NEWCASTLE Vipers faced Kingston Junior Ice Hockey Club in challenge matches at under-10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 levels at Newcastle Arena. At under-10s, Kingston proved far too strong and were 19-2 victors. Shea Proctor and Steve Downey were the Vipers’ marksmen. Connor Shanks put Newcastle ahead in the opening minute of the under-12 clash. Kingston Rivermen were level by the break and scored a dozen more in the second, but Shanks, William Robson and a five-timer from Joshua Hall saw Kingston lead 13-8 after two periods. The visitors added three further goals in the final period. UNDER-12 VIPERS SCORERS: Joshua Hall 5+2, Connor Shanks 2+1, William Robson 1+1, Kaitlin Butterfield 0+1. The Under-14 Vipers went down 2-0 to Kingston Aeros in a competitive encounter. Aeros went ahead after eight minutes and doubled the advantage in the 23rd minute. Kingston Crunch took an eighth-minute lead against the Under-16 Vipers, and in the final minute of the first period, Vipers levelled through James Moss on the powerplay. Crunch regained the lead early in the second session and, thanks to their netminder, kept the advantage. Two late goals for Kingston handed them a 4-1 victory – a scoreline that flattered them a little. UNDER-16 VIPERS SCORERS: James Moss 1+0, Graham Robson 0+1. Following three defeats, the Under-18 Vipers broke the sequence with a 10-6 win over Kingston Predators. Kingston went ahead after seven minutes, but a Grant Sharp hat-trick, plus goals from Thomas Etherington and Moss, gave Vipers a 5-1 lead at 27.49. By the end of the second period, in which 10 goals were shared equally, Newcastle were 7-6 ahead, with Callum Pattison and Scott Cooper adding to the home side’s tally. Further final-period strikes from Sharp, Pattison and Cooper rounded off the scoring. UNDER-18 VIPERS SCORERS: Grant Sharp 4+2, Callum Pattison 2+4, Scott Cooper 2+0, James Moss 1+1, Thomas Etherington 1+0, Callum Davies 0+2, Daniel Pye, Ross Hanlon and Richard Emerson 0+1. Whitley Blackhawks opened their Under-18 North One League season with a 7-2 defeat by Nottingham Leopards at Hillheads. Blackhawks began well and led 2-0 at the first break with goals from Thomas Steedman and Nathan Salam, both on the powerplay. Three goals in six minutes in the second session put Leopards 3-2 ahead. Nottingham struck four more in the third to complete the victory. BLACKHAWKS SCORERS: Nathan Salem and Thomas Steedman 1+0. Whitley Arrows went down 12-3 to Telford Venom in Under-12 North One at Hillheads on Sunday. The previous day Venom defeated Billingham Bombers 20-4. Kyle Ross and Ben Richards pulled two goals back for Arrows with Telford leading 6-0. Telford’s seventh followed before Abby McGregor netted Whitley’s third. The visitors scored five without reply in the final to round off the victory. ARROWS SCORERS: Ben Richards 1+1, Kyle Ross and Abby McGregor 1+0, Connor Keegan 0+1. | 
