This is a creation of 'Dog fan and Billet Mom Nancy Smeltzer, dating back to the 2005-2006 season, a truly unique Alberni Valley thing, and a great example of the great fans here. The guys from that team and any team that have been blessed to see this support have always been blown away and they still talk about it years later, so I hope you can get up there on Friday!!
It's time for the 2012 Sendoff on the Summit, as the Bulldogs head off to play our favourite rivals, the Nanaimo Clippers. We ask that as many people as possible gather on top of the hump, past the truck pull-over on Friday March 2nd before 4:00 p.m. Bring the kids, your neighbours and any body you see walking the streets so that we bring together a big group to cheer on the boys, and bring your signs and wear your gear. It is supposed to be a beautiful day so it's a great place to be!
For further information call Nancy 250-723-7990
Here's how the first one looked - mild language warning!
Our Community….. Our Teams
A community celebration of Hockey in the Alberni Valley
PRESS RELEASE
February 27, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Port Alberni, BC – You are invited to join us for a fun and exciting evening of Hockey celebration as we close out this 10th anniversary year. What a great opportunity to show our appreciation for our future stars and also to recognise those volunteers who take time out of their busy lives to coach and be role models for our youth!
The last BCHL Friday night game at your Multi-Plex is on the 9th of March when your Alberni Valley Bulldogs host the Island rival Cowichan Valley Capitals! The Alberni Valley Bulldogs will be hosting special community guests including local Alberni Valley Minor Hockey coaches and players, S.D.#70 Elementary school ball hockey teams and students, just to name a few. The Bulldogs will also be offering all walk up ticket prices for Seniors, Adults, and Students for just $7.00!
“Come out and enjoy a night of great entertainment and great Jr. A Hockey action,” says director business operations Ron Paulson. “It has been a while since we have filled this barn and we have set our sights to “Pack the Plex” yet again to recreate that level of energy not seen since HockeyVille.”
“Our team has been playing with a renewed sense of energy and heart under the direction of Head Coach Kevin Willison,” says Director of Hockey Operations Rick Schievink. “The Bulldogs have given their competition all they can handle, especially the Cowichan Capitals, and this promises to be another exciting hockey game!” added Schievink.
Game tickets can be purchased in person at the Alberni Valley Bulldogs office located at 3737 Roger Street or by phone at 250-723-4412 Tuesday to Friday between 10am and 4pm.
Doors open at 6 pm and the entertainment starts immediately don’t miss the fun!!
For more information contact Director of Marketing and Public Relations Laurie Smillie at 250-723-4412, 250-735-3647 or lsmillie@albernivalleybulldogs.ca.
For the third year in a row the ADSS Armada boys and girls wrestling teams combined to win the prestigious BC Secondary Schools Wrestling Championships Aggregate title. This year it wasn’t even close as ADSS finished with 88 points well ahead of second place St. Thomas Moore of Vancouver at 62 pts.
The performance by the ADSS wrestling teams was one admired by many across the province at this year’s BC High School Championships in Penticton. Alberni’s rich tradition in wrestling added another proud chapter as it is one of the few schools in BC that can boast a well balance program with both the boys and the girls teams very strong.
Both the ADSS boys and the girls teams were in the top 5 teams of their respective divisions and both were again in the thick of the hunt for BC titles. On the Girls side ADSS was the runner up team finishing second to Carson Graham of North Vancouver. The ADSS Girls had 42 points while third place St. Thomas Moore were at 32 pts, North Kamloops at 30 pts and Guildford Partk at 21 pts to round out the top 5 schools.
In the boys competition ADSS finished with 46 points to take 4th place. Rick Hansen of Abbotsford repeated at BC Champions. Perennial power house Burnaby Central were second with 57 pts followed by John Oliver with 54 pts and Maple Ridge finished just behind ADSS with 43 pts for fifth place.
“We are extremely proud of the fact that our program gives equal opportunity for both boys and girls and has developed such strong teams in both genders,” said program director Tom McEvay, “ our coaches have done an amazing job with these young athletes starting with our kids programs and working all the way through the middle schools and then at ADSS. There are very few programs in any sport, anywhere in Canada that can rival what we have accomplished here in Alberni.”
Those accomplishments have now included four BC High School Wrestling Aggregate titles, five boys individual team titles and two girls individual team titles. Perhaps more impressive is the fact that the ADSS boys have been in the top five in BC in 22 of the past 30 years and the girls have been in the top five 13 of the past 17 years. Individually ADSS has had 72 BC High School Champions and 189 BC High School medalists in the past 33 years.
