The Yukon Bantam Mustangs earned a podium finish in their first tournament of the season last weekend.

The rep hockey squad was one of seven teams participating in a Tier 3 tournament hosted by the South Okanagan Minor Hockey Association in Osoyoos, B.C.

The club, which looks vastly different from last year’s Tier 3 B.C. champions, finished 2-2.

The U15 Mustangs were edged 6-5 by the host squad Friday afternoon, before logging two wins Saturday: 7-4 over Aldergrove and 3-2 over Langley.

However, with a finals appearance versus Port Moody on the line Sunday, the club dropped their rematch with South Okanagan by a score of 8-3.

The tournament proved to be an up-and-down showing by a young group, said Whitehorse Minor Hockey Association (WMHA) head coach Derek Klassen.

“It’s bantam hockey. There’s always stuff to work on,” he told the Star.

“But there was lots of good things to take away, too.

“For me, I’m not really concerned what place we finish. You just have to build on each and every game.

“Obviously, it’s nice to get a couple wins early in the year and gain some confidence.”

The team’s back-end is young, with four first-year blue-liners and a peewee-aged goalie, Dawson Smith.

Oscar Burgess and Isaac Williamson were the only returnees from last year’s provincial championship-winning team.

The tournament was the first taste of contact hockey for the group.

“We held our own,” said Klassen. “It was a good tournament. All the teams were pretty evenly matched. It was the perfect tournament for that team.”

Klassen said the current Bantam Mustangs lineup has talent spread throughout, but indicated Joshua Austin and Burgess logged standout performances in Osoyoos.

Klassen accompanied head coach Kirk Gale to the tournament, noting he will try and go on the road with each of the local rep teams at least once this season.

Formerly the Whitehorse Mustangs, the rep hockey program will now be known as the Yukon Mustangs under the newly formed organizational banner of Hockey Yukon.

The Atom Mustangs team was also dropped this year as Hockey Yukon looks to align with BC Hockey, which recognizes competitive hockey as peewee and above.