Alberni Sports Page
Monday, September 25, 2023
Bulldogs Split Pair of Games to Open Season
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs began defense of their 2022-23 British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) Coastal Conference Championship with a two-game road trip to the Lower Mainland this past weekend.
On Friday night the Bulldogs defeated the Coquitlam Express 5-1 before losing 6-4 to the Langley Rivermen on Saturday evening.
On Friday night, Hayden Stavroff was the offensive star, scoring three goals, including an empty netter, while Lenny Greenberg and Grayson Badger rounded out the goal scoring. Badger also added an assist and Fischer O’Brien added two helpers.
Callum Tung was solid in the Alberni Valley goal, stopping 39 of 40 shots sent his way. This performance coming off two shutouts during the pre-season.
Saturday night was a different story as the Bulldogs led 3-2 going into the final period, but four Rivermen goals, including three markers before the third frame was seven minutes old, proved to be the undoing for the locals.
Cam VanSickle, Cole Bishop, Wyatt Blace and O’Brien scored their first goals of the new campaign. Lucas Buzziol, Nicholas Beneteau, and Anthony Ip assisted on two goals each.
Hlib Artsatbanov was tagged with the loss between the pipes for the Bulldogs.
The ‘Dogs now prepare for two more games this coming weekend. On Friday night they travel to Duncan to face the Cowichan Valley Capitals, before returning to the friendly confines of the Alberni Valley Multiplex for their regular season home opener against the Nanaimo Clippers on Saturday night at 7:00 pm.
Bombers Lose to South Leaders
The Port Alberni Bombers spotted Peninsula Panthers an early 3-0 lead in Saturday night Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League action at the Alberni Valley Multiplex, and while they were on equal footing with the visitors over the final two stanzas, the early hole proved too tough to climb out of and the locals dropped a 5-2 decision to the South Division-leading Panthers.
Landon Turgeon, with his second goal of the new season, and newcomer Owen Ditzel with a short-handed tally were the goal scorers for the Bombers. Kai Verbrugge and Brodie Howell added assists.
Special teams proved to be significant – the Panthers scored twice on five power play opportunities, while the Bombers were shutout in seven instances with the man-advantage.
The locals won’t have much time to lick their wounds as they travel to the Capital District and a date with the Westshore Wolves on Wednesday night at The Q Centre before heading north for an encounter with the Comox Valley Glacier Kings on Friday evening at the Comox Valley Sports Centre. The Bombers return home on Wednesday, October 4 when they welcome the Victoria Cougars.
Run and Gun Youth Basketball – Friday, September 22
Seawolves 55 Kingfisher 43
Alliance 71 Bucketheads 66
Guardians 74 Reign 66
Jacob Murray (left, in white) and team mate Dominic Wynans of Seawolves contest a rebound against Raf Nixon (left, in blue) and Talon Ryan of Kingfisher during Friday night’s first game in Run and Gun Youth Basketball at Alberni Athletic Hall.
Black Sheep Score Come from Behind Win
The Port Alberni Black Sheep picked up their first victory in three attempts during BC Rugby pre-season/Times Colonist Cup play, defeating Cowichan RFC 28-25 on Saturday afternoon at Piggie Park in Duncan.
“It took time to get rolling,” said Black Sheep coach Jas Purewal. And it did – the Sheep scored two early penalty tries but found themselves trailing 15-9 at halftime and 23-9 after eight minutes of the second half. And then things changed. The Sheep scored three tries, two of them converted, to score 19 unanswered points to take the victory.
Daniel Tsai, Ty Shannon, and David Johnson scored tries for the locals with Shannon adding two conversions and two penalty kicks, while Kieran O’Connell also added a penalty kick to round out the scoring.
Faced with a three-week layoff before Division 1 play begins, the Sheep have scheduled an exhibition game against Comox Valley Kickers slated for this Saturday at Black Sheep Rugby Park at the top of Argyle Street. Kickoff is set for 12:45 pm.
Upper Island Minor Soccer Scores – Sunday, September 24
U13 Girls – Campbell River Grizzlies 4 Alberni Athletics 1
Campbell River: scorers unavailable. Alberni: Elena Veilleux
U15 Girls – Comox Valley Chili Peppers 4 Alberni Athletics 1
Comox Valley: Indie Cudmore, Addison Lewis, Adeline Fyfe, Mira Herschmiller. Alberni: Nya Wheatley.
Kai Grieg of Alberni Athletics U12 tries to evade the tackle of a Campbell River Blizzard defender during the Athletics 8-1 victory on Sunday afternoon at Echo Minor Field.
U12 Boys – Alberni Athletics 8 Campbell River Blizzard 1
Campbell River: Gavin Prokopchuk. Alberni: Grady Waldriff (5), Keiran Netzer (2), Ronan Curry.
U13 Boys – Powell River Villa 8 Alberni Athletics 5
Powell River: scorers unavailable. Alberni: Tanner Neville (2), Hayden Harper, Carter Johnson.
U14 Boys – Campbell River Lightning 4 Alberni Athletics 0
Campbell River: Karsen Watson, Oskar Herschler, Callum Milliken, Isaac Quadri. Alberni: none.
U15 Boys – Alberni Athletics 2 Mid-Island 2
Alberni: Abed Abed (2). Mid-Island: scorers unavailable.
Mid Island Women’s Soccer – Sunday, September 24
Port Alberni Athletics 3 Nanaimo Thrive 2
Port Alberni: Bella Avila, Megan Chase, Angelina Kurucz. Nanaimo: Jamie McFarlane, Kim Watson.