SPORTS
The Surrey-Nor th Delta Leader Thursday S eptember 11 2014
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Soccer season under way at KPU ▼ KWANTLEN EAGLES TEAMS OCCUPY PLAYOFF POSITIONS AFTER THREE GAMES RICK KUPCHUK
After playing three games in five days to start league play in the Pacific Western Athletic Conference (PACWEST), the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Eagles are in a playoff position in both men’s and women’s soccer leagues. The Eagles men’s team won two of three games to sit third in the six-team league, while the women are in fourth after a win and a pair of losses. The KPU men began their season at home last Wednesday evening (Sept. 3), blanking the Capilano University Blues 3-0 at Newton Athletic Park. Justin Turner-Pearce scored the winning goal, his first in PACWEST play, in the 47th minute. Alexander Escobar netted the final two goals in the last 15 minutes of play. Surrey native David Hicks, a graduate of Clayton Heights Secondary, earned the shutout in his first game in a Kwantlen uniform. Saturday in Coquitlam, KPU fell 3-0 to the Douglas College Royals. Spencer Deboice of Surrey tallied twice for the Royals. Playing in Richmond Sunday, the Eagles earned their second victory of the season with a convincing 4-1 decision over the Langara Falcons. Turner-Pearce opened the scoring just nine minutes into the game, then Marcos Teodoro da Silva upped the difference to 2-0 seven minutes later. With 30 minutes to play, Langara cut ▶ “We lost the difference to one, two games this before the Eagles responded with insurweekend due ance goals from Kwanto mistakes.” tlen Park Secondary graduate Abdul Kulan JULIE KING and Holy Cross high school graduate Dalton San. The KPU women’s team began their season with a win, before suffering two defeats over the weekend. The Eagles topped Capilano 2-1 at home Wednesday, with Panorama Ridge Secondary graduate Harlene Uppal and Pamela Scowby netting the goals. KPU dropped their two road games on the weekend, the first a 2-0 loss to Douglas College Saturday. They lost a two-goal decision Sunday in Richmond, falling 3-1 to the Langara Falcons in a game the Eagles led 1-0 after just 10 minutes on an own goal. “We lost two games this weekend due to mistakes,” said KPU head coach Julie King. “We’ve got a lot on our plate for practice this week so we continue to look forward towards the bigger picture and tidy up our game.” Both Eagles teams will play twice this weekend, hosting the Quest Kermodes (0-0-3) at noon (women) and at 2 p.m. (men in Newton, then traveling to Nanaimo to face the Vancouver Island University Mariners (3-0-0) on Sunday.
With teammate Nicholas Dempsey (76) looking to make a block, Seaquam Seahawks running back Sam Orlick finds some running room against the South Delta Sun Devils during Saturday’s high school football game at Seaquam Secondary. South Delta won 31-0. While high school teams in Delta are playing, those in Surrey are not. RICK KUPCHUK
District puts a stop to high school sports ▼ SURREY SCHOOL DISTRICT CANCELS EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING SPORTS, DURING TEACHERS’ STRIKE RICK KUPCHUK
Just two days before they were ready to start their high school football season, Surrey schools have been sidelined. A decision by the Surrey School District to cancel all extra-curricular activities during the strike by the B.C. Teachers’ Federation meant that after weeks of practice, preseason games scheduled for last weekend didn’t take place. “On Thursday (Sept. 4), we got a call from our principal saying School District No. 36 (Surrey) has decided to put a halt to all extra curricular activities,” said Frank Hurt Hornets head coach Duane Linnen. “He gave us a lot of
ing situation. But they don’t have teacher sponsors and the district can’t incur the liability.” While parents and/or volunteers are permitted reasons, none of which made to coach high school sports teams, a teacher at each any sense to me.” school is required to act as a Linnen, one of 10 coaches sponsor. on the Hornets staff who are And while other school disvolunteers from the commutricts – including Delta – are nity, were expecting to play allowing their the Handsworth teams to play Royals Satur▶ “Why under volunteer day afternoon coaching, Surrey is (School at Frank Hurt will not withSecondary. District) No. 36 out a teacher But that game, sponsor. including others the only one “That connecinvolving Surrey not playing?” tion has to be schools, didn’t there,” explained DUANE LINNEN take place. Strachan, adding “Any extra-cureach district ricular activity decides indeis canceled, and sports teams are wrapped up pendently how to handle such situations, saying each in that,” said Doug Strachan, is “like a snowy day” when communications manager each district must decide with the Surrey School Diswhether to cancel classes. trict. “It’s a sad and frustrat-
The Hornets were to play the Sentinel Spartans in North Vancouver next Saturday (Sept. 13) but the game has been canceled. After another scheduled preseason game Sept. 20 in Kamloops, the Hornets were set to start regular season play Oct. 4. The Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers are in a similar situation, having a game last weekend in Victoria canceled, as well as a preseason game in Nanaimo on Saturday. Their first regular season game in the Okanagan on Sept. 19 against the Kelowna Owls is also in doubt. Meanwhile, Delta’s two high schools met at Seaquam Secondary Saturday, where the Senior AAA South Delta Sun Devils blanked the Senior A Seaquam Seahawks 31-0. “Why is (School District) No. 36 the only one not playing?” Linnen asks. “It’s very frustrating.”