PHOTOS SUPPLIED There’s plenty of excitement amongst local minor hockey players, their parents and supporters as Peewee, Bantam and Midget rep teams from the South Okanagan Minor Hockey Association all won regular-season titles and are hoping to continue their great play during playoff action. The Peewee Junior Coyotes (bottom right) have already won a playoff round and kick off the second round Saturday morning at the Sun Bowl Arena at 10:45 a.m. The Bantam team (above) will kick off its playoff series against Kamloops Saturday afternoon at the Sun Bowl Arena. The Midget rep team (top right) will face Summerland or West Kelowna in the opening round with that game also set for Saturday afternoon. Check the SOMHA website for more information.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED
There’s plenty of excitement amongst local minor hockey players, their parents and supporters as Peewee, Bantam and Midget rep teams from the South Okanagan Minor Hockey Association all won regular-season titles and are hoping to continue their great play during playoff action. The Peewee Junior Coyotes (bottom right) have already won a playoff round and kick off the second round Saturday morning at the Sun Bowl Arena at 10:45 a.m. The Bantam team (above) will kick off its playoff series against Kamloops Saturday afternoon at the Sun Bowl Arena. The Midget rep team (top right) will face Summerland or West Kelowna in the opening round with that game also set for Saturday afternoon. Check the SOMHA website for more information.

It’s playoff time in local minor hockey ranks and three teams from the South Okanagan Minor Hockey Association  (SOMHA) have captured regular season league championships.

All three have now moved into the playoff round in the Okanagan Mainline Minor Hockey Association.

Teams from the Midget, Bantam and Peewee ranks are embroiled in playoff series and all three teams will play games in Osoyoos this weekend.

In the Peewee Division, the South Okanagan Junior Coyotes are off to a great start in OMAHA playoffs after knocking off Salmon Arm in two-straight games.

The Junior Coyotes hosted Salmon Arm last Friday at the Sun Bowl Arena, scoring early and often in an 11-1 drubbing of the visitors.

The SOMHA team travelled back to Salmon Arm last Saturday and finished off the home team 8-0 to take the best-of-three in two-straight games.

The Peewee team will open the next round of OMAHA playoffs Saturday at 10:45 a.m. at the Sun Bowl Arena.

In other first-round playoff action, Kelowna eliminated Penticton in two-straight games, Merritt ousted West Kelowna in two games and Winfield holds a 1-0 lead over Kamloops, with Game 2 set for Thursday in Kamloops.

In the Bantam Division, the SOMHA squad is set to take on Kamloops in a best-of-three series beginning Saturday afternoon in Osoyoos.

Kamloops advanced after beating Salmon Arm 4-1 in back-to-back games, Kelowna eliminated West Kelowna in two-straight, and Winfield took out Merritt.

In the Midget Division, the league-champion South Okanagan team is preparing to face either Summerland or West Kelowna in its second-round OMAHA playoff series. Summerland  took the first game in that series 3-0, while West Kelowna won the second game 3-2. The winner will travel to Osoyoos Saturday.

In other first-round action, Kelowna took out Salmon Arm in two-straight games, while Merritt eliminated Winfield.

Action begins Saturday at the Sun Bowl Arena in Osoyoos.

DALE CORY

Special to the Times