Sports update

Shawnigan's athletes are enjoying the final days of competition before the Christmas break.

 

 

The senior girls opened their season at the ISA Championship, hosted at SMUS. After a win over West Point Grey and a narrow loss to Southridge, the girls advanced to the semifinals where they scored a solid win over Mulgrave. Facing Collingwood in the final, the girls faced a huge deficit after the first half, ultimately losing the game but responding well in the second half.

 

Coach Darrin Austin reckons it was a solid start for a team that boasts size and athleticism, with a good balance of guards and forwards.

 

Coach Austin and his squad departed Shawnigan on Dec. 14th as they warm up for the season by touring Honolulu, Hawaii.

 

 

 

The junior girls have opened the season with outstanding success at a pair of events.

 

Over the first weekend of December, the girls competed at the VIU tournament in Nanaimo. After wins in their two opening games, the girls earned a narrow victory over Brentwood to win their side of the bracket.

 

Moving on to the annual GP Vanier Christmas Tournament, the girls beat Highland Secondary and Mark Isfeld in round robin play to advance to the tournament final. Having lost (by 20 points) to host Vanier a week beforehand, the girls responded by beating Vanier to win the tournament title.

 

"It's been an awesome start to the season," says Coach Ronni Brown. Coach Brown points to outstanding defence from her entire team, singling out Abby D. and Catherine A. for their particularly strong efforts.

 

 

 

The junior boys are 1-1 so far in league play, having earned a win over Frances Kelsey and lost to Gulf Islands. The boys also competed at a 16-team tournament in Nanaimo (hosted by Wellington and Dover Bay Secondaries) featuring the strongest programs from Vancouver Island. "Our team battled hard and had a great early-season experience," says Coach Remi Anctil. Assisted by Grade 12 student Sergio P., Coach Anctil says his promising squad has much to work on, and also much to work with.

 

Shawnigan's Midget Varsity team hosted eight visiting teams for a CSSHL showcase in the Charlie Purdey Arena, Dec. 13-16.

 

Facing Pilot Mound, Prairie Academy, EDGE, and IHA, Shawnigan won all four games to improve to a stellar 21-0 on the season.

 

 

 

After a 6-0 win over Pacific Coast on Wednesday evening, the Prep team ventured to Vancouver for a pair of matchups against Burnaby – their key rivals in the CSSHL's top division. Separated by only three points in the race for first in the division, the two teams split the victories, with Shawnigan winning 5-2 on Saturday evening and Burnaby responding with a 5-4 decision on Sunday morning.

 

 

 

A week after returning from their successful journey to the Two Nations Cup in Toronto, the girls hosted rival Delta twice last weekend. Both games ended in decisive victories for Delta, leaving Shawnigan in 7th place in the CSSHL's Female Prep division.

 

 

 

Shawnigan's bantams are in high spirits after a positive trip to Yellowknife. Invited as a last-minute entry into the Arctic Showcase, Shawnigan departed at 3 am on Thursday morning and returned on Sunday evening. While away, they ventured into the outdoors to see the northern lights and to go dogsledding, though both activities were curtailed because of temperatures plummeting to -30^o and below.

 

On the ice, the boys scored a pair of victories over Team Nunavut, and suffered narrow losses to Team Northwest Territories.

 

 

In other sports news, the school's indoor field hockey team opened the season with a pair of games at the Cowichan Sportsplex, while three athletes fared well at the Canadian and US Junior Open squash tournaments.

 

Shawnigan's Athletes of the Week heading into the Christmas break are Catherine A. (of the Jr Girls' basketball team) and Rhys D. (of the Midget Varsity hockey team).