The defending Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League (MFMHL) champion Pembina Valley Hawks will be without goaltender Halle Oswald and forward Makenzie McCallum during the first week of November.

The duo has made Team Manitoba's U-18 roster, who will be playing at the 2017 National Women's Under-18 Championships held in Quebec City, November 1st to 5th.

"I'm pretty happy. I knew it was going to be hard because all of the girls are pretty hard to go up against," said McCallum. "I'm excited for the experience."

This tournament includes eight provincial and regional teams, including Alberta, Atlantic, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario Blue, Ontario Red, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.

Team Manitoba will kick off their tournament against the host Quebec at 6:30 p.m. Game two for Manitoba will be a western showdown with British Columbia at noon the following day. The third of three games in three days for Manitoba is against Saskatchewan with the playoff rounds to follow. Saturday will feature the placement and semi-final games with the medal rounds on Sunday.

"I think quite a few of the provinces are going pretty tough and we'll have our work cut out for us," said Oswald. "I think we'll be fine."

The roster for Team Manitoba was determined through a selection process which included a Spring Camp (68 athletes), a Top-40 Camp (40 athletes) and concluded with a Summer Prep. Camp and the Bison Exhibition Series (27 athletes).