Adding to those impressive totals this year were BC gold medalists Jordie Bodnar and Daley Forbes on the girls side and Jesse Wagner for the boys. For Bodnar it was her incredible fourth BC title in a row as she won the 43 kg weight division. Bodnar won this year by defeating a tough Tiana Dykstra of 100 Mile House in the final. Coach Richelle McKenzie commented, “It was also very gratifying to see Jordie take her fourth BC title, she is a competitor who does not want to lose.” As a grade 11 student Bodnar will have the opportunity to win an unprecedented 5th BC title next year.
For Daley Forbes it was a great way to finish her high school wrestling career. The grade 12 ADSS student had moved away from the valley last year due to her father’s work commitments up north but she was excited to win her third BC title as once again an ADSS wrestler. Forbes dominated throughout the event and is expect to defend her national title in April in Fredriction.
The 51 kg Boys final was one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament as twin brothers Jesse and Jordan Wagner of ADSS both battled their way to the gold medal match. The final did not disappoint as the brothers are so evenly matched. Ultimately Jesse prevailed in a very close match to take gold and Jordan the silver.
“Jordan and Jesse often wrestle in different weight classes,” said ADSS head coach John McDonald, “but this year their weights were just so close that it wasn’t fair to have one of them go up a weight. For them both to make the final was unreal. We expected a close match and it was and we couldn’t be prouder of both of them as they are both elite competitors and only in grade 10.”
Joining Jordan Wagner with a silver medal was ADSS teammate Cullen Hines ADSS. The grade 12 Hines has had a great high school wrestling career and was was impressive on route to the final at 78 kg. In the gold medal match Hines met nemesis Jobanjit Phulka of Rick Hansen. Phullka had beaten Hines a few weeks ago in the final of the Alberni Invitational and Hines was out for pay back. Unfortunately in what was a very close match the Hansen wrestler once again came out on top.
The loan bronze medalists for the local high school squad was grade 11 Bailey Durning. Durning had an outstanding BC tournament at 64 kg. “Bailey really rose to the occasion, “said coach James Messenger, “she was tough in every match and followed our advice on how to wrestler to maximize her strengths. She turned some heads with her tough and gritty performances. She certainly deserved a medal at this year’s BC’s and will be a threat to win her weight class next year. “
The ADSS Boys team had two fifth place finishes in extremely tough weight classes. Grade 12 Connor McDonald finished 5th at 84 kg. Coach McDonald commented that, “84 kg was a difficult weight class to place in this year. Connor wrestled hard and in the end he can be proud of 5th at that weight. He wanted to finish higher in his final year but every match was a war. We were sure glad the knee injury that kept him out of action last year did not prevent him having a tremendous grade 12 year. “
The other 5th place finisher for ADSS was grade 9 wrestler Nolan Badovinac. Badovinac has been defying the odds all season that a grade 9 cannot do well in the tough 70 kg weight. If not for a very controversial set of circumstances in the semi final Badovinac would have been in the final Saturday afternoon. In that match twice the ADSS coaches had to officially protest referee calls and both times they won the protest after video review. Unfortunately current rules require the disputed round to be re wrestled and on the third such re-wrestle Badovinac lost.
“Tom McEvay is known for being a very calm and patient person but even he went ballistic after the officials made some terrible mistakes in first re-wrestled round, “said Messenger, “ Nolan won the match twice but in the end he lost. He showed great character to come back on Saturday and take 5th place. He will be a multiple BC champion before he is finished.”
Corrine Gough of Neill Middle School finished 6th at 43 kg while Samantha Anderson of ADSS took 6th at 90 kg. Gough is just in grade 8 and as such this was the first year she could qualify for the BC’s. After much discussion it was decided that Gough was ready to try the higher and older level of competition at the BC’s . She did well to finish top 6. Anderson meanwhile fought through a painful shoulder injury to place top 6 in her grade 12 year.
The Alberni coaches were also quick to comment on the performances of some other wrestlers who didn’t quite make the podium. Alberni Wrestling program director Tom McEvay singled out Russell David, Christian Anderson, Dean Leyland and Janelle Beckett for having excellent BC’s. “We are so blessed to have so many excellent athletes and excellent people in our program. These athletes all had tremendous performances as did many others some of whom are still quite young. Our results this year were exceptional but we know that this may only get better with the talent coming up. There were many young wrestlers, both boys and girls, who didn’t place this year but who showed they are ready for this level with their performances at this year’s championships. The program is definitely in good hands for the near future.”
That immediate future includes preparations for the National Cadet and Juvenile championships in Fredricton New Brunswick April 12-15. Local coaches James Messenger and Chris Bodnar expect to take 5-6 local athletes to this year’s nationals. Fundraising has started as it is not cheap to get this many athletes to far east of our country. If you want to help please contact Tom McEvay at Vast at 250-723-3744.
That's it for now, more later or tomorrow of course! Lots on the go right now!
Hammer
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