DAVE TAYLOR

THE 1997 KERMODE Classic basketball toumament had its fair share of difficulties — including two miss- ing teams and a hot, humid gymnasium. But that didn't matter for fans who got to see some great ball and some really close games, including Saturday

afternoon's heart-stopper against _ ninth- ranked Charles Hays of Prince Rupert. Above, that's Clint Sheppard moving in for two, despite a blocking at- tempt by a reaching Cougar. Far right, that’s Fraser deWalle leaping miles above flat-tooted College Heights players. DeWalle continues to be a force this year in spite of continued back problems. To the im- mediate tight, Friday afternoon's match drew more than 200 boisterous fans like these guys who had litte trouble intimidating the visiting Cougars with

ONE TEAM didn’t show, another got stuck on an island off the coast due to hurricane-force winds,

But in spite of it all, the 1997 Kermode Classic basket- ball tourney offered some very entertaining hoop action.

Host team Caledonia has been looking strong this year. And more than 200 fans turned out Friday afternoon for their first game against the visiting College Heights Cougars of Prince George.

That support likely helped boost the Kermodes con- fidence, and they pulled ahead 21-11 at the end of the first.

In the second quarter Cal got sloppy. Although they managed to maintain their lead, the team didn’t play espe- cially well. The Cougars managed to keep within striking distance on free-throws alone. But the Kermodes tightened up in the second half and pulled away with a strong of- fence, They won the game 76-48,

Cal’s next match was Saturday afternoon against the ninth-ranked AA team in the province, Charles Hays.

This was one intense game. The first quarter saw Caledonia dominate the play, but Hays stayed right on their heels. By the end of the first, Cal was up 20-19.

The second quarter continued with the two teams trading shots, staying within five points of each other. Then in the second half, the action really heated up. With just one minute to go, Hays was up 73-72. A free-throw from Ches- ley Neufeld tied the game up at 73, and Fraser de Walle hit one to move ahead 75-73.

Cal hung on for the last thirty seconds to take the win. Tyson Hull was named game MVP. The win moved Cal into the fina] round. Unfortunately, that game wasn’t over by deadline, but results will be in an upcoming Standard.

Cal coach Cam Mackay says his team is pretty much Tighi on schedule in terms of development. He’s been im- pressed by the play of many players including some that often aren’t noliced by fans.

‘The silent guy doing all the stuff is Brooks Robinson,” he says. ‘‘He’s the heart leadership-wise, and he’s always there defensively."”

Other consistently dominant players include Grade 11 Mike Hovanes, and Grade 10 Kevin Braam.

This weekend the Kermodes are off to Prince George for atournament there.

plenty of noise,

Local swimmers

rock in Richmond Boys’ 13-14 group finishes third

THE BLUEBACKS are back from one of their biggest mects of the year boasting some of their best finishes ever.

Ten Terrace swimmers joined forces with other arca athletes as Points North Swin- ming Association. They all blasted down to Vancouver Dec. 5-7 for the annual Rich- mond Racers Fast Swim Classic.

> A total of 26 teams and 454 athletes at- tended the mect, including most lower mainland and Vancouver Island clubs. Two teams even came all the way from Califor- nia and some of the local university clubs brought their nalional team members along.

But in spite of the stiff competition, the Blucbacks weren’t daunted and they helped Points North to an impressive seventh-place finish. Points North ended up with 398 points —- just four behind the host Rich- mond Racers team.

"We didn’t have any 17-and-older kids * swimming so we were completely missing an age group," says coach Mike Carlyle.

‘At a provincial level meet one of our best performances was six out of 10 (making finals). To get up to eight out of 10 was a huge success for us.’’ —Mike Carlyle

**That was a very good finish for us.’’

‘And eight of the 10 Blueback swimmers ‘made finals — a very impressive feat.

“That was just great,’” says Carlyle, ‘‘At a provincial level meet one of our best per- formances was six out of 10 (making finals), To get up to eight out of 10 was a huge success for us.”’

Carlyle says the Bluebacks were fairly consistent throughout the meet, especially ‘the 13 to 14-year-old boys who ended up third overall in points — just behind the ‘lower mainland’s massive Pacific Dolphins Swim Club. .

‘That consistency also showed in the boys’ best-times, Kyle Narzt, Arend Stamhuis

and Tristan Brown all finished with 100 per cent best-times. Brown also picked up a bronze medal and finalled in all but one of his events.

And in the 11 and 12-year-old age group, Thomas Demetzer made finals in nine out of 10 events.

“Thomas bas improved significantly,” Carlyle says, ‘He went from not making qualifying times last year in the 200 fly to finalling this year. He should be close to making the top 50 in Canada.”

Kyle Narzt also had an amazing meet, taking up to six seconds off some of his times. And Arend Stamhuis both picked up a medal and made qualifying times for the Junior Nationals.

