The 12-year-old Cowichan Valley Minor Hockey product has just been named to one of the most prestigious hockey programs in North America. Dunn was among 300 players from across North America invited to compete in the annual Western sa国际传媒 Selects tryouts in Edmonton and he鈥檚 now one of 68 players who will take part in the Selects hockey program鈥檚 international spring development camp in Stockholm, Sweden, and compete at the World Selects Under-12 Invitational Championship in Helsinki, Finland in April and May.
鈥淜abore not only showed he has the skill to be a top prospect, but also demonstrated great leadership on the ice,鈥� Western sa国际传媒 Selects head coach and former NHLer Brad Church said in a statement.
The Selects Hockey program is an elite development program owned by Selects Sports Management. It鈥檚 alumni include NHL stars Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche and Logan Couture of the San Jose Sharks.
Midget Royals on the rise
The South Island Royals started 2013 off with a bang last weekend, sweeping a double-header against the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds.
The Royals, thanks to a hat trick from Jordan Martin and a pair of goals by Cole Pickup, won the opener in Abbotsford 5-2. Then on Sunday, a power-play goal by Kurtis Gamble proved to be enough as South Island downed Fraser Valley 1-0. Jesse Jenks picked up the shutout for the Royals.
The pair of victories improved the Royals鈥� record to 9-12-5, good for seventh place in the 11-team league.
Next up for South Island is a pair of games this weekend at home against the fourth-place Vancouver Northeast Chiefs. Game times at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre are 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Island Race Series set to open
Runners around the Island, it鈥檚 time to lace 鈥檈m up again for another season of the Frontrunners Island Race Series.
The opening event of the eight-race series 鈥� the Harriers Pioneer 8K 鈥� goes Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Saanich Fairgrounds in on Stelly鈥� Cross Road. Registration can be done at Frontrunners on Vancouver Street or on race day at the event.
And it could be a record day at the fairgrounds. National track team member and former University of Victoria running star Geoff Martinson is taking part in the event and he has set his sights on the Pioneer 8K course record. Three-time Olympian Jonathan Brown holds the record at 23 minutes 18 seconds, set in 2003.
The Island Race Series enters its 32nd year. This year鈥檚 events include the Cobble Hill 10K (Jan. 27), Cedar 12K (Feb. 10), Hatley Castle 8K (Feb. 24), Synergy Health Management Bazan Bay 5K (April 7) and Sooke River 10K on April 21.
Claremont hosts top hoops field
The top-ranked high school triple-A boys basketball team on the Island is welcoming a stacked field to its annual tournament this weekend.
The Claremont Invitational goes today through Saturday, and along with the Spartans, Brentwood College, the No. 2-ranked double-A boys team on the Island, will be in attendance, as will the No. 3 double-A team on the Island, Lambrick Park. The eight-team event also includes Mount Douglas, Courtenay鈥檚 G.P. Vanier, Spectrum, Richmond鈥檚 Matthew McNair and Guildford Park of Surrey.
Action begins today at 11:45 a.m. with Claremont taking on Mount Doug. The semifinals are slated for Friday at 6:45 and 8:30 p.m., with the final going Saturday at 5:45 p.m.
Women鈥檚 soccer stars shine
The stars were out at Langford鈥檚 Westhills Stadium on Saturday.
The Lower Island Women鈥檚 Soccer Association held its annual all-star games, and they didn鈥檛 disappoint the 200 fans in attendance. In the Premier/Division 1 game, Hayley Burns of the Vic A鈥檚 gave Team White the lead, but Team Black fought back to tie it, thanks to a goal from Prospect Lake鈥檚 Kelly Forbes. That鈥檚 all the scoring there was in regulation so the two teams went to penalty kicks to decide a winner and it was White coming out on top 5-4.
In the Div. 2/3/O-30 game, Team Black came away with a 6-2 win thanks to pair of goals from Emma Maynard of Peninsula鈥檚 Div. 3A team.
