The Vincent J. Maloney Marauders were the big winners at the 10th annual Boston Pizza SAPEC Invitational Junior High Basketball Tournament.
In the A division finals Saturday at VJM, the Marauders defeated the Sir George Simpson Voyageurs 35-15 for the girls’ crown and the Greystone Inferno of Spruce Grove 45-41 for the boys’ title.
Lauren Cardinal was the top scorer with 14 points and Marina Cain added eight against Simpson as the lady Marauders won their third SAPEC tournament title in a row and the fourth in seven years.
In the semifinals the lady Marauders beat the William D. Cuts Crusaders 44-16 and Simpson squeaked past the Morinville Wolves 39-36.
Morinville finished third by knocking off Cuts 33-18.
Thomas Laxdal of the Marauders led all scorers in the boys’ final with 24 points. Graeme Haney pumped in 18 for the Inferno.
Last year Thomas Aquinas of Spruce Grove beat the Marauders by 10 points in the boys’ final.
This year the Marauders advanced to the final with a 34-24 decision against the Lorne Akins Gators. The Inferno downed the Sturgeon Heights Eagles 33-29 in the other semifinal.
Lorne Akins rebounded in the third-place game by clipping the Eagles 39-31.
The three-day tournament featured 16 girls’ and 16 boys’ teams.
Meanwhile, the SAPEC regular season tipped off Tuesday. The defending champions are the lady Marauders and the Richard S. Fowler Falcons boys.
The Wade White rink of St. Albert slides into the senior 50-plus men’s northern Alberta playdowns after winning a berth at zones last weekend at the Avonair.
The St. Albert Curling Club foursome of White, third Doug McLennan, second Dan Holowaychuk and lead George Parsons finished the 12-team draw at 3-1 after beating Rick Kravontka 7-5 in the B-side qualifier.
White started zone play with victories of 12-8 against Mark Pouliot and 7-3 against Dan Lepine before losing 10-5 to Brad Hannah in the A-side qualifier.
Six teams at zones advanced to northerns, Jan. 24 to 27 at the Thistle. Provincials run Feb. 13 to 17 at the Granite.
McLennan will be making his third appearance at northerns in four years on the senior circuit, but his first with the White rink.
White and Holowaychuk, the former fifth man for the Ferbey Four, are making their senior playdown debuts this year.
On Thursday, White’s bonspiel rink of third Kevin Tym, Holowaychuk and lead George White will compete at northerns at the Ottewell for a berth at provincials, Feb. 6 to 10 in Leduc. The winner goes to the Brier, March 2 to 10 at Rexall Place.
The St. Albert Curling Club is accepting entries for the Jan. 23 to 27 Solo Liquor Mixed Bonspiel.
The ’70s theme bonspiel includes a beginner’s section.
To register, contact Lynda at the club at 780-459-7007 or [email protected].
The defending champion is the Dave Klatchuk rink of third Sharon Monk, second Bob Forbes and lead Janice Klatchuk. In the final Klatchuk defeated Warren Sadoway 5-3 in seven ends to finish 4-0 in the 21-team draw.
The 10-team beginner’s format saw Stacy Burzminski beat Grant Kolodychuk in the AA final.
The St. Albert Merchants remain in fourth place in the west division standings after Sunday’s 6-4 loss to the Edmonton Mustangs at Bill Hunter Arena.
The Merchants (16-10-4) are one point behind the third-place North Edmonton Red Wings (18-10-1) and four in front of the surging Morinville Jets (16-11). Both teams have games in hand on the Money Men, 1-2-1 in January after last month’s 3-2-1 showing.
The Merchants never held the lead against the sixth-place Mustangs (13-14-2), trailing 2-1 after one period and 5-2 entering the third. The Mustangs snapped a 2-2 deadlock with three straight goals in the second.
Stefan Meunier scored twice for the Merchants and A.J. Yariwon, and Matt Bowles added singles. In net was Justin Pawlenchuk.
Friday the Merchants fell 3-2 in overtime to the second-place Beverly Warriors (19-6-2) in St. Albert.
Goals by Casey Reid and Taylor Maat on the power play in the third put the Merchants on top 2-1 before the Warriors replied with the equalizer with 6:37 to play and the game winner with 2:47 left in sudden death against netminder Max Cathcart.
The next game is Sunday versus the Beaumont Chiefs (12-16-1) at 8 p.m. at Akinsdale Arena.
Meanwhile, at the Capital Junior B Hockey League all-star showcase event Saturday in Ardrossan, Cathcart received game star honours in the 9-8 win by the east over the west in the rookie game. Defenceman Dan Rombough and forwards Jordan MacPhee and Reid also represented the Merchants.
In the all-star game the east edged the west 10-9 in overtime. Pawlenchuk, defenceman Brayden Switner and forward Alex Hawirko of the Merchants participated.
The Morinville Jets bring a three-game winning streak into tonight’s contest against the Edmonton Royals.
Faceoff is 8 p.m. at Confederation Arena.
The Royals (8-19-2) are last in the east division and the Jets (16-11) have won more games this month (three, all at home) than they did in December (2-3).
The Jets are coming off a 5-2 victory Sunday over the North Edmonton Red Wings in Morinville.
Brady McCorriston connected twice and Jorey McRae, Michael Putt and Branden Domoslai also scored for the second-most penalized team in the Capital Junior B Hockey League. Justin Proulx and Wayne Gatza chipped in with two assists apiece. In net was Brad Miller.
The next home game is Friday against the Edmonton Mustangs at 8:30 p.m. at the Ray McDonald Sports Centre.
Meanwhile, at the junior B showcase event Saturday the Jets were represented on the west team by forward Kevin Markle and defenceman Jared Hills in the rookie game and forward Nick Pratt and defenceman Karmen Ward in the all-star game.
