Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League

----
 	
{| cellpadding="1" width="275px" style="font-size: 90%; border: 1px solid gray;"
Southern Ontario Junior "A" Hockey League	Southern Ontario Junior "A" Hockey League
Membership 	Ontario Hockey Association
Founded 	1950
Ceased 	1977
Sutherland Cups 	6
Regional Champions 	3
National Champions 	1
First Champion 	Sarnia Jr. Sailors (1951)
Last Champion 	Guelph Platers (1977)
 	
OHA Junior "A" 	OHA Junior "A"
SOJHL 	(1970-1977)
OPJHL 	(1972–1987)
MetJHL 	(1991-1998)
OJHL 	(1993-2009)
CCHL 	(2008-Present)
OJAHL 	(2009-Present)
Ontario Hockey Association 	Ontario Hockey Association
Canadian Junior Hockey League	Canadian Junior Hockey League
OHA Junior "B" 	OHA Junior "B"
WJBHL 	(1950-1968)
EJBHL 	(1950-1972)
MetJHL 	(1950-1989)
NDJBHL 	(1954-1979)
CJBHL 	(1954-1993)
BCJHL 	(1958-1964)
MOJBHL 	(1970-1978)
SWJBHL 	(1976-1978)
WOHL 	(1969-2007)
MWJHL 	(1973-2007)
GHL 	(1974-2007)
GOJHL 	(2007-Present)
Sutherland Cup 	Sutherland Cup
The Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League was a Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey that lasted from the late 1960s until 1977 in Southern Ontario, Canada. The league was swallowed by what is now called the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League in 1977.
:The Big '10' Western Division Prior to 1956
:Western Ontario Junior "B" Hockey League 1956 - 1968
:Western Ontario Junior "A" Hockey League 1968 - 1970
:Southern Ontario Junior "A" Hockey League 1970 - 1977
==History==
In 1956 the tradition Big '10' League was divided, its Western Division became the Western Ontario Junior "B" Hockey League, and the Central Division became the Central Junior "B" Hockey League.
In the 1960s, the Western Junior "B" Hockey League was arguably the top league of Junior "B" hockey in Ontario. The Western's brass and the team owners felt that they should, as a whole, be promoted to Junior "A" status. In 1968 they pushed the issue with the Ontario Hockey Association. The the OHA refused the promotion and in return the league declared itself renegade. Declaring themselves the Western Junior "A" Hockey League, the WOJAHL operated independently for the next two seasons. 
After the 1969 playoffs, the WOJAHL champion St. Thomas Barons, starring future NHLer Ken Murray, faced off against future Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke and the Flin Flon Bombers of the Western Canada Hockey League to determine a National Champion outside of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The first two games of the Best-of-Seven series took place in St. Thomas, Ontario. Flin Flon won game one 6-2, while St. Thomas returned the favour in game two with a 6-3 win. The teams then shipped out to Flin Flon, where the Bombers took game three 5-0. In game four, the Bombers led 4-0 at 10:10 of the second period, and the last of two brawls in the game would break out. In retaliation, the Barons walked off the ice. When St. Thomas made it clear they would not finish the series, the Canadian Hockey Association awarded the championship to the Bombers. Coach Keith Kewly and Manager Jack Cassidy were suspended one season by their league and the team was fined $700. The town of St. Thomas had to raise $4500 to bring the team back home from Manitoba. Initially the CHA suspended the Barons for the entire 1969-70 season, but the suspension was overturned by the WOJAHL.
In 1970, the Top Tier of Junior Hockey in Ontario broke away from the OHA as well. To save face, the OHA opened negotiations with the WOJAHL. The league was welcomed back into the OHA as the top level in its system and changed its name to the Southern Ontario Junior "A" Hockey League.
The 1971 League title went to the Detroit Jr. Red Wings, starring Mark Howe and Marty Howe, sons of legend Gordie Howe. Detroit defeated Guelph 3-games-to-2 with two ties to clinch the title. Detroit went on to defeat the Ottawa M & W Rangers in the quarterfinals of the Centennial Cup before losing to the Charlotetown Islanders in the Eastern Final. The next season saw the Guelph CMC's challenge and defeat Detroit in the final 4-games-to-1. The CMC's pushed further and ended up winning theManitoba Centennial Cup as Canadian Tier II Junior "A" Champions.
In 1973, the Chatham Maroons took the league crown and then defeated the newly formed Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League's champion the Wexford Warriors for the OHA Crown. The next season's title was won by the Windsor Spitfires who then fell to the Warriors in seven games.
The '75 title was won by the CMC's again. They made it all the way to the National title, but fell to the Alberta Junior Hockey League champion. In 1975-76, the CMC's were bought and renamed the Guelph Platers. They won the league once again, and moved on to the national title playdowns. Their first opponent was the Rockland Nationals of the Central Junior A Hockey League. After going up 3-games-to-none on them, the Platers fell apart and lost in seven games.
The league had six teams in 1975-76 but that was only due to the additions of the Hamilton Mountain A's and the Owen Sound Greys. The Jr. Red Wings had gone back to playing in the United States, the Sarnia Bees went to the newly formed Western Junior B Hockey League and the Windsor Spitfires moved up to the Ontario Hockey League.
In 1976-77 the Collingwood Blues also joined the league but three other teams dropped out, reducing the number of clubs to four. The Niagara Falls Flyers folded to make way for a new OHL franchise in that city, the Welland Sabres also folded and Chatham returned to Junior B.
After the 1977 playoffs, the league folded and the Platers and A's were invited to join the OPJHL. The Greys went on hiatus for one season and then moved up to the Major Intermediate A Hockey League. Collingwood returned to Junior B. The Guelph Platers joined the OHL in 1982 and are now known as the Owen Sound Attack.
==Teams==
 	
