Ewart chasing title with Golden Hawks

Tim Bates / OJHL Images

Beckett Ewart knew leaving his hometown Cobourg Cougars wouldn’t be easy, but the 19-year-old forward felt his move to the Trenton Golden Hawks gave him his best chance at a championship.

In his first season with Trenton, Ewart has earned a spot on the Golden Hawks’ top line. He has 17 goals and 46 points in 42 games, skating alongside Taeo Artichuk and Jack Ziliotto, who lead the OJHL in scoring.

“It’s been awesome coming into this community,” Ewart said. “They’ve been very welcoming. Home games are so much fun. The fans and the energy they bring are great. The guys in the room are amazing, so it’s been a lot of fun.”

Ewart was traded to Trenton at the start of the season after earning an invite to training camp with the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

“Leaving Cobourg was tough,” Ewart said. “I went to a major junior camp in Quebec, and it didn’t go the way we thought it would. When I came home, my rights were still in Cobourg, and with new ownership coming in, I wasn’t sure who would be back or what staff were staying or leaving.”

“Cobourg is a great community, and I love my hometown. But I wanted to win the league or the Centennial Cup, and I felt Trenton gave me a better chance to do that.”

Staying close to home has also been a plus for Ewart, who played most of his minor hockey with the Quinte Red Devils.

“I played there for about six years,” he said. “Being back in this area, I’m not with a billet, so commuting is something I’m used to. Being able to live at home and still play here has been really good for me.”

Last year, the power forward led the Cougars with 26 goals and finished second in team scoring with 50 points. In his rookie season, he appeared in three playoff games as Cobourg reached the Eastern Conference finals.

“When I was younger, there were a lot of really talented guys around me,” Ewart said. “Even when I wasn’t playing big minutes, I watched how they played and handled things in and out of the rink. That definitely helped me along the way.”

Ewart is confident Trenton can make another deep playoff run. The Golden Hawks, who won the Buckland Cup last season, lead the Eastern Conference with a 38-8-0-2 record and are ranked fifth nationally.

“I believe in this room, and I believe in us,” he said. “We’re going to do everything we can to bring another championship back to this community.”