Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
Head OfficeCambridge, Ontario
Official WebsiteSOJHL
ConvenorWayne Smith
ChairmanJohn Simmons
Operated1960-2016

The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League (SOJHL) is a former Canadian Junior ice hockey league sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association based out of Southwestern Ontario. Prior to the 2012-13 season, the SOJHL was promoted to the Junior C level.[1]

In the summer of 2016, the SOJHL was merged into the Provincial Junior Hockey League.

History

Exeter Hawks goalie readies for a shot in Dorchester, Ontario during the 2013-14 season.

Founded in the 1960s as the Shamrock Junior D Hockey League. In 1969, the League would change its name to the Western Junior D Hockey League and its champion would go on to win eleven of the next nineteen provincial championships. In the Summer of 1985, the North Junior D Hockey League would fold, leaving the Western League and the Southern Counties Junior D Hockey League. In 1988, the SCJDHL would fold and its remaining teams joined the Western League. Bloated to nineteen teams, the league would continue on as the only Junior D league in Ontario. In 1991, the league became the OHA Junior Development League. In 2006, in an attempt to gain promotion to Junior C, the league dropped any reference of Junior D or Development and renamed itself the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Junior Development Hockey League

During the summer of 2006, the Yeck Conference applied to break off from the league and start their own Junior C league, but were turned down by the OHA. A talented and entertaining league, the SOJHL has a long-standing tradition of the OHA in the Southwestern Ontario region.

Dorchester Dolphins defenseman rushes back to defend against rush during 2013-14 season.

The SOJHL downsized extensively for the 2008-09 season, losing Mitchell, West Lorne, and Central Elgin. The league also reformatted into three divisions.

The SOJHL saw the Central Elgin franchise return, this time as the Port Stanley Sailors, for the 2009-2010 season.[2]

As of 2012, the SOJHL is in talks with the OHA as to the future of the league. The 2012-13 season will be played at the Junior C level and the league will be folded and divided up into other leagues in the summer of 2013.

In the Spring of 2013, Junior C hockey in Ontario had its first major realignment since the creation of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League in 1994. The 27 teams between the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League and the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League were reshuffled. The SOJHL went from 15 to 9 teams, gaining the Aylmer Spitfires, but losing their reigning champion Ayr Centennials, the Burford Bulldogs, Delhi Travellers, Hagersville Hawks, Norfolk Rebels, Tavistock Braves, and Wellesley Applejacks.[3] That summer the Niagara League would divide in half, forming the Midwestern Junior C Hockey League with its former Western Division.

The Teams

Thamesford Trojans player in 2014.
TeamCentreFounded
Aylmer SpitfiresAylmer1974
Dorchester DolphinsDorchester2012
Exeter HawksExeter1961
Lambeth LancersLambeth1987
Lucan IrishLucan1968
Mount Brydges BulldogsMount Brydges1975
North Middlesex StarsParkhill1993
Port Stanley SailorsPort Stanley2009
Thamesford TrojansThamesford1976

2015-16 Playoffs

Winner moves on to the Clarence Schmalz Cup.

Quarter-final Semi-final Final
         
1 Dorchester 4
8 Lambeth 0
1 Dorchester 4
4 Mount Brydges 0
4 Mount Brydges 4
5 Lucan 1
1 Dorchester 4
2 Exeter 3
2 Exeter 4
7 Port Stanley 0
2 Exeter 4
3 Aylmer 0
3 Aylmer 4
6 Thamesford 0

Champions

Mitchell Hawks Captain accepting OHA Cup as 2006-07 Playoff Champion.

League Title

From 1989 on, the winner of the league was also provincial champions and was awarded the OHA Cup. Bolded are league champions, italicized are runners-up in years with three divisions.

