High school rugby matches and lacrosse games

Rugby matches

Metro Edmonton division two men’s rugby starts this week at the Pirates Rugby Club.

In pool A, the defending champion Sturgeon Spirits line up against the Salisbury Sabres today and the Paul Kane Blues hook up against the Bev Facey Falcons on Thursday. Kickoff times are 4:45 p.m.

Monday’s season debut for the Bellerose Bulldogs is against Sturgeon at 4:45 p.m. at the Pirates.

Bellerose and Paul Kane battle for the Gareth Jones Cup on May 2 at 4:45 p.m. at the St. Albert Rugby Football Club.

Last year Sturgeon finished 7-0 overall, Bellerose was 4-2 and Paul Kane was 2-3.

Sturgeon also placed fourth at the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association Tier 2 provincials.

Crude lacrosse

The next junior B Tier II game for the St. Albert Crude in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League is tonight at Akinsdale Arena

Ball drop is 9 p.m. between the Crude (1-1) and Sherwood Park Titans (0-1).

The first junior B Tier II team in St. Albert since the 2009 NAMLC Riggers lost its season opener 4-1 to the Edmonton Warriors last week as Luke Samson scored the lone goal at George Hughes Arena.

The Crude’s home debut was Sunday’s 7-6 decision against the Wainwright Wolfpack. Scoring stats were unavailable at press time.

Meanwhile, the 13^th season of junior B Tier I Crude lacrosse kicks off Sunday against the Calgary Shamrocks at 12:30 p.m. at Stu Peppard Arena.

The first home game is May 4 against the Fort Saskatchewan Rebels at 8 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena.

Senior B Miners

The senior B season opener for the repeat winners of the Presidents’ Cup is Saturday in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League, as the St. Albert Miners visit the Beaumont Bandits at 7:30 p.m.

The May 7 home lid-lifter for the Miners is against the Edmonton Warriors at 8:30 p.m. at Go Auto Arena.

The Miners are the first Alberta team to win consecutive national championships while going 57-2-1 in the process.

The last team to repeat at nationals was the St. Regis Braves of the Three Nations Senior Lacrosse League in 2011 at Akwesasne, Ont. and 2012 at Spruce Grove.

Highlighting last year’s 32-2 record for the Miners was the 7-6 decision against the Six Nations Rivermen in the national final at Iroquois Lacrosse Arena, located on the outskirts of Hagersville on the Six Nations of the Grand River in Ontario.