Local sports briefs, Jan. 14 to Jan. 16
•KTFC members up for athletics awards
Anatoliy Bondarchuk, in the coaches category, and Judy Armstrong, in the officials category, have been nominated as finalists for Sport BC Athlete of the Year awards.
Both nominees are members of the Kamloops Track and Field Club (KTFC).
On Friday, Jan. 14, Sport BC announced the outstanding amateur athletes, coaches and officials named as finalists for 13 of the 17 award categories to be presented at the award ceremony, which is scheduled for Feb. 24 at River Rock Show Theatre in Richmond.
This year, Bondarchuk coached, among others, Dylan Armstrong, Sultana Frizell, Megann Rodhe, Crystal Smith and Michael Letterlough, all of whom competed at the Commonwealth Games in India in October.
Judy, Dylan's mother, is the president of the KTFC.
•South Kam falls short at Sabre-Titan Classic
The South Kamloops Titans senior girls' basketball team placed second at the Sabre-Titan Classic, a B.C. Secondary Schools Girls Basketball Association tournament held at SouthKam and Sa-Hali secondary on the weekend.
York House out-dueled the Titans 62-53 in the final on Saturday, Jan. 15.
Sa-Hali beat D.P. Todd secondary of Prince George 62-49 to place fifth.
•Sabres golden at Vernon tourney
The Sa-Hali Sabres senior boys' basketball squad claimed victory at the Clarence Fulton Maroons Basketball Tournament in Vernon on the weekend.
Sabre forward Pat Wells notched 25 points in Sa-Hali's 79-69 win over the hometown Maroons in the tournament final on Saturday, Jan. 15.
In pool play, Sa-Hali topped College Heights of Prince George 93-64 on Thursday, Jan. 13. Wells knocked down 22 points and guard Timo Sargent chipped in with 18.
The Sabres continued their strong play on Friday, Jan. 14, beating Pleasant Valley of Armstrong 79-49 and South Okanagan Secondary of Oliver 79-74.
Sargent led the way against Pleasant Valley with 17 points, while shooting guard Connor Dolson added 16.
Chase Blair and Wells each had 19 points in the Sabres' win over South Okanagan.
Sa-Hali is the No. 3-ranked AA secondary school in the province.
•Zachary Andersen’s night with the ’Nucks
Zachary Andersen, a 12-year-old linesman with the Kamloops Minor Hockey Association, will be rubbing shoulder pads with the Vancouver Canucks after becoming one of 10 Stand On Guard contest winners.
He is one of four officials that will stand on the blueline with the Canucks during pre-game warmup at Rogers Arena on Thursday, Jan. 20, when the Sharks are in Vancouver.
Andersen and his father will watch the game from the Canucks' luxury box.
The competition was open to all minor hockey players in the province.
Entrants were asked to submit a picture that illustrates their love for the game.
•Local lacrosse player competes in San Diego
Ethan Anderson of South Kamloops secondary played for the Burnaby Mountain Selects lacrosse team that competed at the Adrenaline Challenge in San Diego from Jan. 6 to Jan. 10.
A midfielder, Anderson helped his squad on its way to a 4-1 record at the tournament, which was won by the SoCal Blue of California.
•Storm teams up with New Life Mission
The Kamloops Storm and the New Life Mission are teaming up on Saturday, Jan. 22, when the Revelstoke Grizzlies are at McArthur Island Sports Centre for a Kootenay International Junior Hockey League tilt.
Mission workers will be providing information pertaining to their organization and accepting cash and clothing donations at the game.
There is need for socks, underwear, toques, gloves, footwear and personal hygiene items.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
•Animaniacs tamed
In Kamloops Women's Basketball League play, the Ventures topped the Animaniacs 68-40 on Sunday, Jan. 16 at South Kamloops secondary.
Morgan Wiles scored nine for the Animaniacs, while Elizabeth DeVries knocked down 30 for the Ventures.