Year Champion Finalist Result in Provincials
Shamrock Jr. D
1963Strathroy RocketsForest LakesidesWon OHA Cup vs. Uxbridge (E)
1964Hensall-Zurich FlyersWon OHA Cup vs. Stouffville (E)
1965
1966Belmont SunsetsLost SF vs. Blenheim (BW)
1967Mitchell HawksLost Final vs. Tweed-Madoc (E)
1968Mitchell HawksWon OHA Cup vs. Bobcaygeon (E)
1969Lambeth FlyersLost SF vs. Caledonia (SC)
Western Jr. D
1970Exeter HawksZurich DominionsLost SF vs. Norwich (SC)
1971Exeter HawksBelmont SunsetsLost Final vs. Haliburton (C)
1972Exeter HawksWon OHA Cup vs. Bancroft (E)
1973Mitchell HawksLost Final vs. Bradford (SCL)
1974Belmont BombersLost Final vs. Stayner (SCL)
1975Belmont BombersWon OHA Cup vs. Stayner (SCL)
1976Belmont BombersLost Final vs. Stayner (SCL)
1977Exeter HawksWon OHA Cup vs. Stayner (MO)
Year North South Result in Provincials
1978Exeter HawksLost Final vs. Lakefield (C)
1979
1980Belmont BombersWon OHA Cup vs. Fergus (N)
1981Belmont BombersWon OHA Cup vs. Delhi (SC)
1982Lucan IrishWon OHA Cup vs. Langton (SC)
1983Tavistock BravesWon OHA Cup vs. St. George (SC)
1984Exeter HawksMount Brydges BulldogsWon OHA Cup vs. Grand Valley (N)
1985
1986Seaforth CentenairesWon OHA Cup vs. Delhi (SC)
1987Lucan IrishWon OHA Cup vs. Tavistock (SC)
1988Exeter HawksLambeth LancersWon OHA Cup vs. Exeter
Year North Central South
1989Lucan IrishLambeth LancersParis Mounties
1990Lucan IrishThamesford TrojansAyr Centennials
Year Eastern Western
1991Thamesford TrojansLucan Irish
OHA Jr. Development League
1992Thamesford TrojansLucan Irish
1993Thamesford TrojansMitchell Hawks
1994Port Stanley SailorsMitchell Hawks
1995Thamesford TrojansPort Stanley Lakers
Year McConnell Yeck
1996Wellesley ApplejacksExeter Hawks
1997Wellesley ApplejacksMount Brydges Bulldogs
1998Wellesley ApplejacksExeter Hawks
1999Wellesley ApplejacksLucan Irish
2000Burford BulldogsPort Stanley Lakers
2001Wellesley ApplejacksMount Brydges Bulldogs
2002Tavistock BravesExeter Hawks
2003Wellesley ApplejacksThamesford Trojans
2004Tavistock BravesExeter Hawks
2005Hagersville HawksMount Brydges Bulldogs
Southern Ontario Jr. D
2006Delhi TravellersLucan Irish
2007Delhi TravellersMitchell Hawks
2008Tavistock BravesThamesford Trojans
Year McConnell Bauer Yeck
2009Delhi TravellersThamesford TrojansNorth Middlesex Stars
2010Delhi TravellersThamesford TrojansExeter Hawks
Year McConnell Yeck
2011Ayr CentennialsThamesford Trojans
2012Hagersville HawksThamesford Trojans
Southern Ontario Jr. C
Year McConnell Yeck Result in Provincials
2013Ayr CentennialsLambeth LancersLost CSC QF vs. Essex (GL)
Year Champion Finalist Result in Provincials
2014Dorchester DolphinsLambeth LancersLost CSC QF vs. Essex (GL)
2015Exeter HawksDorchester DolphinsLost CSC QF vs. Essex (GL)
2016Dorchester DolphinsExeter HawksLost CSC QF vs. Essex (GL)

Regular Season Champions

This chart starts at the unification of the Junior D leagues, through the SOJHL's ascension to Junior C, until its merger into the Provincial Junior Hockey League in 2016.

SeasonChampionRecordPoints
Western Jr. D League
1988-89Lucan Irish30-6-0-060
1989-90Lucan Irish25-4-6-056
1990-91Thamesford Trojans34-1-2-272
OHA Junior Development League
1991-92Thamesford Trojans26-7-1-154
1992-93Lucan Irish33-3-2-169
1993-94Port Stanley Lakers36-2-2-074
1994-95Thamesford Trojans34-2-3-071
1995-96Exeter Hawks30-4-4-064
1996-97Mount Brydges Bulldogs34-3-0-169
1997-98Wellesley Applejacks28-7-1-158
1998-99Wellesley Applejacks30-7-1-061
1999-00Port Stanley Lakers31-9-0-062
2000-01Port Stanley Lakers29-8-1-261
2001-02Exeter Hawks30-6-3-164
2002-03Exeter Hawks29-8-3-061
2003-04Hagersville Hawks28-4-3-564
2004-05Hagersville Hawks31-7-2-064
2005-06Delhi Travellers29-6-3-061
Southern Ontario Jr. D League
2006-07Tavistock Braves34-7-0-169
2007-08Mount Brydges Bulldogs36-3-0-173
2008-09Mount Brydges Bulldogs33-6-0-167
2009-10North Middlesex Stars30-4-0-262
2010-11Tavistock Braves26-6-0-355
2011-12Thamesford Trojans26-6-0-456
Southern Ontario Jr. C League
2012-13Lambeth Lancers29-5-0-361
2013-14Lambeth Lancers31-8-0-163
2014-15Lambeth Lancers31-7-0-264
2015-16Dorchester Dolphins35-5-0-070

Former Member Teams

References

  1. ↑ "Mixed reaction to SOJHL becoming Jr. C league | Simcoe Reformer". www.simcoereformer.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
  2. ↑ http://www.portstanleynews.com/details/headline.aspx?menu=1024_Sports_Sports+Headlines_Port+Stanley+Sailors+Junior+Hockey, Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ "ONTARIO HOCKEY ASSOCIATION APPROVES JUNIOR C REALIGNMENT FOR START OF 2013-14 SEASON | Ontario Hockey Association".
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