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Sports
Friday, January 17, 2014 | Cowichan Valley Citizen
Improvement coming for CSS senior girls KEVIN ROTHBAUER CITIZEN
Things are improving for Cowichan Secondary’s senior girls basketball team, even if the wins haven’t yet materialized. The Thunderbirds lost their last two games — 63-42 against G.P. Vanier in Courtenay last Thursday and 49-27 at home against Alberni District on Tuesday — but both contests were close at halftime and the coaches see that the players are improving. Much of Cowichan’s game — rebounding, passing, running of the offence, fast break and press-breaking — took a step forward
against Vanier, where the T-Birds trailed just 29-24 at the half. Against Alberni on Tuesday, the gap was again just five points at halftime. “The game with Port Alberni followed the pattern of most of our games recently,” coach Jim Nugent said. “In the third quarter the girls had about a three- or four-minute lapse and were unable to close the gap after that. Despite another loss, the coaching staff can see improvement and were really happy with girls compete level.” Sarah St. Cyr was Cowichan’s top scorer on Tuesday with six points.
LIMITED EDITION BOOK
100th Anniversary of Canadian Scottish Regiment
Cowichan Secondary’s Robin Thomas looks for an outlet after grabbing a rebound against Alberni District on Tuesday. [KEVIN ROTHBAUER/CITIZEN]
The pee wee Tier 1 Capitals celebrate winning the Chilliwack Jamboree. [SUBMITTED]
Tournament victory for pee wee Caps
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Fighting through the playoffs to the goldmedal final of a January tournament that attracts 40 teams from across British Columbia, the Selkirk Recycling pee wee Tier 1 Cowichan Valley Capitals met a team from just up the highway in the final. The Capitals battled through the Platinum tier at the 55th annual Chilliwack Pee Wee Jamboree only to face their league rivals from Nanaimo in the championship game. It worked out in Cowichan’s favour, as the Capitals won 5-2 to claim the title. Kahlil Fontana led the way in the final with a hat trick, while Luc Wilson and Corson Hopwo each had a goal and an assist. The Capitals’ biggest heroes in the tournament may have been goalies Will Gurski and Sacha Rouselle, who combined for a .902 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average, winning the Robbie Tallas Award as the tourney’s top netminders. The tournament started with a 5-1 win over the Juan de Fuca Grizzlies. Hopwo scored twice, Jo Jo Tanaka-Campbell had a goal and two helpers, and Ty Brant was
named Player of the Game. Wilson scored twice in the next game, a 4-1 victory over Ridge Meadows. Brant and Kabore Dunn also scored, and Rouselle was named Player of the Game after making 21 saves. The round robin wrapped up with a 6-3 win over the Kelowna Rockets. Gurski preserved his team’s lead as Cowichan was outshot in the third period. A hat trick netted Player of the Game honours for Cody Shepheard, while Tanaka-Campbell had two goals and Hopwo chipped in with three assists. The quarterfinals saw Cowichan top Surrey 9-3. Wilson had a hat trick and one assist, Fontana had two goals and a helper, and Easton recorded a goal and two assists and was named Player of the Game. The semifinal was a rematch with the Kelowna Rockets. The Capitals went ahead on goals by Isaac Leik and Easton, only to see the Rockets force overtime, followed by a shootout. Shepheard had the lone goal of the shootout, and player of the game Gurski turned aside all three Kelowna shooters to send his team to the final.
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Hockey Day means a double-header at The Stick Saturday While the rest of the country celebrates Hockey Day in Canada, it will also be Hockey Day in the Valley this Saturday. The local junior B and junior A teams will play a double-header at the Island Savings Centre. The Kerry Park Islanders host the Westshore Wolves at 3 p.m., followed by
the Cowichan Valley Capitals taking on the Prince George Spruce Kings at 7 p.m. Both teams are in heated battles for playoff positioning. There will also be live music at The Stick throughout the day, featuring Lynnea Bruce, as well as an outdoor barbecue.