Jenine Barton was the third Blueback to medal and she scored three of them — two silvers and a bronze,

**That will boost her rankings,’’ Carlyle says. ‘By Provincials she'll be quite im- pressive.”

Several Bluebacks on Points North also scored medals in the 13-14 Boys relay. They picked up silvers in the 200 free and 200 medley, And the 16-and-Under Girls placed fourth in their relay, especially im- pressive considering the team had a 12- year-old member — Termace’s Natalie Gour.

Meanwhile in Prince Rupert, 35 other Bluebacks were competing in the Christmas Invitational.

Several Terrace swimmers picked up medaijs at the event, including a couple of surprises. William Shack scored his first medals, and Maria Farrell also inedalled.

“That was very well-deserved,"? Carlyle says. ‘‘She’s worked really hard.”’

For two Bluebacks —- Lucas Myhbr and seven-year-old Jeffery Turner — it was also their first meet.

A number of youths posted 100 per cent best times, and Carlyle says the team really improved on some of their technical aspects — like turns.

The Bluebacks’ next meet isn’t until Jan. id, That one will give local spectators 4 chance to see the Bluebacks in action as it will take place here in Terrace,

*

weekend,

beginning of December.

open to the public.

groom.”

could open.

Mouatain manager Rene Farwig, hear- ing stories of Shames’ legendary deep snow, had originally hoped to open the hill at the end of November or right at the

But as of Dec. 10, there was only a 30 cm base — not nearly enough to safely

“*There’s too much stuff sticking out or just below, the snow,’’ Farwig said last week ‘‘There’s not even enough to

Farwig said the mountain needed about another 30 centimetres of snow before it

And he pointed out that this kind of weather isn’t really all that unusual in ski circles, ‘‘Most mountains have this hap- pen every five or six years,” he said.

Farwig said.

If Shames gets a good dump of snow, it will take about another four days for staff to prepare the runs for skiers. Farwig sakl he hopes that will finally happen and the lifts will crank up Dec. 18 or Dec. 19.

Once the snow is on the ground, Shames will be open seven days a week for the Christmas holidays. Kid’s Camps will start Dec. 201h.

Shames is even open for a half-day on Christmas, so everyone who unwraps new skis or snowboards will get a chance to try them out right away.

To hear the latest on snow conditions at Shames, cali their ski line at 638-8SKI.

But that doesn't make the late season start any easier on avid skiers or Shames staff who are dying to get more of the fluffy white stuff.

“The problem with this type of situa- tion is that people are anxious and momentum becomes an important issue,””

Shames aims for weekend opening

TT HASN’T exactly been a banner year for snow at Shames so far, but if all goes well the hiil should open for business this

Rene Farwig

Wrestlers struggle with strong Hazelton crew

TERRACE ‘WRESTLERS have their hands full this year with @ super-tough Hazelton squad.

In spite of having a very strong team themselves, the Terrace contingent, consist- ing of Skeena and Caledonia schools, was overshadowed by Hazelton at their Warm- up Tournament, Dec. 6.

“Hazelton walked sway with the girls’ events,”’ says Terrace coach Dave O’Brien. ‘‘They had girls in every weight class.’’

They also have some of the top female youth wrest- Jers in the country. But O’Bricn says that’s actually good for Tertace wrestlers.

“It’s good for them and for us,’’ he says. ‘‘It’s a

very compettive level and it makes both teams stronger.”

Several of both Terrace’s male and female wrestlers picked up, medals at the event, They included Angie Merac, who placed second in the 60 k category after losing her final bout to a Prince George wrestler.

Grace Wittkowski also picked up a silver in the 57 k category. She lost her final match to arch-rival Alison Jacques of Hazelton, who placed second in the Provin- cials last year.

Caledonia’s Roberta Wil- son took gold in the 70 k weight class. This is Wil- son’s first year with Cal, but she was a force last year in Kitwanga.

O’Brien says veteran wresticr Whitey Bruneau also looked very strong,

As for the novices, O’Brien says he wasn’t the

only one impressed by the performance of Kirst! Allen.

“Many coaches com- mented on her abilities as a novice,”’ he says. ‘‘Rebecca Boland surprised us as well.”

Two of the guys also medalled in Hazelton, Ajit Jaswal finished with a sil- ver, as did Jon Peltier.

Boys’ coach Joe Murphy says Matt Beddic also showed some improvement.

The wrestlers are now on their Christmas break. But things will heat up again in January when the athletes start preparing for ihe Zones, coming up in Febru- ary.

“We know that they'll do well at the Zones, but that’s not their Stanley Cup,’ O’Brien says, ‘They want a shot at the Nationals.’

And this is a big year for the Nationals in western Canada. They’re being held in Edmonton this April, but then they will take place back east in 1999 and 2000.

That means many of the youths will be gunning for the National Finals, since they are being held relative- ly close-by

And with the Provincial Finals taking place in March, there’s time between the two to take in a big wrestling camp that’s being held at Simon Fraser Uni- versity.

“Hopefully we'll be able to get to that,” O'Brien says. ‘They make a big dif- ference. If some of my top wrestlers could work out with people of their calibre for four hours a day it would be wonderful.”