# Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League

Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League :
| Head Office | Cambridge, Ontario |
| Official Website | SOJHL |
| Convenor | Wayne Smith |
| Chairman | John Simmons |
| Operated | 1960-2016 |
The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League (SOJHL) is a former Canadian Junior ice hockey league sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association based out of Southwestern Ontario. Prior to the 2012-13 season, the SOJHL was promoted to the Junior C level.
In the summer of 2016, the SOJHL was merged into the Provincial Junior Hockey League.

## History

Founded in the 1960s as the Shamrock Junior D Hockey League. In 1969, the League would change its name to the Western Junior D Hockey League and its champion would go on to win eleven of the next nineteen provincial championships. In the Summer of 1985, the North Junior D Hockey League would fold, leaving the Western League and the Southern Counties Junior D Hockey League. In 1988, the SCJDHL would fold and its remaining teams joined the Western League. Bloated to nineteen teams, the league would continue on as the only Junior D league in Ontario. In 1991, the league became the OHA Junior Development League. In 2006, in an attempt to gain promotion to Junior C, the league dropped any reference of Junior D or Development and renamed itself the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
During the summer of 2006, the Yeck Conference applied to break off from the league and start their own Junior C league, but were turned down by the OHA. A talented and entertaining league, the SOJHL has a long-standing tradition of the OHA in the Southwestern Ontario region.
The SOJHL downsized extensively for the 2008-09 season, losing Mitchell, West Lorne, and Central Elgin. The league also reformatted into three divisions.
The SOJHL saw the Central Elgin franchise return, this time as the Port Stanley Sailors, for the 2009-2010 season.
As of 2012, the SOJHL is in talks with the OHA as to the future of the league. The 2012-13 season will be played at the Junior C level and the league will be folded and divided up into other leagues in the summer of 2013.
In the Spring of 2013, Junior C hockey in Ontario had its first major realignment since the creation of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League in 1994. The 27 teams between the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League and the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League were reshuffled. The SOJHL went from 15 to 9 teams, gaining the Aylmer Spitfires, but losing their reigning champion Ayr Centennials, the Burford Bulldogs, Delhi Travellers, Hagersville Hawks, Norfolk Rebels, Tavistock Braves, and Wellesley Applejacks. That summer the Niagara League would divide in half, forming the Midwestern Junior C Hockey League with its former Western Division.

## The Teams

| Team | Centre | Founded |
| Aylmer Spitfires | Aylmer | 1974 |
| Dorchester Dolphins | Dorchester | 2012 |
| Exeter Hawks | Exeter | 1961 |
| Lambeth Lancers | Lambeth | 1987 |
| Lucan Irish | Lucan | 1968 |
| Mount Brydges Bulldogs | Mount Brydges | 1975 |
| North Middlesex Stars | Parkhill | 1993 |
| Port Stanley Sailors | Port Stanley | 2009 |
| Thamesford Trojans | Thamesford | 1976 |

## 2015-16 Playoffs

Winner moves on to the Clarence Schmalz Cup.
| Quarter-final | Quarter-final | Quarter-final | Semi-final | Semi-final | Semi-final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Dorchester | 4 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Lambeth | 0 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Lambeth | 0 | 1 | Dorchester | 4 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Mount Brydges | 0 | | | |
| 4 | Mount Brydges | 4 | 4 | Mount Brydges | 0 | | | |
| 5 | Lucan | 1 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Lucan | 1 | | | | 1 | Dorchester | 4 |
| | | | | | | 2 | Exeter | 3 |
| 2 | Exeter | 4 | | | | | | | 2 | Exeter | 3 |
| 7 | Port Stanley | 0 | | | | | | |
| 7 | Port Stanley | 0 | 2 | Exeter | 4 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Aylmer | 0 | | | |
| 3 | Aylmer | 4 | 3 | Aylmer | 0 | | | |
| 6 | Thamesford | 0 | | | | | | |

