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Sports in brief: Heat to play UBC in preseason

The Abbotsford Heat have announced an exhibition game against the UBC Thunderbirds on Sunday, Sept. 25.

The Abbotsford Heat have announced an exhibition game against the UBC Thunderbirds on Sunday, Sept. 25.

The game will be held at South Surrey Arena, with the opening puck drop slated for 6:05 p.m. The BCHL's Surrey Eagles are presenting the game, and net proceeds will benefit the Semiahmoo Minor Hockey Association. Tickets are available exclusively through the Surrey Eagles ticket office (604-531-4625).

The Heat have also announced a major partnership with Sleeman Breweries to become the official beer of the team. The deal includes pouring rights for the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre.

WHISTLE-BLOWERS SOUGHT

With hoops season a couple of months away, the Fraser Valley Basketball Officials Association (FVBOA) is searching for new members.

The FVBOA officiates all basketball games played in the region. The association is running education and training meetings at 7 p.m. on Monday evenings at Abbotsford Collegiate, beginning Oct. 3 and running through the end of November. For more information, contact Paul Nivins at pnivins@shaw.ca, or call 604-613-6391.

XC SERIES STARTING UP

The 24th annual Lafarge Grand Prix cross-country running series kicks off next week.

The elementary/middle school series, which draws upwards of 1,000 young athletes to each race, begins on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at Clearbrook Park and runs for the following three Wednesdays. Races begin at 3:30 p.m., and athletes in grades 4-8 are invited to pre-register at valleyroyals.org. Schools are also invited to register if they haven't already.

The series is designed to be fun, but also doubles as a great way to for participants to gain fitness for other athletic endeavors that will take place during the school year. Runners cover a 1.8-km course and compete for both individual and team awards in the various grade divisions.

NEESON, DAVIS ARE TOP CASCADES

Soccer players Carly Neeson and Brian Davis have been honoured as the UFV Cascades' athletes of the week.

Neeson, a second-year forward from Maple Ridge, scored the game-winner in the 49th minute on Sunday to lift the Cascades women to a 2-1 win over the Regina Cougars.

Davis, a fourth-year midfielder from Abbotsford, played a key role in the UFV men's 1-0 win over Trinity Western on Friday, and scored a goal in the Cascades' 4-2 loss to UBC on Saturday.

The UFV athlete of the week award is sponsored by the Abbotsford Heat.

YALE TO HOST CIS V-BALL

Yale Secondary will host an exhibition game between two of the nation's top university teams on Tuesday, Sept. 27.

The defending Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) champion Trinity Western Spartans take on the UBC Thunderbirds in a game that begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the door, and cost $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors.

The match represents a homecoming for Trinity's Brad Kufske and UBC's Ian Perry, who were teammates on a Yale Lions team that finished fifth at AAA high school provincials in 2008. Both players have represented Canada at the junior level since their high school days – Perry was the starting libero on the Canadian squad that won a silver medal at the NORCECA challenge event in 2010, while outside hitter Kufske helped Canada to an 11th-place finish at the World Juniors in Brazil this past August. The TWU roster also features Mennonite Educational Institute products Ben Ball, John Wiebe and Tyler Koslowsky.