Kersey nets hat trick for Wildcats

The Richmond Wildcats scored just four minutes into their game Saturday en-route to a 5-1 win over Surdel in Under-12 South District girls’ soccer cup action.

Mackenzie Fletcher opened the scoring for the Wildcats, with Sharon Kersey, who dominated offensively, making it 2-0 just a couple minutes later on a pass from Erica Norhaug. Kersey went on to score three more goals to help Richmond to the win.

The Wildcats also dominated their first league game after the break, but had to settle for a 1-1 tie with the Guildford United whose goaltender was outstanding. Cheryl Leclerc netted the only Richmond goal midway through the first half.

The defensive line of Melanie McPhail, Julia Diakow, Sam Cauley and Stephanie Sage limited United to only three shots on net with the tying goal coming on a penalty shot only seconds before the end of the match.

Local rinks advance to coastal finals

Three rinks from the Richmond Winter Club have advanced to the Pacific Coast Curling Association men’s championships Feb. 1 to 3 at Marpole.

The Bruce Davey, Craig Lepine and Craig McLeod teams qualified for the playdowns by winning events at last weekend’s Zone 2 playdowns at Chilliwack.

The top four teams from the coast championships go on to compete at the Safeway Select provincial championships Feb. 6 to 10 at the Richmond Winter Club.

Gunners are striving for more consistency

The Richmond Gunners edged Cliff Avenue United 2-1 Sunday for their third win in six games.

More importantly perhaps, it gives the local Under-17 Gold Division boys’ soccer team renewed hope following a sluggish first half of the season. While a first-place finish seems unlikely, only seven points separates second from eighth.

Gunners’ coach Andrew Dunham says his team’s improved play has been kindled by by better marking, a consistent back line and better overall fitness.

Goalkeeper Allan McLean collected several dangerous crosses, while right fullback Greg Dunham blocked a shot on the goal line during United’s sustained second-half pressure.

Richmond opened the scoring 30 minutes into the match when Chris Ross put through a pass to Thomas Nilausen, who buried a shot low to the corner of the net. Jeff Buchanan doubled the score after Chris Corriea and Darnell May forced a turnover deep in the Cliff Avenue end. Cliff Avenue scored their lone goal in the 79th minute.

• In other local boys’ soccer action last weekend, Chase Wickham scored three goals and Francis Cimolai and Rowan Scott added singles as the Richmond City United Under-11 Selects defeated Cliff Avenue Thunder 5-0 in Under-12 Silver Division play on Saturday. All of the goals were the result of nice passing plays, said coach Mike Quinn.

Keeper Ryan Cuthbert earned his 10th shutout of the season Sunday as United blanked ICSF 3-0 in a league make-up game.

Russell earns national honour

Richmond’s Kyle Russell is the Canadian inter-university sport athlete of the week.

A fourth-year shooting guard for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds men’s basketball team, Russell earnd the honour for back-to-back 35- and 34-point performances last weekend against the University of Winnipeg. He also had a game-high 12 rebounds on Friday, totalling 17 for the weekend, and had nine assists, one block and four steals in the two-game series.

Russell, who was a star high school player for the Richmond Colts, has been the highest scoring university player in the country of late, averaging 30.5 points per game in his last six contests. He jumped to second in conference scoring during the weekend (24.3 points per game) and also sits seventh in assists per game (4.25) and seond in rebounds per game (6.3)

Russell, 23, has led UBC in scoring in 10 straight conference games and 11 of 12 this season.

Novice goalie stands tall for Atom Giants

Richmond outshot Seafair 30-13 Saturday but couldn’t solve goaltender Aaron Oakley.

The Novice Division goalie stopped every shot in backstopping the Seafair Giants to a 7-0 Atom Division hockey victory.

Strong passing and forechecking was the key to the Giants’ success offensively as Jeremy Hamaguchi scored twice and assisted on another. Alex White, Brian Harasyn, Ryan Stokes, Kyle Shackles, Kyle Campbell, Sam Chichak and Steven Robson also earned points.

Kajaks gear up for first race

The Richmond Kajaks Track and Field Club is gearing up for its first race of the season, the Kajaks Ice Breaker, Feb. 3.

The eight kilometre race is scheduled to begin and end at the Steveston Community Centre, 4111 Moncton St., with the race start at 8:30 a.m. Medals are to be awarded to the top three male and female runners in 14 age categories. There is also a mother/daughter category with a speical prize to be awarded for the best combined time.

For more on the race check out the website at www.kajakstandf.org/events/icebreaker .

Kuno wins masters’ race in Washington

Richmond Kajaks’ masters runner Gary Kuno placed first in both the 60- and 200-metre events at the prestigious University of Washington Indoor Track Meet on Saturday. Kuno was participating in the 40 to 44 age group.

Quinn nets five in Seafair draw

Travis Quinn scored five goals and set up the tying goal by Stephen Gordon with 30 seconds to play as Seafair Ice Demons tied Seafair Scorpions 5-5 in Novice Division hockey action Sunday.

It was the Ice Demons’ second straight draw, after playing to a 5-5 tie with the Vancouver Thunderbirds on Saturday. Casey Koyanagi scored twice in that game.

Sockeyes ice Ice Hawks

Richmond Sockeyes downed the Delta Ice Hawks 5-3 at home Thursday.

The junior B hockey squad had goals from Graham Sheppard, Jason Kirby, Raymond Sawada, Wes Rich and Ricky Sikka.

Delta opened the scoring 34 seconds into the game, but Richmond led 2-1 after one period. Delta’s Brandon Morishita tied it up early in the second, but Sawada put Richmond ahead for good 13:22 into the second.

Local bowlers roll top averages

Several Richmond bowlers have started the new year off on the right foot.

Norm Schultz and Bob Gonzales were both members of the third-place team, Fred Chong Jr. and Fred Chong Sr. part of the fourth-place team, and Lloyd Conbankiat of the sixth-place team at the Western Bowling Association Swiss Tournament last weekend. Cobankiat also won entry into the upcoming western regional final for the Tournament of America Qualifier.

Dorren Phone was the top women’s bowler with a pinfall of 2131 — an average score of 213. Christina Boni averaged 198 with a pinfall total of 1978, while Jennifer Brice led all female bowlers with a pins over average of 540 and Joey Chueng all male bowlers with a pins over average of 450.