Here is a story in todays TO Sun, Peter Worthington.
To the team and the community, well done.

Very interesting article.

Monday, November 17, 2008 Toronto0°Tomorrow »0°/ -5°Change city Sports Hockey
The best game in town
In Wellington, junior A rules

By PETER WORTHINGTON, TORONTO SUN

Last Updated: 17th November 2008, 3:26am
What are these? How come the smallest community in Ontario with a junior A hockey team, year after year, produces one of the best teams in Canada?

Of the 37 Provincial Junior A league teams, the village of Wellington, 15 kilometres east of Picton on Loyalist Highway 33, with a population of 1,700, advertises itself on a billboard that it is "Home of the Dukes."

And every season, for the past dozen years, the Dukes have finished at, or near, the top of the tier-II league, and advanced deeper into the playoffs than anyone, except themselves and their fans, expect.

Last year, for instance, was a rebuilding year, with no great expectations. Yet, the Dukes advanced in the playoffs until finally beaten by Aurora Tigers, who went on to win the Canadian title.

Five years ago, the Dukes made it to the final round-robin championships held in Prince Edward Island.

Parents of hockey-playing kids all over Ontario compete to send their kids to try out for the Dukes. Players aspiring for hockey scholarships to American universities, vie to play for the Dukes, with four on this year's team hoping for scholarships to the University of Wisconsin next season.

"Parents know we look after their kids," Dukes president Hugh Parliament says. "The boys live with locals -- I have one lad living with my family -- and we look after them, make sure their schooling is good and that they participate in community functions. They are family."

Parliament says a dozen of his players over the years have made it to the NHL and American Hockey League.

This year, the Dukes were moved to the Central Division, competing against St. Michael's, the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Hamilton, Newmarket, Markham, Cobourg and Stouffville, which entails greater travel expenses for buses.

Various fundraising efforts make up the $30,000-plus in added expenses.

Despite having five of their best players in Camrose, Alta., at the beginning of the month playing for Canada East at the World Junior A Challenge, the Dukes find themselves in third place in the division, but just three points out of first with a 14-4-1 record.

"We've built up a good reputation over the years in hockey and our treatment of the kids," James Hurst, vice-president of the team and fundraiser extraordinaire.

"Players want to come here because their talents improve and they are valued.

"We've become Hockeytown Canada -- the smallest and best junior A team in the country."

In fundraising, Hurst has organized a "Super Sports Draw" lottery of 2,000 tickets at $10 apiece, with virtually every business in the one-stoplight village donating prizes.

As well, the Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators each have donated 16 tickets, with the Blue Jays contributing four, and the Argos and Raptors two tickets apiece.

The Dukes even chip in with a season ticket. This takes care of the bus for this year.

The town, meanwhile, is building a new arena to replace the present one which has seats only on one side. The other side is lined with championship pennants above the players benches.

For every game, it seems the fans outnumber the population of Wellington.

While the coaching is good every year, it's Wellington itself that seems to inspire the young players, and vice-versa. Those who fret that Canadians are becoming wimpy -- and there are some -- have never seen junior A hockey in action. A mixture of big and small, these kids are tough, fast, don't back down, never quit and play hard and clean.

Small wonder Wellington loves its Dukes. Small wonder that young hockey players bust their butts in hopes of playing for Wellington.

Every one is a local hero and, for young guys, mostly 16 to 21, that is icing on the cake.

Wow, a few glaring mistakes in this one, sounds like it was written the year after the 2006/07 season and re-hashed and updated.

"the smallest and best Junior "A" team in the country"

I'll buy "one of the best" not the best.

I can't believe it, the Sun and Worthington should be embarrassed over this article.

smc57 the only error i see in that article is last years lost to markam not the tigers . i do smell jealousy you know the DUKES are a hot commodity in the village . This years team is no different than other DUKES teams in the past hard workin hard skating team .I personally love it year after year.GO DUKES GO.

"Maple Leaf"

I realize that it is an error however it was not just an error of the wrong team that the Dukes played last year, but they refer to being beaten by the Tigers that went on to win the RBC. Now that's not just a wrong team error, that's a whole wrong year error and I don't think that any Duke personel would have made such an error, that's why I think parts of the article were re-hashed news from the 2006/07 season. It's the Sun that I think made the error in this one

Didn't Aurora defeat Wellington in the league finals in 2007?

Wouldn't that make it "last year"?

Maybe some people are thinking of "last season" when Markham played Wellington.

The Tigers defeated the Dukes in the OPJHL finals in the 2006/07 season, before going on to the Dudley and the RBC in April and May 2007.

Last season 2007/08, the Dukes met the Waxers in the South/East final. Waxers won and went on to the OPJHL finals against Oakville. The Blades won and went on to the Dudley and the RBC in April and May 2008.

If one was paying attention to one's write up and the facts, one would be pretty hard to refer to 2006/07 as last year, wouldn't you say? As I said, Worthington or someone pulled some of the facts from 2 seasons ago and nobody caught it.

Anyway, I still like the Sunshine girls.

2007= Last year.

It is somewhat rehashed, I remember the original piece Worthington did a few years back, and ask youirself how much hockey he covers. This was an update from the other story.

I wonder where he lives?

Start a big debate over how old the story was.
The jest of the story still rings true and I just wanted give the community some props.
I know Worthington lives in the area, and may have a soft spot for them
However, it was meant for the community.

Again, nice job to all fans and the club.

Robert