{| cellpadding="1" width="500px" style="font-size: 90%; border: 1px solid gray;"	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Former WOJHL/SOJHL Teams	Former WOJHL/SOJHL Teams	Former WOJHL/SOJHL Teams	Former WOJHL/SOJHL Teams	Former WOJHL/SOJHL Teams	Former WOJHL/SOJHL Teams	Former WOJHL/SOJHL Teams	Former WOJHL/SOJHL Teams	Former WOJHL/SOJHL Teams	Former WOJHL/SOJHL Teams	Former WOJHL/SOJHL Teams
Team 	Centre 	Joined 	Exited 	Status 	 	 	 	 	 	
Brantford Foresters 	Brantford, Ontario 	1968 	1970 	Merged w/ Majors 	 	 	 	 	 	
Brantford Majors 	Brantford, Ontario 	1970 	1972 	Joined NDJBHL 	 	 	 	 	 	
Buffalo-Glencoe Tondas 	Buffalo, NY/Glencoe, ON 	1973 	1974 	Folded 	 	 	 	 	 	
Chatham Maroons 	Chatham, Ontario 	1968 	1976 	Joined WJBHL 	 	 	 	 	 	
Collingwood Blues 	Collingwood, Ontario 	1976 	1977 	Joined MOJCHL 	 	 	 	 	 	
Detroit Jr. Red Wings 	Detroit, Michigan 	1970 	1974 	Joined NAHL 	 	 	 	 	 	
Guelph CMC's 	Guelph, Ontario 	1970 	1975 	Became Platers 	 	 	 	 	 	
Guelph Imperials 	Guelph, Ontario 	1968 	1970 	Merged w/ CMC's 	 	 	 	 	 	
Guelph Platers 	Guelph, Ontario 	1975 	1977 	Joined OPJHL 	 	 	 	 	 	
Hamilton Mountain A's 	Hamilton, Ontario 	1975 	1977 	Joined OPJHL 	 	 	 	 	 	
Michigan Americans 	Utica, Michigan 	1973 	1974 	Folded 	 	 	 	 	 	
Niagara Falls Flyers 	Niagara Falls, Ontario 	1972 	1976 	Folded 	 	 	 	 	 	
Owen Sound Greys 	Owen Sound, Ontario 	1975 	1977 	Joined MWJHL 	 	 	 	 	 	
St. Thomas Elgins 	St. Thomas, Ontario 	1968 	1973 	Merged w/ Colonels 	 	 	 	 	 	
Sarnia Bees 	Sarnia, Ontario 	1971 	1972 	Joined WJBHL 	 	 	 	 	 	
Sarnia Legionnaires 	Sarnia, Ontario 	1968 	1970 	Folded 	 	 	 	 	 	
Welland Sabres 	Welland, Ontario 	1970 	1976 	Folded 	 	 	 	 	 	
Windsor Spitfires 	Windsor, Ontario 	1971 	1975 	Joined OMJHL 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Jack Oakes Memorial Trophy Playoff Champions==
 	
{| cellpadding="1" width="360px" style="font-size: 90%; border: 1px solid gray;"	
Year	Champion 	Finalist
1969	St. Thomas Barons 	Brantford Foresters
1970	Chatham Maroons 	Brantford Foresters
1971	Detroit Jr. Red Wings	Guelph CMC's
1972	Guelph CMC's 	Detroit Jr. Red Wings
1973	Chatham Maroons 	Guelph CMC's
1974	Windsor Spitfires 	Chatham Maroons
1975	Guelph CMC's 	Windsor Spitfires
1976	Guelph Platers 	Chatham Maroons
1977	Guelph Platers 	Collingwood Blues
===Western Junior "B" Champions===
:1968 Sarnia Legionnaires
:1967 St. Thomas Barons
:1966 Sarnia Legionnaires
:1965 London Nationals
:1964 London Nationals
:1963 St. Marys Lincolns
:1962 St. Thomas Barons
:1961 St. Marys Lincolns
:1960 St. Marys Lincolns
:1959 Sarnia Legionnaires
:1958 Sarnia Legionnaires
:1957 Sarnia Legionnaires
:1956 Simcoe Gunners
:1955 Seaforth Baldwins
:1954 Seaforth Baldwins
:1953 Seaforth Baldwins
:1952 London Lou Ball
:1951 Sarnia Jr. Sailors
==Eastern Centennial Cup semi-final champions==
 	
{| cellpadding="1" width="460px" style="font-size: 90%; border: 1px solid gray;"	 	
Year	Champion 	Finalist 	Host
1971	Detroit Jr. Red Wings	Ottawa M&W Rangers (CJHL) 	--
1972	Guelph CMC's 	Thunder Bay Vulcans (TBJHL) 	--
1975	Guelph CMC's 	Thunder Bay Case Eagles (TBJHL)	--
==Centennial Cup champions==
 	
{| cellpadding="1" width="460px" style="font-size: 90%; border: 1px solid gray;"	 	
Year	Champion 	Finalist 	Host
1972	Guelph CMC's	Red Deer Rustlers (AJHL)	--
==See also==
*Ontario Hockey Association
*Ontario Hockey League
*Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
*Centennial Cup
*Dudley Hewitt Cup
*List of SOJAHL Seasons
Category:Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League
Category:Ice hockey leagues
Category:Ontario Hockey Association Junior A