Seven West Kootenay players selected to Team Kootenay bid at the B.C. Winter Games in Vernon
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The West Kootenay will be solidly represented at the upcoming B.C. Winter Games in Vernon in the sport of girl’s hockey.
No less than seven players caught the eye of evaluators and were selected to Team Kootenay to play in the U16 girl’s hockey tournament following the weekend camp in Invermere.
Nelson headlines the contingent with three players, forwards Jesse
Cooper and Emma Hare along with rearguard Merissa Dawson.
Also on the team are forward Kira Steliev of Nakusp, forwards Stephanie McAuley and Julie Sidoni Trail and netminder Catalina Hartland of Kaslo.
All seven players from the West Kootenay are members of the West Kootenay Wildcats Female squad.
The balance of the teams is made up of players from the East Kootenay.
The Winter Games run February 23-26.
Girl’s hockey is being held at the Wesbild Centre in Vernon.
The Winter Games is part of B.C. Hockey’s Female High Performance Program, which was established to identify and train athletes and team personnel for possible participation at Provincial, National and International events.
West Kootenay Wildcats drop semi final heartbreaker in Nelson tournament
Jesse Cooper and Merissa Dawson of Nelson each scored singles but that was not enough as Kelowna dumped the West Kootenay Wildcats 5-2 in semi final play at the recent Nelson Bantam House Minor Hockey Tournament.
The Cats finished the round robin with a 2-1 record.
West Kootenay bounced Kimberley 6-0 as Stephanie McAuley of Trail scored three times for the victors.
Molly Benbow, Kara Deane and Dawson added singles.
The Cats then rode the two-goal performane of Nelson’s Jena Wheeldon to edge Nakusp 5-2. Dawson, Madelaine Vockeroth and McAuley also scored.
West Kootenay concluded the round robin with a hard-fought 4-3 loss to Nelson Bantam House. McAuley, Cooper and Dawson scored for the Wildcats.
