In his fifth year with the Queen's University football team, Abbotsford-born kicker Dan Village is reaching some impressive career milestones.
Village was named Ontario University Athletics player of the week after kicking a pair of field goals in a 27-14 win over the Windsor Lancers last Saturday. The performance put him at 50 field goals in his career, and boosted him past the 300-point plateau, making him the ninth player in CIS history to reach that benchmark. He's already the leading scorer in the history of the Queen's Golden Gaels program.
HOCKEY PLAYERS PICKED FOR TEAM B.C.
A trio of Abbotsford hockey players have been selected for the B.C. squad for the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup.
Jake Virtanen, Mitchell Skapski and Matt Revel – all forwards who currently play for the major midget Fraser Valley Bruins – were named to the provincial entry for the tournament, which runs Oct. 27-30 in Moose Jaw, Sask. The event features the highest-rated players in the U16 category in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Additionally, Revel, Skapski and fellow Abbotsford product Ryan Simpson were picked in the B.C. Hockey League's 15-year-old affiliate draft last week. Revel (second overall) and Skapski (18th overall) were selected by the Chilliwack Chiefs, while Simpson went 10th overall to the Langley Rivermen.
HAMADE, NAYLOR NAMED TO ALL-STAR TEAM
A pair of W.J. Mouat Hawks football products were honoured this week as the B.C. Football Conference announced its all-star teams.
Tanner Hamade of the Chilliwack Huskers was named to the all-star team as a defensive back, after setting a league record with three interception returns for touchdowns. Place kicker Nick Naylor of the Langley Rams was honoured for a season where he hit 11 of 19 field goal tries.
LIONS V-BALLERS ROARING EARLY
The Yale Secondary senior girls volleyball team has gotten off to a hot start to the season, winning its first three games in Fraser Valley AAAA league play.
The Lions, behind strong contributions from setter Emilia Amiama, Jessica Collins and sibling duo Emma and Madi Gibbs, defeated Fraser Heights, Sardis, and crosstown rival W.J. Mouat. They lost just one set en route to the trio of victories.
HALL CALLS FOR NOMINATIONS
The Abbotsford Sports Hall of Fame is soliciting nominations for its class of 2012.
The deadline for submissions is Nov. 15. Nomination forms are available at www.abbysportshalloffame.ca, or by contacting the Sports Hall of Fame Society at Box 10, Abbotsford B.C., V2T 6Z4. In addition, nomination forms for the Wall of Fame (a one-year recognition of an individual or team performance in 2011) are available on the website.
The Abbotsford Sports Hall of Fame, located on the main floor of the Legacy Sport Centre at Exhibition Park, contains memorabilia displays honouring 35 athletes, teams and builders who have been inducted since 2003.
TOP CASCADES
The University of the Fraser Valley athletes of the week are Bethany Whitehead and Becky Hildebrandt of the women’s rowing team, and Connor Richey of the men’s golf team.
Hildebrandt and Whitehead, competing in the lightweight women's doubles, finished third behind boats from UBC and the University of Victoria at a meet at Burnaby Lake last weekend. Both boats that finished ahead of the Cascades duo had world champion rowers in the crew.
Richey shot a two-day total of 146 at Chilliwack Golf and Country Club, leading the UFV golf squad to the PACWest silver medal and a berth at the CCAA national championship tourney in Prince Edward Island.
HOOPS SHOWCASE TICKETS ON SALE
Tickets for the university basketball showcase between the UFV Cascades and the Trinity Western Spartans have gone on sale at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre.
The Cascades women's and men's basketball teams are hosting the Spartans in Canada West regular season games at the AESC on Jan. 28. Tickets are available at www.abbotsfordcentre.ca.