The Kelowna peewee Rockets have come a long way since losing their regular season opener 12-0 to Kamloops in early October.

This weekend in Nanaimo, the Rockets are among the final six teams in the running for the provincial tier 1 championship.

Kelowna will be joined by North Shore, Abbotsford, Prince George, Victoria and Nanaimo in the five-game, round-robin tourney which opens on Sunday.

With North Shore and Abbotsford considered the favourites, Rockets含羞草研究社� head coach Grant Sheridan expects his team will arrive at provincials a little under the radar.

含羞草研究社淲e like that we含羞草研究社檙e the underdogs, we have been all year,含羞草研究社� said Sheridan. 含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 think too many people expected us to get this far, so we含羞草研究社檙e good with that role.含羞草研究社�

After struggling to find their game early in the season, the Rockets began to hit their stride after Christmas, winning a 32-team tier 1 tournament in Regina in January.

Then two weeks ago, the Rockets took down rival Kamloops in straight games in the Okanagan Mainline final, winning 5-3 and 5-2.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e seen steady team improvement this season,含羞草研究社� Sheridan said. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e not the biggest or maybe the best as far as skill goes, but we just keep getting better. We have pretty good depth and we play as a team.

含羞草研究社淭he boys are looking forward to provincials.含羞草研究社�

The B.C. final is set for next Wednesday, March 22.

At the peewee boys tier 2 level, the West Kelowna Warriors will be in Trail for the nine-team provincial championship.

Bantam A girls含羞草研究社�

The Kelowna bantam A girls will be looking to defend their provincial title at the B.C. Hockey finals, beginning Sunday in Richmond.

The host Richmond Ravens are expected to be the ones to beat at the seven-team event.

含羞草研究社淩ichmond is very strong,含羞草研究社� said Rockets manager Trevor Lutes. 含羞草研究社淗aving said that, our girls have been playing well and anything can happen at provincials.含羞草研究社�

Kelowna won the Okanagan Mainline title earlier this month, beating Kamloops 3-0 and 2-1 in double overtime to take the best of three in straight games.

Peewee A girls含羞草研究社�

Kelowna含羞草研究社檚 peewee A girls will be pursuing a provincial title beginning Sunday in Surrey.

The Rockets will be joined at the B.C. Hockey finals by the host Falcons, Richmond, Tri Cities, Kamloops and South Island.

The teams will play five round robin games, with the final set for next Wednesday, March 22.

Kelowna won the Okanagan Mainline tile in straight games, defeating Kamloops 7-1 and 4-0.