Dawg Bowl XIV Stories
This one was for Marty
On Sunday at Dawg Bowl XIV, the Colorado Mustangs won their first Dawg Bowl Championship. But, it meant a little more to the team as it honored Marty McKnight, the founder and longtime captain of the Mustangs who passed away late last year.
The Colorado Mustangs were founded by Marty McKnight in 1992. An integral part of the hockey community, Marty was the Mustangs’s captain and heart and soul for the last 30 years. On October 8th, 2023 Marty McKnight passed away during a game due to a heart attack playing the game he loved, wearing the jersey he loved, surrounded by the people that he loved.
Dented Pucks
There were some amazing moments during Dawg Bowl XIV, but this one is hard to beat. The Dented Pucks are a blind team with players from all over the country. One of those is Keith Haley from Connecticut. Keith had a pretty normal life until he began losing his sight at age 25. As hereditary glaucoma began to take his sight, Keith was unsure he would ever play hockey again, but that all changed when he found blind hockey.
As a standout HS hockey player at Farmington High School, Keith spent his HS career skating on a line with Craig Pierce, now a Colorado resident. These once inseparable teammates hadn’t seen each other in years and Craig took the opportunity to root on his old linemate who had made the 2,000 mile cross country trek to play in his first Dawg Bowl.
Once the word was out about these two, the Dented Pucks invited Craig to once again play on a line with his childhood friend. So on Sunday morning Keith and Craig took the ice together for the first time in nearly 35 years! The smiles were in abundance and the emotions ran high as these two experienced something they didn’t think would ever be possible after Keith’s diagnosis.
Postgame was full of laughter as they turned back the clock while slipping on their old Farmington gear, reliving their glory days as a couple of high school hockey stars.
The magic that exists at the Dawg Bowl is undeniable, and this is yet another example of our never ending no coincidences!
Final Day
Our final day of the tournament was absolutely our best ever. Our championship games played to standing room only crowds, and did not disappoint, with down to the second winning goals taking the game. With a full contingent of police officers showing their support for one of their own, we managed to pull off a surprise check presentation to the Clifford Family… a moment that was full of emotion and inspiration for this incredible family facing challenging times. There were tears and cheers as the crowds gave their encouragement and support. The Guns and Hoses game was fast paced and the close score kept everyone on the edge of their seat until the very final buzzer. Congratulations to the firefighters for taking this one. The final games have concluded and we want to applaud our championship teams. You played some amazing hockey this weekend and gave us more than a few “miracle on ice” moments. And finally, thank you to all who attended, volunteered, sponsored, and donated… you truly change the world!
Epic Day
Saturday at DB XIV was definitely epic, in so many ways! In addition to some exciting hockey, there was the always inspirational Survivor Game, both Sled hockey and Blind Hockey games, an emotional and heartfelt check presentation, and a whole lot of “Giving Back” to make a difference… and a Platinum Game that was won in the final seconds, making it truly one for the record books! Join us again today for some incredible games and some amazing moments!
Friday at DB XIV
Friday at DB XIV offered some stellar hockey, with our platinum teams showcasing some exciting games. And the night was capped with an emotional check presentation to CJ “Hoss” Hunter, followed by our first ever movie, The Late Game, under the stars.
Saturday is the biggest day of the tournament. Platinum games commenced at noon, along with our BBQ and live music by the Powerflushers. One of the highlights of the day was our incredible Survivor Game at 2:30. The silent auction was in full swing and wrapped Saturday night. There were food trucks, the merch booth, and both blind hockey and sled hockey exhibitions as well. So a fun filled, action packed Saturday at the Edge Arena. Thank you for showing up for Dawg Nation!
Here’s yet another amazing moment from Dawg Bowl XIV
Dan Grady and Brian Peoples both grew up in Darien, Connecticut. Living less than a mile apart these two spent hours playing pond hockey and eventually ended up being teammates on the Darien High School hockey team. Both graduating in 1977, these two childhood pals even sat right next to each other in the Darien team picture!
After graduating they lost touch and unbeknownst to each other they both eventually ended up in Colorado. Although they both lived in the Centennial State, they never connected until now!
On top of everything else, both of these Darien natives are Dawg Nation recipients! Dan has fully recovered from hip surgery and Brian suffered a massive stroke in October of 2022. Brian has become a key piece of our weekly Hockey Heals group and Dan now has plans to join us as well!
These two hadn’t seen each other in nearly 50 years until the Dawg Bowl magic dust was sprinkled upon them! Dan was reviewing past
recipients on the Dawg Nation webpage and couldn’t believe his eyes when he ran across Brian’s story! That predicated a surprise meetup during DB XIV where both reminisced and caught up on each other’s lives!
We say it over and over, and we will continue to, there are “no coincidences”!