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The 20th annual Optimist Showdown in St. Albert high school basketball tournament tips off Thursday at 3:15 p.m. at the St. Albert Catholic, Paul Kane, Bellerose and Morinville high schools.

The 20th annual Optimist Showdown in St. Albert high school basketball tournament tips off Thursday at 3:15 p.m. at the St. Albert Catholic, Paul Kane, Bellerose and Morinville high schools.

The opening day winners qualify for the championship round and the losing teams compete in the consolation bracket.

The finals are 6:15 p.m. next Saturday at St. Albert Catholic (women’s championship), Paul Kane (men’s championship), Bellerose (men’s consolation) and Morinville (women’s consolation).

The 16-team girls’ draw features the St. Albert Skyhawks (ranked second in 3A), Paul Kane Blues, Bellerose Bulldogs, Morinville Wolves (3A honourable mention), Grande Prairie Totems, St. Thomas Aquinas Thunder of Spruce Grove, St. Francis Xavier Rams, Edmonton Christian Lions (ranked second in 2A), Bowness Trojans of Calgary, John Maland Wildcats of Devon (ranked 10th in 3A), Wetaskiwin Sabres (ranked fifth in 3A), Scona Lords (ranked ninth in 4A), Medicine Hat Kwahommies, Centennial Coyotes of Calgary (4A honourable mention), Daysland Darls (ranked third in 1A) and the Bedford Road Redmen of Saskatoon.

The 16-team boys’ draw includes the Skyhawks, Paul Kane, Bellerose, Morinville (3A honourable mention), Bert Church Chargers of Airdrie (ranked eighth in 4A), Grande Prairie Tomahawks, Scona (4A honourable mention), St. Thomas Aquinas, Spruce Grove Panthers, John Maland, Bowness, Wetaskiwin (ranked 10th in 3A), Edmonton Christian (ranked ninth in 2A), Rimbey Spartans (2A honourable mention), Bedford Road and the Sturgeon Spirits.

The tournament expanded from its original all-girls’ format in 1995.

Niki Oudenaarden of St. Albert was named the Athletics Alberta midget female athlete of the year at last Saturday’s awards banquet at Edmonton.

The 16-year-old was the 2008 co-winner with Leah Walkeden of the Edmonton Harriers.

In 2009 Oudenaarden made Team Alberta for the Legion Canadian Youth Athletics Championship for the second year in a row.

Last weekend at the Alberta Golden Bears meet she set provincial indoor youth records in the long jump (5.94 metres) and shot put (11.19m).

The Grade 10 Paul Kane High School student trains with the Edmonton Olympic Track & Field Club.

Meanwhile, 10 athletes with the St. Albert Track & Field Club were recognized for their performances in 2009 by Athletics Alberta. Honoured for their top-10 placing in their respective age divisions were Madelyn Curle, Haley Groenenboom, Hannah Gorgichuk and Alexis Anderson in peewee girls, Quinn Waselenchuk in peewee boys, Emily Groenenboom in bantam girls and Tyler Thorsley, Seth Waselenchuk and Joshua Dobbins in bantam boys.

Thorsley, Dobbins and Emily Groenenboom were 2008 recipients.

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