It was 58 years ago in the spring of 1968 the Kingston Midget all-stars won the OMHA championship, the third provincial midget title in Kingston’s long hockey history. Coached by Garry Lavallee, the Rotary-Kiwanis Midget All-stars beat Sarnia 4-3 in front over two-thousand fans at the Kingston Memorial Centre in the deciding game.

Kingston previously won OMHA Midget championships in 1961 and 1942. Lavallee played on the 1961 Kingston championship team, and as a player also won championships with the Kingston Junior B Frontenacs and the Senior ‘B’ Kingston Merchants. Lavallee through Kingston-based scout Bill ‘Squeak’ Reason, had a tryout with the powerful Montreal Junior Canadiens of that era.

In the 1961 OMHA Midget final, Lavallee set the tone early scoring four goals in the series opening game against Stamford in a 7-5 Kingston win. In the series clinching game, it was tied 2-2 in the third when Lavallee scored two huge goals and Kingston hung on for a 4-3 win to cop the Ontario title.

Lavallee, a longtime rink attendant at Wally Elmer Arena, passed away in 2017. Garry always went the extra mile for kids in Rideau Heights during his years at Wally Elmer, giving them a positive experience and often staying late so they could have some ice time. In the summer, Garry worked at the city-run golf course at Belle Park.

Lavallee also coached the varsity hockey team at St. Lawrence College in the early 1970’s.

In the deciding game of the 1967-68 OMHA Midget Finals, Kingston had five players battling a measles epidemic, including Mike Lynch. However, in the series clincher Lynch was in on all four goals – a goal and three assists. Brent Childerhose scored what turned out to be the winning goal with just over five minutes remaining.

As for the play of Lynch, “He’s a tireless player- he never stops. When he’s out there I don’t have to worry. I know he’s doing his job,” said Lavallee.

Kingston played the Toronto Marlies for the ‘All-Ontario’ championship (Toronto teams didn’t compete in the OMHA playdowns). The Marlies beat Kingston 6-2 in the series opener, back on home ice at the Memorial Centre for Game Two, Kingston trailed 3-1 late in the third period, but got two late goals from Bob Murray and Colin Loudon to send it to overtime. The Marlies prevailed 4-3 in OT to sweep the two-game series.

Although disappointed by the loss, Lavallee said, “Our boys don’t have to be ashamed of that performance,” against a very strong Toronto team. Several Toronto supporters stopped by the Kingston dressing room to echo the same words.

Frank Coffey was one of the top players that season for Kingston and rated as one of the best midget prospects in the province. Coffey was offered a tryout with the Ottawa 67’s that fall, but he would ultimately return home to play for the Jr. B Frontenacs and later was team captain at Queen’s University.

Loudon had a tryout with the Peterborough Petes and Evan Clark went to the Oshawa Generals training camp. There was some deep talent on the Kingston roster, including a young Gary MacGregor, Phil Treacy, Bob Ferguson, Mike Lynch, Barry Brooks, and D’Arcy Walters in goal who helped Kingston capture a memorable OMHA title.

Sadly, team captain John Dover was killed that summer in a motorcycle crash on Wolfe Island.

Mark Potter is a longtime Kingston broadcaster, Past President of the Original Hockey Hall of Fame & honoured member of the Kingston & District Sports Hall of Fame.