VICTORIA NEWS - Wednesday, August 3, 2011
www.vicnews.com • A17
SPORTS Racers second in Edmonton Victoria’s Bill Okell and Dave Cormier drove to respective second-place finishes at the 2011 Eurasia Cup Invitational sports car race in Edmonton on July 24. The race ran on the Edmonton Indy track, just prior to the Indy Car race. Racing at the same time, Okell rallied his 1964 MGB to second in the third tier, or GT3, while Cormier pushed his 2008 Porsche to second overall (GT1). Recent improvements to his car forced Okell up a class in the sports car series – from GT4 to GT3 – once he arrived in Edmonton. It was a redeeming weekend for Okell, who passed three cars in the second-to-last-lap. “(Moving up a class) was an added challenge we were able to meet,” Okell said, despite breaking a cylinder and getting strafed by a Corvette. The cylinder went during Saturday’s (July 23) qualifying, and the how-do-you-do from the Corvette happened when both cars were trying to avoid a crash in the 45-minute race. Cormier was bumped from third to second when one of the two drivers ahead of him got penalized for contact with another car in the 48-car field. Next for Okell are two sports car club races, Aug. 6 and 7 at Mission Raceway, where he’s tied for first in the point standings after three of 10 races this year. Cormier will return to the Pirelli Driver’s Cup series in California in September. sports@vicnews.com
Greg Sakaki/Black Press
Lewis Ratcliff, left, was suspended by the Nanaimo Timbermen ownership on July 29. The ex-Victoria Shamrock is an elite lacrosse player but with a family, a business and as a coach for youth programs in Victoria and Seattle.
Ratcliff cut loose from Timbermen Star Victoria lacrosse player suspended for remainder of WLA season Greg Sakaki Nanaimo News Bulletin
The Nanaimo Timbermen’s suspension of star forward Lewis Ratcliff could mean the end of Ratcliff’s Western Lacrosse Association career. On Friday (July 29) Ratcliff was suspended for the rest of the 2011 season by Timbermen’s president Hadi Abassi for missing too many practices and games. “We need the type of player for our franchise that they are here, they practise with us, they play with us and they are fully here,” Abassi said. “He couldn’t be here for all the practices and he missed some of the games and I decided that’s not a very healthy thing for our franchise.” Ratcliff is 30 years old and is already one of professional lacrosse’s top-10 scorers of all time. But Abassi said it was still important for the star to be at practice. However, Ratcliff’s absence from Nanaimo’s 10-9 overtime loss in Coquitlam on July 23 seemed to be the tipping point. “It’s frustrating. I missed an important game but it was one they knew I
was going to miss a few months back,” Ratcliff told the News over the phone on Friday. “I missed (the Adanacs game) because of work. I do my best to be there as much as possible, I’m not in a position to sit around all day, a lot of guys are only 20 and 21 years old, they don’t have jobs and families and I have both and it’s hard to juggle, I’ve done my best.”
“It’s frustrating. I missed an important game but it was one they knew I was going to miss a few months back.” – Lewis Ratcliff
For the Coquitlam game Ratcliff was on a California tour as director and manager of the Seattle Starz youth field lacrosse program. “If I played then I don't take 30 boys for their California trip.” Ratcliff commutes to all Nanaimo games and practices from his home on the West Shore. He’s also part owner of a fitness studio and is the director of
Spectrum Community school’s lacrosse academy during the school year. Abassi said there was “miscommunication” between the team and Ratcliff. “I didn’t like that,” Abassi said. “I felt I wasn’t getting 100 per cent commitment to our franchise. “You can’t have two rules for two different players.” The suspension came on the same day the T-men visited Ratcliff’s hometown and former club, the Victoria Shamrocks, for the first of a home-andhome series that continued in Nanaimo on Saturday (July 30). “Lewis is a good friend of mine and I know he is upset by this decision,” said Art Webster, Timbermen coach. Ratcliff had 26 goals and 26 assists in 10 games this summer. Webster said the team will miss the sniper’s contributions, but will try to move on. With all his commitments he said he doesn’t see a return to the WLA. Ratcliff has one year left on his contract and the T-men say they will seek to trade him for fair value, not simply offer him his release. sports@nanaimobulletin.com With files from Travis Paterson
Saanich, Victoria make midget lacrosse finals The Victoria-Esquimalt Eagles claimed the final trophy of their provincial season, the midget-B box lacrosse championship in Coquitlam, July 24. Victoria-Esquimalt defeated the Coquitlam Adanacs 8-3 in the final. The south Island nearly won two midget championships as the A1 Saanich Tigers lost in their final, 7-2 to the Ridge Meadows Burarrds. Saanich’s Kyle Julien was named midget-A1 MVP Leading the Eagles was goalie Kiefer Hagedorn and his staunch 1.60 goals against average, an unheard of number for the offense-prone sport. Eagles’ runner Graeme Bates was voted to the all-star team and was named MVP of the midget-B provincials. Throughout the season the Eagles maintained a high level of discipline with few penalties, with Tyler Carter Given the Warrior Fair Play award for the Eagles. Coach Mark Hackwell was voted the midget-B Warrior Fair Play coach. sports@vicnews.com
Jr. ’Rocks dish team awards Brody Eastwood was an easy pick as the team’s rookie of the year. Eastwood led the Victoria junior Shamrocks in regular season scoring and was ninth overall in the B.C. Junior Lacrosse League with 38 goals and 39 assists (77 points) in 21 games. Transition star Karsen Leung was named the team’s MVP and best conditioned athlete. Defenceman Brandon Smith’s play was nominated the most improved and transition player Adam Brown’s play as the most inspirational. Blair Pinnock was named the most sportsmanlike of the year, Austin Powell the top defender and goalie Cory Mayzes as the most popular player. sports@vicnews.com