## Champions
### League Title

From 1989 on, the winner of the league was also provincial champions and was awarded the OHA Cup. Bolded are league champions, italicized are runners-up in years with three divisions.
| Year | Champion | Finalist | Result in Provincials |
| Shamrock Jr. D ||||
| 1963 | Strathroy Rockets | Forest Lakesides | Won OHA Cup vs. Uxbridge (E) |
| 1964 | Hensall-Zurich Flyers | | Won OHA Cup vs. Stouffville (E) |
| 1965 | | | |
| 1966 | Belmont Sunsets | | Lost SF vs. Blenheim (BW) |
| 1967 | Mitchell Hawks | | Lost Final vs. Tweed-Madoc (E) |
| 1968 | Mitchell Hawks | | Won OHA Cup vs. Bobcaygeon (E) |
| 1969 | Lambeth Flyers | | Lost SF vs. Caledonia (SC) |
| Western Jr. D ||||
| 1970 | Exeter Hawks | Zurich Dominions | Lost SF vs. Norwich (SC) |
| 1971 | Exeter Hawks | Belmont Sunsets | Lost Final vs. Haliburton (C) |
| 1972 | Exeter Hawks | | Won OHA Cup vs. Bancroft (E) |
| 1973 | Mitchell Hawks | | Lost Final vs. Bradford (SCL) |
| 1974 | Belmont Bombers | | Lost Final vs. Stayner (SCL) |
| 1975 | Belmont Bombers | | Won OHA Cup vs. Stayner (SCL) |
| 1976 | Belmont Bombers | | Lost Final vs. Stayner (SCL) |
| 1977 | Exeter Hawks | | Won OHA Cup vs. Stayner (MO) |
| Year | North | South | Result in Provincials |
| 1978 | Exeter Hawks | | Lost Final vs. Lakefield (C) |
| 1979 | | |
| 1980 | | Belmont Bombers | Won OHA Cup vs. Fergus (N) |
| 1981 | | Belmont Bombers | Won OHA Cup vs. Delhi (SC) |
| 1982 | Lucan Irish | | Won OHA Cup vs. Langton (SC) |
| 1983 | Tavistock Braves | | Won OHA Cup vs. St. George (SC) |
| 1984 | Exeter Hawks | Mount Brydges Bulldogs | Won OHA Cup vs. Grand Valley (N) |
| 1985 | | |
| 1986 | Seaforth Centenaires | | Won OHA Cup vs. Delhi (SC) |
| 1987 | | Lucan Irish | Won OHA Cup vs. Tavistock (SC) |
| 1988 | Exeter Hawks | Lambeth Lancers | Won OHA Cup vs. Exeter |
| Year | North | Central | South |
| 1989 | Lucan Irish | Lambeth Lancers | Paris Mounties |
| 1990 | Lucan Irish | Thamesford Trojans | Ayr Centennials |
| Year | Eastern | Western |
| 1991 | Thamesford Trojans | Lucan Irish |
| OHA Jr. Development League |||
| 1992 | Thamesford Trojans | Lucan Irish |
| 1993 | Thamesford Trojans | Mitchell Hawks |
| 1994 | Port Stanley Sailors | Mitchell Hawks |
| 1995 | Thamesford Trojans | Port Stanley Lakers |
| Year | McConnell | Yeck |
| 1996 | Wellesley Applejacks | Exeter Hawks |
| 1997 | Wellesley Applejacks | Mount Brydges Bulldogs |
| 1998 | Wellesley Applejacks | Exeter Hawks |
| 1999 | Wellesley Applejacks | Lucan Irish |
| 2000 | Burford Bulldogs | Port Stanley Lakers |
| 2001 | Wellesley Applejacks | Mount Brydges Bulldogs |
| 2002 | Tavistock Braves | Exeter Hawks |
| 2003 | Wellesley Applejacks | Thamesford Trojans |
| 2004 | Tavistock Braves | Exeter Hawks |
| 2005 | Hagersville Hawks | Mount Brydges Bulldogs |
| Southern Ontario Jr. D |||
| 2006 | Delhi Travellers | Lucan Irish |
| 2007 | Delhi Travellers | Mitchell Hawks |
| 2008 | Tavistock Braves | Thamesford Trojans |
| Year | McConnell | Bauer | Yeck |
| 2009 | Delhi Travellers | Thamesford Trojans | North Middlesex Stars |
| 2010 | Delhi Travellers | Thamesford Trojans | Exeter Hawks |
| Year | McConnell | Yeck |
| 2011 | Ayr Centennials | Thamesford Trojans |
| 2012 | Hagersville Hawks | Thamesford Trojans |
| Southern Ontario Jr. C ||||
| Year | McConnell | Yeck | Result in Provincials |
| 2013 | Ayr Centennials | Lambeth Lancers | Lost CSC QF vs. Essex (GL) |
| Year | Champion | Finalist | Result in Provincials |
| 2014 | Dorchester Dolphins | Lambeth Lancers | Lost CSC QF vs. Essex (GL) |
| 2015 | Exeter Hawks | Dorchester Dolphins | Lost CSC QF vs. Essex (GL) |
| 2016 | Dorchester Dolphins | Exeter Hawks | Lost CSC QF vs. Essex (GL) |

