Red Hawks, Crusaders battle for Seely crowns
Published Wednesday November 25th, 2009
ROTHESAY - The battle for Kennebecasis Valley basketball supremacy will be waged tonight on the hardcourt of the Rothesay High School gymnasium.
The annual Rip Seely Memorial basketball games get underway at 6 p.m. with the RHS varsity girls squaring off against the KV High Crusaders followed by the varsity boys battle at 8 p.m. The annual clash honours the contributions of Seely, a member of the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame and the Saint John male athlete of the century.
Despite the contest being early in the season, it's expected to be one of the highlights of the year.
"The whole gym will be full and it's the whole valley community coming out, not just the schools," said RHS varsity girls head coach Moira Gagnon, whose son Simon will suit up for KVHS in the boys tilt. "It's the highlight of the season for most of the kids because it's one of the times they get to play in front of a packed crowd and historically, the games have been close."
The RHS Red Hawks will seek revenge tonight as the Crusaders won both contests last year.
"This a big deal in the valley, this why they play," said KVHS varsity boys coach Dennis Rollins. "I think Rothesay has a really good club and we're on their floor, so we're definitely prepared for this contest."
Gagnon said her players understand the significance of the games.
"The girls were reminiscing when they were mini basketball players coming to the game, watching and dreaming of playing," she said. "Now there will be little girls out there watching them and thinking the same thing."
Seely's widow Betty attends the games and postponed a trip to visit family to watch tonight's action. The Crusaders varsity boys squad prepared for the Seely Memorial with an 81-46 win against the St. Malachy's Saints Tuesday.
In Southern Conference varsity boys AAA hoops action, the Saint John High Greyhounds edged the Simonds Seabees 71-66. The Greyhounds' Sean Wedge dropped 27 in the win with Marcus Rogers adding 10. Kayden Roy had 26 in a losing effort while Ryan Hubbard added 10.
The Fredericton High Black Kats defeated Carleton North 109-29 in AAA junior varsity boys play. Andrew Petrie led the Kats with 17 followed by Weston Durling with 14. Nick Crain was the high scorer for Carleton North with 11.
In other junior boys action, the Woodstock Thunder beat the Oromocto Blues 68-52. Nathaniel Burlock and Andrew Sharkey had 27 and 15, respectively, for Woodstock. Michael Hillier netted 23 for Oromocto while Kaiden Strohm chipped in with 11.
In Northern Conference AA varsity girls play, the Stanley High Lady Blue Devils downed the Rothesay Netherwood Riverhawks 68-63. Stanley's Shannon MacFarlane lead all scorers with 27 points while Alison Bartlett and Lacee Thomas chipped in with eight apiece. Anna Simmons had 20 for RNS while Taylor Cooper added 10.
Hilary Goodine had a total of 64 points in pair of AA girls varsity victories for Tobique Valley High School. Goodine dropped 30 in an 89-11 win over Blackville. She followed it up with a 34-point outburst in an 80-45 win over Petitcodiac.
On the hockey side of things, KVHS and the Sussex Sonics skated to a 1-1 tie in girl's hockey play. Leanne Callaghan had the lone Crusaders goal while Annika Bobbitt countered for Sussex.
In other girls hockey play, Rothesay Netherwood downed Harbour View High 9-1. Jesse McCann and Jane Foster had two goals apiece for RNS while Jerica LeBlanc, Jordan Miller, Ashley Dingwell, Elizabeth MacArthur and Becky Cahill added singles.
On the boys side, Ryan Caswell's second goal of the night lifted the St. Stephen Spartans to a 5-4 overtime win against the Sussex Sonics. Brody Richardson, Mike Gullison and Scott O'Rouke added singles for the victors. Colin Urquhart had a pair for the Sonics while Jeremy Walker and Nick DeWinter had one goal each.
The boys contest between Harbour View and KVHS was postponed.
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