HEAT TAKE BOTH ENDS OF HOME STAND IN PACIFIC COAST SOCCER LEAGUE May 25, 2009
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Danielle Fauteux in action with TRU WolfPack
The weather was appropriate for the Kamloops Heat U-21 Women’s soccer program this weekend. They were red hot, and so were the temperatures. The Heat proved it was ‘home sweet home’ against both Chilliwack and Richmond in the Pacific Coast Soccer League Womens Reserve Action.
Following a 4-0 shutout of Chilliwack on Saturday (May 23), The Heat took to the pitch at Hillside Stadium and captured their third straight victory of the young season. This time, the score was 4-1.
The Heat scored the games first goal when Danielle Fauteux scored her fifth goal in three matches, getting help on it from another member of the TRU WolfPack women’s team: Jessie Lebert. But Richmond tied it up before the first half was over on a defensive error.
“We dominated the first half,” said Heat head coach Tom McManus. “In the first 10 to 15 minutes we missed a few great chances.”
In the second half, McManus changed his strategy going to a 4-3-3-. “The players struggled so my experiment didn’t work the way I had hoped.”
Kelli Chamberlain scored a pair of goals for the Heat in the second half. Val Goddard (forward, TRU) assisting on the first goal, Alanna Bekkering on the second. Goddard added the fourth Heat marker.
“I thought both Kelli and Val had strong games for us,” McManus added.
For the second straight match, Shannen Meyer (Kamloops, TRU), usually a defender or midfielder was in the nets.
The Heat are now 3 and 0 on the season and visit the Pinnicales in Pentiction next Saturday (May 30). Kick off time is 230 pm at Kings Park.
PONICH TO PLAY FOR N.A.I.A. WORLD SERIES May 21, 2009
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Alex Ponich with WolfPack in 2008
Alex Ponich has enjoyed a lot of success in his young baseball career. This included being a Canadian College Baseball Conference All-Star and Champion with the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack. But the former Penticton, BC native will add another chapter this week when he will play in the 53 rd Annual Avista N.A.I.A. (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) World Series in Lewiston Idaho.
Ponich is a first year member of the Campbellsville Kentucky Tigers. “We had a good season,” he says. We were 32-8 going into the playoffs. After the Conference playoffs and the Regional Tournament, we have a record of 39-10”.
The 5’10”, 90 pound outfielder started the season on the bench. But after the opening weekend, he worked his way into a starter’s role. He hit .405 during the regular season and helped Campbellsville get out of their Regional Tournament for the first time in five years. “It was by no means an easy road,” says Ponich. “In the Conference Tournament, we won our first two games and then lost a close one to Georgetown (our biggest rival). It was a double-knock out format so that loss forced a second game. We won that and went to the Regional’s where we went 4 and 1.”
Ponich and his Tigers will meet up with Lee, Tennessee in the ten team tournament. Campbellsville enters Friday’s (May 22) tournament as the 8 th ranked seed. He believes his team has a good shot of being one of the contenders though. “Our offense has been out strong point throughout the year so, if we continue that and get some timely pitching we should do pretty well.”
Win or lose, Ponich believes the experience of finishing his college eligibility in the U.S. has been a great one. “ This is something I won’t forget,” he says. “ We have a real good group of guys from Kentucky, California and Florida. I think our season record was the best the school has ever had so everyone agrees we shouldn’t fall short in the World Series.”
And he says the competition is something he’s never seen before. “Three of the four starters for each team are throwing about 90 mph.” Ponich states “Its challenging but that’s what makes it fun.”
The N.A.I.A. World Series wraps up on May 29 th.
BASELINES: The Championship is a double elimination bracket. Campbellsville plays Lee in the first game Friday at 830 am (MDT) .The other schools involved are Berry Georgia, Southern Poly State Georgia, Point Loma Nazerene California, Lewis-Clark State, Idaho, Fresno Pacific, California, Okahoma City, Oklahahoma, Embry-Riddle of Florida and Lubbock Christian from Texas.
WOMENS SOCCER SIGN 2ND KEEPER (MacDougall) May 21, 2009
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Taryn MacDougall
Their training camp may be over three months away, but excitement surrounding the 2009 training camp of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s soccer program continues to build. One thing there will be in abundance is competition.
