The last game before the playoffs for the host St. Albert Miners at the Presidents’ Cup senior B lacrosse championship is against the Brooklin (Ont.) Merchants tonight at Leduc Recreation Centre.
Ball drop is 7:30 p.m. between the 2-0 Miners and the Merchants, who were 1-0 before Tuesday’s game against the Saskatoon Brewers. The score was unavailable at press time.
The Miners beat the Calgary Mountaineers 10-8 Sunday and throttled Saskatoon 24-2 Monday.
Graedon Cornfield led the Miners in goals with eight, including two shorthanded efforts, in the two wins. Keegan Bal also racked up 13 assists and 18 points and Dave Marrese was in net for both games.
Cornfield and Bal registered four goals apiece against Saskatoon and 10 and 12 points, respectively.
The Miners outscored the Saskatchewan champions 13-1 in the middle period to lead 20-1 after 40 minutes.
It was the 22nd consecutive victory for the Miners (22-0-1) in league, playoffs and nationals combined.
The tournament opener against Mountaineers (0-2) was decided in the third period on Dean Fairall’s shorthanded effort with under three minutes to go to extend the Miners’ lead to two. The Mountaineers countered with a six-on-five marker with 33 seconds left and the Miners replied with Darren Kinnear’s empty-netter.
The Miners also swept the Mountaineers in the best-of-three provincial final.
The Native Suns (Can/Am Lacrosse League), Kahnawake (Que.) Mohawks, Tyendinaga Thunderbirds (Three Nations Senior Lacrosse League) and Langley Warriors are also competing at nationals.
The playoffs start Thursday and Friday’s semifinals are 4:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Saturday’s finals are 1:30 p.m. for bronze and 4:30 p.m. for gold.
Visit www.presidentscup.pointstreaksites.com for the schedule and results.
The Miners were national bronze medallists in 2014.
The City of St. Albert will unveil a plaque in memory of Charlie Green, who dedicated 30 years of his life to coaching track and field in St. Albert.
Saturday’s ceremony starts at 9:30 a.m. at Fowler Athletic Park.
The plaque is mounted on a large boulder by the speed ramp that was built in Green’s honour.
Green was a strong supporter of track and field for many years until he passed away in 2012 and it was his innovative concept that inspired and drove efforts to construct the speed track in 2010, with support from the St. Albert Track & Field Foundation under the leadership of Michael Markowski.
Green’s background was as a teacher and school administrator and that shone through in the discipline and committed approach he took in the sport of track and field and in how well he was able to teach and motivate his sprint athletes to achieve their very best.
Countless athletes in St. Albert benefited from his tutelage and consider him a key mentor and role model in their lives.
Beyond the countless hours on the track as a coach, Green acted tirelessly in the community as an advocate for the sport, including many years spent on the St. Albert Track & Field Foundation supporting further enhancements to Fowler Athletic Park and other track infrastructure for athletes in St. Albert, culminating in the speed track.
Green was also a significant athlete himself throughout all stages in his life, including competitive accomplishments in the sport well into his senior years.
The Alberta Soccer Association senior provincial championships kick-off Saturday for St. Albert teams.
The Tier I and II tournaments take place in Calgary for the division 1A Rangers (Tier I men), and Impact division 1B (Tier I) and division 2A (Tier II) women in the Edmonton District Soccer Association.
Mavericks 09 of the St. Albert Women's Soccer League are competing in Tier III at the ESA Complex. Last year’s fourth-place finishers at provincials and 2014 gold medallists are in pool two with matches Saturday against NW Peace at 12:15 p.m. and the EDSA No. 2 team at 5:15 p.m. and Sunday against the Calgary Women’s Soccer Association No. 1 rep at 2:15 p.m.
Monday’s medal finals are 2:30 p.m.
The Mavericks are 20-0 (62 GF/2 GA) in the SAWSL regular season as the two-time defending division one champions.
The SAWSL division one and two playoffs start next week and the finals are Sept. 18 at Forest Park field.
The top division two team is Cosmos FC at 14-0 (100 GF/25 GA).
