The first game of the season for the 3A provincial women’s basketball champion St. Albert Skyhawks tips off Thursday at the 13th annual Mike Dea Classic.
The Skyhawks play the Bowness Trojans of Calgary or the Ross Sheppard Thunderbirds at 4:30 p.m. at the St. Francis Xavier Sports Centre.
The 12-team draw includes the Morinville Lady Wolves. Their first game is 9 a.m. Thursday versus the Strathcona Lords.
In the 12-team men’s bracket the Sturgeon Spirits hoop it up Thursday against the St. Joseph Saints at 12:30 p.m.
The tournament schedules are online at www.stfrancisxavier.ecsd.net.
Meanwhile, league play for the 2010 metro Edmonton premier conference champion Skyhawks starts Monday in Sherwood Park against the Archbishop Jordan Scots at 6:15 p.m.
The only 3A team in premier last season finished 14-0. The Skyhawks also made school history as the first St. Albert women’s basketball team to win premier honours in the metro league, established in 1988/89.
Tonight at Akinsdale Arena the St. Albert Flyers are shooting for their ninth straight win in the Alberta Minor Midget AAA Hockey League. Faceoff is 7:45 p.m. against the SSAC Bulldogs.
In the north conference the Flyers (12-1) and Bulldogs (9-4-1) are second and third, respectively, behind the first-place Sherwood Park Squires (13-1-3).
Last weekend the Flyers blasted last-place CAC United Cycle 9-1 in St. Albert. Jake Mykitiuk led all scorers with three goals and two assists. He ranks second in the conference points race with 32 and is the top goal producer with 18 in 13 games.
Shane Bowzaylo also potted a pair against the CAC (1-11-2) and St. Albert goalie Tanner McCorriston (5-1, 2.50 GAA) stopped 38 of 39 shots.
After winning the Dallas Saunders Abbotsford International Bantam AAA Tournament last weekend, the St. Albert Sabres resume league play Sunday against the SSAC Southgate Lions. Puck drop is 7:15 p.m. at Millwoods Arena.
The Lions (10-3-3) and Sabres (10-4-3) share first place in their division.
The Sabres are winners of seven in a row, including all six games played in November. They also didn’t lose a game at the Abbotsford tournament. Scores were 6-3 against Seafair, 10-1 against the Prince George Cougars, 7-3 against the Chilliwack Bruins, 4-2 against the Pursuit of Excellence Academy in the quarter-finals, 6-3 against the Calgary Bisons in the semifinals and 10-2 against the Kelowna Rockets in the final.
Sabres defenceman Zack Gonek also made the tournament all-star team, as selected by attending scouts.