Head Coach Tom McManus has announced the signing of a second high school keeper. 17 year old Taryn MacDougall of Langley, BC will vye for one of the spots on the WolfPack this coming season.
“She has lots of experience at the Metro level,” McManus states “She’s vocal, she’s aggressive: she could be a dominant player for us. Her signing will make it very competitive at camp. If Marleah Oginski (last year’s backup) comes out for her final year of eligibility, we will have quite the battle.”
MacDougall (a graduate of R.E. Mountain Secondary) played Metro Soccer the last five seasons for the Abbotsford Mariners. This past year, she was a teammate of fellow WolfPack signee and Langley native Alysha Gohringer.
A relatively late starter for soccer, MacDougall didn’t start until the age of 10. “ I got into goaltending because no one else wanted to do it,” she laughs. “And I didn’t want to run at the time.”
She has worked under Darrell Wallace while playing minor soccer in Langley and for the last five years she has been mentored by Scott Sheldon, an assistant with the Mariners program. “ Both have taught me a lot.” She states.
“I’m really aggressive and loud on the field,” MacDougall says when assessing her strengths. “I am constantly directing the defenders on where they should be positioned. My main weakness is I believe I’m too hard on myself.”
MacDougall is a multi sport athlete. She has also excelled in baseball and fastball. She turned down a number of offers including one from McManus’ old school, McMaster of the CIS to sign on with the WolfPack. She’ll take general Arts and Science courses with an eye towards being a Dental Hygenist or a Psychologist.
“Alyshia told me what a great campus this was,” she says referring to why she chose TRU. “ I wanted to be closer to home and when I saw the Kamloops Heat play (U-21 Pacific Coast Soccer League reserve squad which has a number of WolfPack players on it), I thought this would be a great group of girls to play with. I thought with TRU’s past success in soccer, I know this would be a chance to enjoy some success ”.
MacDougall will join Richelle McDonald (Cranbrook, BC) vying for a spot on the WolfPack this coming August. “We have two of the best high school keepers in BC on our roster,” says McManus. “My search now will focus in on a defender.”
Training Camp begins at Hillside Stadium in mid August.
WOLFPACK BASEBALL WINS CCBC TITLE FOR THIRD TIME (2ND IN 3 YEARS) May 17, 2009
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2009 CCBC champs
This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack baseball team. After all, they had lost their entire starting outfield, all of whom were all-stars. And their pitching staff was decimated.
But someone forgot to tell the players on the 2009 squad. They also forgot to tell them when you can’t get onto a baseball diamond until mid March, you aren’t supposed to win a championship. Good thing that those nay sayers didn’t succeed.
The WolfPack captured their third Canadian College Baseball Championship on Saturday (May 16). Ray Chadwick’s crew got a walk off homer from Matt Walker (outfielder/pitcher Bowen Island, BC) in the bottom half of the ninth inning to beat the defending league champion and host team Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs 9-8. It was the WolfPack’s second CCBC title in three years.
“There was something special happening on that field today,” said Chadwick. “Here we were playing a team which beat us six of our last eight meetings, and we trailed 5-1 after two innings. Still, our players knew that we could come back and that’s what they did.”
Although they went through the League Championship Tournament unbeaten (3-0), the ‘Pack found themselves down 5-0 after an inning in a half.
“It was dumb luck for the most part,” stated Chadwick. ” A ball hit the pitcher, then some jammed shots that our defence couldn’t get. That and we kicked balls around. I thought it wasn’t going to be our day.
The WolfPack scored three in their half of the third to tie the contest at 3. But PBA wasn’t going to go down without a fight. The Dawgs notched a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to go up 7-5. TRU countered with three of their own in the bottom of the fourth to go up 8-7.
PBA added another in the fifth inning to draw even before Walkers ninth inning heroics. Chadwick said Walker did what was asked of him this year after coming into the program as an outfielder. “We had such a short pitching staff that I was forced to put Matt into the bull pen. He became our closer, ” he explained. ” He’s the type of guy who can hit the long ball at 5 pm (our practice time). I told him before the game we need him to do that sort of long ball stuff earlier. And he came through.”
