The June 26 to 27 event at Fowler Athletic Park will feature peewee, bantam, midget and youth age classes as well as team championships. Peewee and bantam athletes will participate in combined events and the midget and youth athletes are to compete in individual events.
Organizers expect more than 700 athletes from throughout Alberta and western Canada will attend.
The St. Albert club moved its track meet from its traditional May weekend in order to host the Athletics Alberta championship.
The Northwest Sharks won the Alberta Cup with a roster dominated by bantam AAA players from the St. Albert Sabres.
In the A final Sunday in Leduc, forward Sebastien Auray and defenceman Jeff Harrison of the Sabres scored as the Sharks edged the Calgary South Flames 4-3. Forward Jake Mykitiuk and defenceman Tyler Dea assisted on Auray’s fourth goal of the tournament. Mykitiuk’s assist was his sixth in five games for a team-leading seven points. The 2010 recipient of the John Reid Memorial Award for heart and hustle finished the tournament tied for fourth place in points.
Stony Plain forward Dallas Bozek scored what ended up being the game winner at 5:08 of the second period. The Flames made a late charge to pull within one at 5:10 of the third. Big saves by Stony Plain goalie Wyatt Hoflin late in the game preserved the victory. He stopped 32 shots in total.
In the semifinals Luke Mahura of the Sabres scored the insurance marker as the Sharks downed the Calgary North Stars 3-1. Mykitiuk, defenceman Jakob Lavoie of the Sabres and forward Nelson Gadoury of Calahoo picked up assists against the North Stars (2-0-1), the top A division team
In the round robin of the eight-team tournament the Flames (2-0-1) and Sharks (1-1-1) finished first and second, respectively, in the B division. The teams skated to a 2-2 draw Friday as Mykitiuk and Mahura lit the lamp.
Rounding out the Sabres’ connection on the Sharks was goalie Mitchell Martell and forward Taylor Fontaine.
The last Alberta Cup victory by the Sharks was 2007.
The Alberta Cup helps identify the top male bantam-aged players in the province as scouts prepare for the Western Hockey League’s bantam draft.
In addition to player evaluations, the competition is also an opportunity for administrators, coaches, trainers and referees to be evaluated for future positions with the Team Alberta U17 program.
The Sunburst Baseball League is going with six teams this year, including the Tigers and Tabbies of St. Albert.
The 2009 national senior AAA champion Fort Saskatchewan Athletics, Calgary Redbirds and the Riggers and Stags of Red Deer are back for another season.
The Tigers versus Tabbies rivalry heats up the diamond for the May 14 league opener at 7:30 p.m. at Legion Memorial Park. The teams also go head-to-head June 16, June 23 and July 9 and July 18.
Meanwhile, the 27th annual Tigers Baseball Association tournament has been finalized for June 11 to 13.
