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For the 1967-68 season the Vernon franchise, changed its name to the Vernon Essos. They would remain the Vernon Essos through till the end of the 1972-73 season.

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Owners - Vernon Minor Hockey Association

Vernon Minor Hockey would change the name of the club from Blades to Esso's for the start of the '67 - '68 season.

The Esso's were named after the title sponsor, Ernies Esso Station, located at 3200 32nd Street in Vernon. The team was commonly called "Ernies Esso's" in conversations around town.

The same group of men that were the Executive of the Blades continued their role for the new Essos. Bill Roth was President and Vern Dye remained as Manager and the Coach was Odie Lowe.

Coach Odie Lowe

During this time, with Odie as Coach, the club had its first of three winning seasons in-a-row from 1967 to 1970.

• 1967-68; Regular Season 40GP-19W-17L-4T & Playoffs 4GP-0W-4L
• 1968-69; Regular Season 40GP-19W-15L-6T & Playoffs 4GP-0W-4L
• 1969-70; Regular Season 48GP-32W-12L-4T & Playoffs 15GP-8W-7L

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Ownership Group - Ernie Kowal, Vern Dye, Dave McKay & Others?

In 1970 Vernon Minor Hockey sold the club for five thousand dollars to the same group of local business men that had been managing the club for them.

That group of business men included Ernie Kowal, Vern Dye and Dave McKay. Dave McKay would lead this group in running the day to day operations. Vern Dye would become the Manager and Odie Lowe would be the Coach.

Other notable figures of Vernon running the teams were Rolly Sammartino(Trainer) N. Schuck*, R. Fish*, A. Melbourne*, J. Gradner* and B. Willows*. *-If you can provide full names and their roles please, contact me.

Odie lead the Vernon Essos to playoff success in 1970 when they won the franchises first league pennant and league championship. They would repeat that same feat again in 1972 for their second league championship.

Odie Lowe would coach the team, under this new group of business men, till the end of the 1972-73 season.

Coach Odie Lowe

• 1970-71; Regular Season 60GP-34W-20L-6T & Playoffs 5GP-1W-4L
• 1971-72; Regular Season 60GP-42W-17L-1T & Playoffs 18GP-10W-8L
• 1972-73; Regular Season 61GP-27W-33L-1T & Playoffs 5GP-1W-4L

At the end of the 1972-73 season, after nine season of coaching the franchise, Odie Lowe ended his association with the team.

• Over-all Record - Regular Season 408GP-199W-185L-24T & Playoffs 65GP-23W-42L

The ownership group eventually sells the team to make Vern Dye sole owner*.(*-assumption still need Playoffsf)

Okanagan Sports Hall Of Fame Induction

1969-72 VERNON ESSOS Inducted:2014

At the first Junior A hockey game in Vernon in 1961, the puck was dropped by 8-year-old Wayne Dye. Vernon fans however, would have little to cheer about in the early years...until Dye was old enough, at 14, to suit up for the hometown squad.

In 1967, after six straight losing seasons-only 52 wins in 194 games-the frachise was in danger of slipping away. The Vernon Blades were in need of a major overhaul.

The owner of the local Esso station, Ernie Kowal, offered his service and resourses to fix the team. New uniforms and a new name: the Vernon Essos. Manager Vern Dye brought in Odie Lowe to coach. Vern's son Wayne, barly a teen, was ready for action. New Essos Tom Serviss, Jack Gilroy, Bob Mayer and Lawrence Quechuck helped to kick the franchise into gear.

The 1967-68 Essos posted the first winning season in club history (19 wins 17 loses 4 ties), collecting as many wins as the previous two years combined. They imPlayoffsed on their record again the following season (19-15-6).

In 1969-70, the Essos hit the gas hard. Vernon's high-octane offense topped the leaguem pumping in over 5 goals a game. Fiery competitor Wayne Dye paced the circuit in goals and points followed closely by slick centre Lawrence Quechuck. Four more Essos placed in the top 10 in scoring-John Price, Don Manson, Bob Mayer and Jack Marsh.

Captian Bob Mayer was named the league's MVP,and Gary Osborne garnered the Top Goaltender Trophy. For posting the best goals-against average, the duo of Osborne and Gord McIntosh shared the Wally Forslund Trophy.

The Essos captured their first league pennant during the 1969-70 season with a piping hot 32-12-4 record.

During the 1970-71 season, the Essos cruised to a 34-20-6 record , capturing the Junior A hockey chamPlayoffsships and the Mowat Cup. Sixteen-year-old Eddie Johnstone popped 45 goals in 50 games, while rookie Jim Lawrence topped the league with 127 points.

At the end ot the 1972-73 season, the Essos hoisted the Mowat Cup for the second time in 3 years and effectively establishing Vernon as a junior hockey power. These were watershed years, as community pride shifted onto Vernon's young hockey representatives.

Three Essos, Wayne Dye, Ernie Gare and Tom Serviss were voted among the top-50 BCHL (British Columbia Hockey League) player of all time in 2011. Dye would also be named Vernon's Athlerte of the Century. Dye's career Junior A totals-156 goals and 325 points- remain franchise record. Wayne's dad would be immortalized by the BCHL with the Vern Dye Memorial Tropy, awarded to the league's MVP.

In the late 1980's, former Essos Ernie Gare, George Fargher and Eddie Johnstone followed Odie Lowe's footsteps, returning to Vernon to coach the juniors.

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In its 5 years (1967-68 to 1972-73), as the Vernon Essos, the franchise has achieved the following highlights:

• 2 - League Pennants
• 1970 1972
• 2 - Nat Bailey Cups - League Championships
• 1970 1972
• 2 - Mowat Cups - BC Championship (Automatic Winners)
• 1970 1972
• British Columbia vs Alberta Championship
• Runners-up: 1972
• Abbott Cup Inter-Provincial Playdowns
• Runners-up: 1970

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