Jordan Broatch (RHP, White Rock, BC) was the winning pitcher. Broatch tossed a complete game 11 hitter, surrendering five earned runs, striking out three and walking one. “The guys were confident with Jordan on the mound,” Chadwick said. “Hes beaten PBA before and had never been scored upon by them this season. Even down 5 runs we knew that with Jordan on the mound, we had a chance.”
Chadwick credited Broatch for being one of the leaders on his team this year. “Jordan knew we were short compared to other years in the pitching department. He really stepped up.”
Another player garnering praise from the WolfPack skipper was shortstop Kyle Dhanani (Blaine, Wash). Dhanani likely played his last game in a TRU uniform either moving to an N.A.I.A. school or quite possibly being drafted or signed by the National League Milwaukee Brewers in the coming weeks.
“He was a huge leader,” stated Chadwick. ” He came every game ready to play.”
FOUL TIPS: Chadwick credited the entire team for never falling back on the excuse they had lost many starters from the previous years. “Each game someone else came through for us.”
Chadwick on the 2009 title against 2007. “There were some similarities. We went through the round robin unbeaten but that year, we took on Malispina (Now VIU). We had beaten them before so we were pretty confident. Against, PBA we had the record going against us even though we took them earlier in the week.”
Chadwick on the programs success. ” We are always compared to PBA. But we have no big money or scholarships behind us. We don’t get the perks. Our guys have to practice at 6 am. But they don’t let that get to them and persevere.
Chadwick on repeat in 2010: “We lose the four guys (Bryan Mahon, Mike Tomlinson, Ben Bradford: all to graduation and Dhanani). We’ll have to rebuild up the middle. The job Dhanani has done for us the last two years at shortstop will be hard to replace.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL SIGNS LANGLEY LIBERO (WADDINGTON) May 14, 2009
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Christa Waddington
The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women’s volleyball team has its third recruit for 2009-10. Interm Coach Cal Wohlford has announced the signing of libero Christa Waddington of Langley, BC (D.W. Poppy Secondary).
“She comes from a very athletic family. She’ll add a lot to our team the very first year,” says Wohlford. “I’m pretty excited that Christa has chosen to play with us.”
Waddington, who’s older sister has just finished playing four years of NCAA volleyball at the University of Oregon, decided to spurn offers from American schools to attend TRU. She will be taking general Arts courses to start with an eye at either a major in Psychology/Criminology or the new TRU Law program.
“ I really didn’t want to change countries. I wanted to stay closer to home,” says the 5’8” Waddington, who’s Fraser Valley Club team finished fifth in the second division at the recent U-18 National Club Championships in Ottawa, Ontario. “My other sister actually attended TRU last year and really enjoyed it. I also have family here.”
Waddington started her volleyball career as a power hitter. She moved to setter and finally libero with her D.W. Poppy club which finished 5 th at the BC “AAA” High School Championships last fall. She admits that she isn’t the loudest person on the court, which is usually a good trait for a libero but says she would step up that part of her game if she needs to.
“Joining a program which is on the rise is something that really appeals to me,” she says referring to TRU’s top 20 ranking nationally in 2008-09. “ I want to keep going with this team. They are getting better every year and I hope to be able to contribute to their future success. ”
Waddington admits it’ll be a big step up to CIS, and acknowledges that she’ll be nervous when she first takes the court. With the graduation of Laura Plouffe (Sherwood Park, Alta), there will be one libero spot open come the fall, Wohlford says she will definitely be in the mix. “She will add a lot to our team.”
Waddington approached him about joining the program, something Wohlford says is becoming more common place. “With the success we’ve enjoyed, many athletes are taking a closer look at Thompson Rivers as an option. In regards to Christa, I liked what I saw of her at the Club Nationals and believe she isn’t that far away from helping us. I think she has the ability to catch up to the CIS level of play pretty quickly”
She becomes the third BC High School player to commit to TRU for the coming season. Emily Bootle (South Kamloops) and Elise Foot (DP Todd, Prince George BC), who are both middles have already signed ‘letters of intent’.
The WolfPack begin their training camp in late August/early September.