By Josh Howald

When a best-of-five series takes six games, you know it has been a close series.

Ripley bangs home a loose puck for the game's fourth goal last Tuesday night against West Grey in Game 6 of the OMHA quarter-finals. (Josh Howald photo)

But the sixth and deciding game of this OMHA juvenile CC-C quarter-final series between Ripley and West Grey was anything but close. This game was all Ripley, with the Wolves taking an early lead, adding another and chipping in two goals late in the second perod to mkae it 4-0 headed for the third. With the season on the line, West Grey managed just one shot at Ripley goaltender Easton Battler, who posts the shutout win.

MacDonald and Cody Woods each scored once, while Zac McIntosh scored twice. Ripley wisely chose a passive dumping game in the third period of this game to avoid West Grey runs from all over the ice. It was a disappointing finish to a series that had been so tight. Ripley's Saturday night win in Game 4 meant they only had to tie Game 5 to advance to the OMHA semi-final. But West Grey eked out a 2-1 win in Game 5 at the Durham arena Sunday afternoon to force Monday's extra tilt.

A good crowd was on hand to watch the juveniles eliminate West Grey and advance to the OMHA semi-final series, where they will take on Lambton Shores. Lambton Shores eliminated Belmont in another quarter-final series. Campbellford and Schomberg will meet in the other semi-final series.

The series will open tonight (Friday) in Forest at 8:30 p.m. Ripley will host Games 2 and 3 of the series this weekend. Game 2 is a 6 p.m. start Saturday, while Game 3 is a 2:30 p.m. tilt on Sunday afternoon.