolina won four straight games after dropping its opener 3-2 to the Greensboro Spyders to take the division. The Carolinians, paced by points leader Loren Delloso, and top dishman Craig Schreckengaust, avenged that loss with a 7-3 spanking of the Spyders in the championship game. The Spyders’ Michael Kortz and Stiles Burr were the division’s top goalie and Deebs Young honoree, respectively.

Adult Division

In the most competitive of the divisions in Greenville, the Asheville Ice Dogs prevailed in three of their five games, capped by their championship game 6-5 win over Team Carolina in overtime.

 The next 2Hot4Ice qualifiers are scheduled for Palm Beach, FL and Snellville, GA April 17-19.

We look forward to seeing you there!