The Ian Stewart Complex will be abuzz with activity this weekend, both on the ice and off it.
The annual Rick LaPointe Memorial Bantam Triple-A Showcase runs today through Sunday and that means some of the top 13-and 14-year-old hockey players in the province will be in attendance. And that means plenty of Western Hockey League scouts in the stands as they try to get a close-up look at the crop for the 2013 WHL bantam draft.
Eight teams will vie for the LaPointe trophy. The Cloverdale Colts, Cowichan Valley Capitals, Holleyburn Huskies and Okanagan Hockey Academy are in Pool A, while the Seafair Islanders, Wenatchee Junior Wild, Surrey Thunder and host Racquet Club Kings round out Pool B.
Action begins today at 8 a.m. with Cloverdale taking on Cowichan Valley. The Kings open play at 10: 15 a.m. today against Wenatchee.
The playoff round begins Friday at 1: 30 p.m. and the gold-medal game goes Sunday at 2: 45 p.m.
MIDGET ROYALS HAVE GIANT TASK
After a week off from sa国际传媒 Major Midget Hockey League action, the South Island Royals have a major hurdle to clear.
The Royals return to action this weekend when they travel to Burnaby to face the league-leading Vancouver Northwest Giants. The Giants have lost just once this season, sporting a 17-1-2 record. The Royals, meanwhile, hold down seventh place at 6-9-5. The Royals and Giants will square off Saturday at 7: 45 p.m. and Sunday at 9: 30 a.m. Both games are at Burnaby Winter Club.
The next home game for the Royals is Dec. 15 when they host the Greater Vancouver Canadians.
DOWNER HAS CHARGERS ON RISE
Drake Downer picked the perfect time to crank up his game for the Camosun Chargers men's basketball team.
Downer, a second-year forward out of Oak Bay, had two strong games last weekend to lead the Chargers to their first two wins of the season, and in doing so has been named the Pacwest men's basketball player of the week. On Friday, Downer poured in 20 points and added seven rebounds in the Chargers' 86-85 win over the Kwantlen Eagles. He followed that up with 15 points and six boards in Saturday's 105-88 victory over Columbia Bible College. The victories improved Camosun's record to 2-6.
The games were the last before the winter break for the Chargers. Camosun returns to action on Jan. 4 when they travel to Nanaimo to take on the Vancouver Island University Mariners.
SECCO SIZZLES AT STANFORD
Maddie Secco's field hockey career hasn't missed a beat since moving to California.
Secco, an Oak Bay grad, was recently named to the NCAA's Division 1 all-rookie team after a stellar first season with Stanford University in Oakland.
Secco, a member of sa国际传媒's national senior women's team, scored six goals and added five assists in 20 games for Stanford.
