U18 curling
The Nic Oake rink slides into the Curling Alberta U18 Optimist championships after qualifying as the B-event winner in last weekend’s playdowns at St. Albert Curling Club.Oake, third Chase Lozinsky, second Carter Parenteau and lead Owen Pacholok finished 5-1 in the 14-team male division at his home rink after downing Aaron Power of the Saville Centre 9-2 in five ends in Saturday’s B qualifier.
Oake, the reigning Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association men’s champion with the St. Albert Skyhawks, broke a 2-2 tie with a four-spot in four and stole three in five to seal the deal with his fourth victory in a row in the B bracket.
Joining the Oake foursome at provincials is St. Albert skip Julia Bakos as her Crestwood rink of third Quinn Prodaniuk, second Kim Bonneau and lead Julianna MacKenzie went undefeated in three games in the six-team female playdowns at St. Albert.
Sunday's A final was 7-2 in seven ends against Jessica Wytrychowski of Airdrie as Bakos counted three in five to make it 4-2 and stole two in six and one in seven.
The juvenile provincials are March 14 to 17 at Medicine Hat and nationals are April 2 to 7 at Glen Allan Recreation Complex in Sherwood Park.
The Anna Smith rink of St. Albert, with Brennin Turner, Presley Cuthbertson and Rachael Hansen in the lineup, lost two straight after starting off the tournament with a 6-2 decision against Joely Zimmer of Ellerslie at the U18 playdowns.
Basketball at PK
The Paul Kane Blues have consecutive home games on tap this week in the metro Edmonton division one women’s basketball league.Paul Kane (6-1) hosts the Salisbury Sabres (6-2) today and the Bev Facey Falcons (2-6) Thursday. Tipoff times are 5:30 p.m.
In the 4A provincial rankings, Paul Kane is eighth and Salisbury is 10th.
The last game before the Feb. 24 quarter-finals is next Wednesday versus the No. 1-ranked St. Albert Skyhawks (9-0) at 6:30 p.m. at the SkyDome.
Paul Kane is 15-7 overall after Monday’s 89-46 road victory over the Spruce Grove Panthers (3-5).
Last weekend Paul Kane competed at the Tri-Prov at Harry Ainlay High School and for the second tournament in a row finished as the winner of the consolation bracket.
Paul Kane rebounded from the 47-45 loss to the Cardston Cougars, a 4A honourable mention, with wins of 84-61 against the Duchess Park Condors of Prince George and 63-40 against the Foothills Falcons of Okotoks.
At the recent St. Mary’s Saints Senior Classic in Calgary, Paul Kane lost 53-41 to Cardston and defeated Foothills 94-40 and William Aberhart Orange of Calgary 70-42.
Meanwhile, an undefeated season for the Paul Kane men’s team ended after 17 wins with a pair of losses at the Western Canada tournament last weekend in Calgary.
Paul Kane beat Father Lacombe of Calgary 83-69 before suffering setbacks of 75-61 to Western Canada and 82-71 to St. Mary’s.
Receiving player of the game honours were Roka Phalen-Baker against Father Lacombe, Ryan Holmes against Western Canada and Jack MacPherson against St. Mary’s.
Today at 5 p.m. Paul Kane, 9-0 in the metro division two league, plays the Memorial Marauders (2-4) in Stony Plain.
Next Wednesday it’s Paul Kane versus the St. Albert Skyhawks (3-5) at 5 p.m. at the SkyDome.
Wolves basketball
The 25th annual Wolves Invitational Tournament for the Morinville men’s high school basketball team tips off Friday morning.In the round of eight, the host team plays the Eastglen Blue Devils, 8-1 in the metro Edmonton division four league, at 12:15 p.m. and the next game for the Wolves is 5:30 p.m. Friday in the consolation bracket or the 9 a.m. semifinal Saturday against the Louis St. Laurent Barons, 2-5 in the metro division three standings, or the R.F. Staples Thunderbirds of Westlock.
The Peace Wapiti Academy Titans of Grande Prairie, Parkland Pacers of Edson, Holy Rosary Raiders of Lloydminster and the W.P. Wagner Warriors, 8-0 in the metro division four league, are also entered.
Saturday the consolation final is 2:15 p.m., the third-place game is 4 p.m. and the final is 5:45 p.m.
Visit www.mchs.gsacrd.ab.ca for the schedule and results.
The Wolves, last year’s North Central zone champions, are 16-4 this season after winning the Eastglen tournament last weekend.
Matt Osunde, the tournament MVP, racked up 42 points, nine assists and six rebounds as the team’s player of the game in the 85-81 final against Peace Wapiti.
Jacob Christensen contributed 17 points and eight rebounds as the Wolves trailed by two at halftime and led by four going into the fourth quarter.
The tournament opener was 78-52 against the St. Joseph Celtics of Grande Prairie as Osunde, the player of the game, recorded 34 points, five assists and eight rebounds and Russ Foisy tossed in 24 points.
The semifinal was 85-81 against the F.P. Mercredi Trappers of Fort McMurray, the ninth-ranked 3A team in the province. Christensen produced 17 points and 14 rebounds as player of the game and Osunde tossed in 19 points and grabbed six rebounds for the 3A honourable mention team.