Following that tilt, Daley and Company edged the Western Stars 62-53.
Sandra Blair (17 points), Ashley Shannik (16 points) and Melissa Henderson (10 points) led the way for Daley and Company.
Heather Fraser (17), Keira Rockey (12) and Lauren Jensen (12) were the Stars' leading scorers.
•Cross-country skiing action in Prince George
Overlander Ski Club (OSC) members were in Prince George for a B.C. Cup One cross-country skiing event on the weekend.
Earning medals on Saturday, Jan. 15: Micah Bucher, bronze in the midget 2 category; Heather Vermey, bronze in the midget 1 category; Nicole Vermey, silver in the juvenile girls' 3.5-km distance.
Nicole Vermey, Bucher and his younger sister Annah medalled on Sunday for the Overlander club.
The OSC is in Kelowna from Feb. 4 to Feb. 6 for the B.C. Cup Two and the Western Championships.
•Spences heading to nationals
Eric and Sara Spence, both members of the River City Racers, placed well enough at the WorkSafe BC Long-Track Provincial Championship on the weekend in Fort St. John to qualify for a spot at the Canadian Age Class Long Track Championships in Winnipeg in February.
Sara won a gold medal in the 14-year-old division.
A silver-medal finish in the 12-year-old male division was good enough to see Eric through to nationals.
•Classics hot at Jamboree
Nine members of the Kamloops Classics Swim Club were in Salmon Arm on Sunday, Jan. 16, for the Shuswap Winter Jamboree.
Ashley Bagabuyo swam to five first-place finishes in the eight-and-under girls' division.
Ben Kloska earned four first-place finishes in the 10-and-under boys' division.
Paetyn Freeze, 10, came home with three gold medals, including one in the 400-metre freestyle event, which saw her break a club record (5:53.21) with a time of 5:43.16.
Cohen Freeze, Tanner Douglas, Henry Wyatt, Sophie Hirshmiller, Logan Henry and Nicole Neilson also had strong showings at the meet.
•Oronge Beernuts: Four-time champs
The Western Cup of Pond Hockey took place at Logan Lake on the weekend (Jan. 14 to Jan. 16).
In the competitive division, the Oronge Beernuts topped the Varion Huskies 34-31 in the final.
It was the fourth consecutive championship title for Oronge.
In the recreation division, the Abbotsford Chiefs beat the The Pylons 27-24.
•Broncos hunt for new head coach
The Kamloops Broncos of the Canadian Junior Football League are looking for a new head coach.
Rob Ellis stepped down from the position this week.
“The entire Broncos organization wishes to thank coach Ellis for all the hard work he has done, and wish him luck in his future endeavours,” Bronco president Dino Bernardo said in a press release.
Anyone interested in applying for the vacant position can email a resume, cover letter and references to Bernardo at d_bernardo@hotmail.com.
•Gordon on form at nationals
Graeme Gordon of the Valleyview Skating Club placed fifth in the short program and sixth in the long progam at the BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals in Victoria on the weekend (Jan. 14 to Jan. 16).
Gordon, 17, qualified for the junior nationals after finishing in the top 18 skaters at the 2011 BMO Skate Canada Western Challenge in Ontario in December.
He was competing in the novice division in Victoria. Gordon will move up a skill-level to the junior division in the near future.
•Sabres beat Westsyde
Sa-Hali secondary school prevailed 53-33 over Westsyde in BC Secondary School High School girls' basketball action.
Taiysa Worsfold, with 21 points, and Miori Futemma, with eight points, led the way for Sa-Hali.
Taylor Miller scored eight points for Westsyde.
•Nancy Greene Raine recognized
Olympic ambassador Nancy Greene Raine of Rossland was named to the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport (CAAWS) and Physical Activity's top-10 most influential women list for 2010.
The objective of the list is to inspire and motivate other women and girls to take leading roles in sport and physical activity – at the community, provincial, national or international level.
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