The 100 Mile Sport Shop Midget Reps head to Cranbrook this weekend as the Cariboo Zone representatives for BC Hockey's 2011 Midget Tier 3 Championships.
Their competition for preliminary games includes Cranbrook, Dawson Creek, Sooke and Langley, and they must finish in the top two to advance to the playoffs.
Team manager Bill Forman says the teams that are expected to present a real threat this year are Whitehorse, West Vancouver, Sooke and Merritt.
100 Mile had an opportunity to play an exhibition tilt with the Merritt squad on March 13 as a practice game for provincials. The game resulted in a 6-4 loss for 100 Mile, but twice during the match, 100 Mile held the lead.
Forman says his team is serious about doing well.
"We are not resting on our laurels, and just making it to provincials simply is not good enough for us. We would like to think that we are one of the better teams going, and winning it all is our goal.
"When our kids decide to put together 60 minutes of effort, we can compete and beat just about any team."
The squad raised much of the money that will be used to pay their expenses for the provincial tournament.
Forman says community support has been strong, including a donation of sand from United Concrete, which was used for making sand bags that were sold during the winter months. A hotdog sale held by the team and financial aid from 100 Mile Minor Hockey also contributed.