## Regular Season Champions

This chart starts at the unification of the Junior D leagues, through the SOJHL's ascension to Junior C, until its merger into the Provincial Junior Hockey League in 2016.
| Season | Champion | Record | Points |
| Western Jr. D League ||||
| 1988-89 | Lucan Irish | 30-6-0-0 | 60 |
| 1989-90 | Lucan Irish | 25-4-6-0 | 56 |
| 1990-91 | Thamesford Trojans | 34-1-2-2 | 72 |
| OHA Junior Development League ||||
| 1991-92 | Thamesford Trojans | 26-7-1-1 | 54 |
| 1992-93 | Lucan Irish | 33-3-2-1 | 69 |
| 1993-94 | Port Stanley Lakers | 36-2-2-0 | 74 |
| 1994-95 | Thamesford Trojans | 34-2-3-0 | 71 |
| 1995-96 | Exeter Hawks | 30-4-4-0 | 64 |
| 1996-97 | Mount Brydges Bulldogs | 34-3-0-1 | 69 |
| 1997-98 | Wellesley Applejacks | 28-7-1-1 | 58 |
| 1998-99 | Wellesley Applejacks | 30-7-1-0 | 61 |
| 1999-00 | Port Stanley Lakers | 31-9-0-0 | 62 |
| 2000-01 | Port Stanley Lakers | 29-8-1-2 | 61 |
| 2001-02 | Exeter Hawks | 30-6-3-1 | 64 |
| 2002-03 | Exeter Hawks | 29-8-3-0 | 61 |
| 2003-04 | Hagersville Hawks | 28-4-3-5 | 64 |
| 2004-05 | Hagersville Hawks | 31-7-2-0 | 64 |
| 2005-06 | Delhi Travellers | 29-6-3-0 | 61 |
| Southern Ontario Jr. D League ||||
| 2006-07 | Tavistock Braves | 34-7-0-1 | 69 |
| 2007-08 | Mount Brydges Bulldogs | 36-3-0-1 | 73 |
| 2008-09 | Mount Brydges Bulldogs | 33-6-0-1 | 67 |
| 2009-10 | North Middlesex Stars | 30-4-0-2 | 62 |
| 2010-11 | Tavistock Braves | 26-6-0-3 | 55 |
| 2011-12 | Thamesford Trojans | 26-6-0-4 | 56 |
| Southern Ontario Jr. C League ||||
| 2012-13 | Lambeth Lancers | 29-5-0-3 | 61 |
| 2013-14 | Lambeth Lancers | 31-8-0-1 | 63 |
| 2014-15 | Lambeth Lancers | 31-7-0-2 | 64 |
| 2015-16 | Dorchester Dolphins | 35-5-0-0 | 70 |

## Former Member Teams

* Alvinston Flyers
* Ayr Centennials
* Bothwell Barons
* Burford Bulldogs
* Delhi Travellers
* Hagersville Hawks
* Hanover Hurricanes
* Hensall-Zurich Combines
* Lambeth Flyers
* Langton Thunderbirds
* Mitchell Hawks
* Ohsweken Golden Eagles
* Paris Mounties
* Port Dover Sailors
* St. George Dukes
* Seaforth Centenaires
* Strathroy Falcons
* Tavistock Braves
* Thedford Browns
* Wellesley Applejacks
* West Lorne Lakers
* Zurich Dominions