HALDIMAND—The Haldimand Heat U17 2010 girls are taking their golden summer east after an undefeated run at provincials earned them the chance to represent Ontario on the national stage.
The Heat went 7-0 at the U17 Tier 2 Provincial Grand Championships in Stratford from July 24-26, 2026, emerging from a 46-team field with the gold medal and Ontario 1 designation.
Their next challenge will come at the Eastern Canadian Championship in Fredericton, New Brunswick from August 20-23.
Coach Lenny Ellins said the Heat put together the kind of complete performance at provincials they were working toward throughout the season.
“The team did fantastic. They really pulled together,” he said.
The Heat opened the tournament with a 14-2 victory over Lucan-Ilderton before defeating EG Rise 15-8.
They followed with wins of 19-3 over Port Perry and 16-0 over the Halton Hawks on Saturday.
Sunday saw Haldimand defeat Brantford 10-4 before edging the Woodstock Nationals 8-7 to secure a berth at Eastern Canadians.
The Heat then completed their undefeated weekend with an 11-10 victory over Saugeen Shores in the provincial championship game.
The tournament required contributions throughout the lineup.
Sarah Longboat handled much of the pitching workload, appearing in the circle in six of the Heat’s seven games. When the championship game arrived, Brielle Bomberry stepped in and pitched all seven innings.
Several players contributed to the team’s offensive power, including Hailey Ellins, Lola Rae, Claire Taylor, Morgan Stark, Kayli Sault, Starley Longboat, and Kennedy Beck.
“Everybody’s contributed this year,” said Lenny of this year’s season, noting that was important when things went awry.
Rain affected several previous tournaments, with the Heat’s tournament results earlier in the year being mixed. Their league play has been stronger overall, with the team in contention for one of the top positions as the schedule winds down.
Lenny said one of the biggest changes has been away from the scoresheet, as new players worked to get accustomed to the team at the beginning of the year.
“The kids have bonded,” Lenny said. “The bench is buzzing, like when they’re all together.”
That chemistry will now be tested against teams from across eastern Canada.
The Heat are guaranteed five pool games in Fredericton, with those results determining playoff seeding.
Lenny said detailed scouting can be difficult because the team has not faced many of the programs it could encounter, although he expects strong competition.
He is nevertheless confident in what his players can accomplish.
“I got 100% faith in them,” Lenny said. “I honestly think if they show up to play ball, we have a really good chance at bringing home gold.”
The stage will not be entirely unfamiliar. Team manager Stacey Ellins said nine of the 11 players on the Heat roster were part of the group that won the Eastern Canadian Championship at the U15 level in 2025.
The team will also bring two additional players from other teams to New Brunswick, giving Haldimand a group of 13 players for the championship.
That trip comes with a significant financial commitment.
Stacey estimated travelling to New Brunswick could cost approximately $3,000 to $3,500 per player, putting the overall expense for the team in the range of $35,000 to $40,000.
The Heat have been seeking sponsors and raising money to help offset those costs. The team is currently running a 50/50 draw, which includes Toronto Blue Jays tickets, and is seeking sponsorship from local businesses and organizations.
Lenny said the response so far has shown how strongly the community has rallied behind the players.
“It’s crazy, the community support. It’s very overwhelming,” he said.
He credited parents, families, Stacey, and fellow coaches Jody Rey and Brad Stark for the work that goes into keeping the team on the field.
“It takes a lot of people to run a ball team, regardless of what age,” he said. “You gotta have really good support.”
Now, after conquering a 46-team provincial field without a loss, the Heat have another championship in their sights.
For many of the players, Fredericton represents an opportunity to defend the Eastern Canadian success they experienced a year ago.
For Lenny, this next test will showcase the collective strength of these individual players.
“They’re a team,” he said.
