Jan. 16, 2024 – The temperatures may have been freezing across the western provinces, but the action across CW remained red hot last weekend.
On the ice, CW hockey teams came together to Stick Up for Pride Tape in support of Pride Tape and the You Can Play Team as playoff races continue to heat up. There were also plenty of intriguing volleyball results, including Manitoba’s women sweeping No. 1 TWU for the first time in 14 years while the TRU WolfPack men’s team swept MacEwan in an emotional return to their home court. Championships sports including wrestling and track and field also returned to action.
Here are your Canada West Players of the Week.
Women’s Basketball – Noelle Kilbreath (MacEwan)
Kilbreath re-wrote the Griffins record book this weekend, while also leading her team to their first win of the season.
She was instrumental in a 68-63 triumph over Brandon on Saturday, scoring a game high 26 points including nailing the go-ahead three-pointer with just 9.3 seconds remaining. The fourth year shooting guard from Calgary matched her regular-season career high in the effort, while also adding eight rebounds in the victory.
She was the story once again the following day, as she surpassed her career high and broke the MacEwan program record for points in a single game with a 39-point effort in a 96-62 defeat to the Bobcats.
The moment was extra special for Kilbreath, especially after overcoming a serious injury that ended her season last year.
Her 39-point performance is tied for the 13th most in a Canada West regular season game and breaks the previous Griffins’ program record of 34, shared by Megan Wood (2014) and Kendall Lydon (2017).
“I couldn’t be happier for her,” said Griffins head coach Katherine Adams. “The past year has certainly had some ups and downs for her, and getting back to playing to the level that she is, has been so impressive.”
Men’s Basketball – Dario Lopez (UFV)
Lopez dropped 67 points over a weekend split with the Lethbridge Pronghorns, helping UFV stay in the thick of the CW playoff race.
He opened the weekend with a jaw dropping 41 points in a 102-88 victory on Friday, also collecting nine rebounds and two assists. He was a force while driving to the rim, getting to the free throw line 15 times.
The third year forward from Madrid, Spain was strong again the following night despite a 77-69 defeat, pouring in 26 points with seven rebounds.
With the strong performance, Lopez moved up to 11th in the conference with 17.4 points per game.
Women’s Hockey – G Camryn Drever (Saskatchewan)
Drever continued her impressive season with another pair of wins last weekend, as the Huskies downed the Trinity Western Spartans in a pair of tight contests.
The fifth year veteran from Edmonton turned aside 25 shots in a 2-1 victory on Friday, shutting the door while allowing her team to secure a comeback win. She then made 29 stops the next night in a 3-2 victory as the Huskies improved to 14-4-1-1.
Drever has been nothing short of dynamic in the Huskies net, compiling a stellar 12-1-1-1 record so far this season. She is second in the conference with a 1.26 GAA and a 0.957 SV%.
Men’s Hockey – G Shane Farkas (Mount Royal University)
The second year goaltender from Penticton, B.C. was perfect on the weekend, grabbing two shutout victories as the Cougars swept the visiting Manitoba Bisons.
Farkas made 19 stops in a 9-0 Cougars romp on Friday, then added 20 more saves in a 3-0 victory the following night. He now leads the conference with three shutouts on the season.
Farkas has been a dependable presence in the Cougars net, logging the most minutes among all CW goaltenders so far this season while compiling a 12-2 record. He ranks third in SV% (0.915) and fourth in GAA (2.21).
Women’s Volleyball – Raya Surinx (Manitoba)
Surinx knew she’d have to be at the top of her game as the Bisons welcomed the nationally top ranked Trinity Western Spartans for a weekend series, and the second year homegrown product delivered in an entertaining Bisons sweep.
Last year’s CW Rookie of the Year was an offensive force, starting her weekend with 21 PTS on Friday thanks to 19 kills in a 3-1 win. She also added 11 digs and gave the Spartans fits from the service line, striking for two service aces.
She then struck for 20 kills as Manitoba secured a thrilling 3-2 win on Saturday, adding four more aces from the service line and tallying 13 digs and two block assists.
The wins were critical in the Canada West standings, bolstering the Bisons to a 14-2 record while also handing TWU (12-2) their first two losses of the season.
Men’s Volleyball – Gavin Moes (UBC)
In a battle of Canada West heavyweights, Moes delivered two impressive performances as UBC made a statement with a pair of 3-1 wins over nationally No. 2 ranked Alberta.
The second year outside hitter from Barrhead, Alta. started his weekend with a 15 kill performance on Friday, making just two errors while hitting .433 and adding 10 digs. He was critical to the T-Birds offence again the next night, striking for a team high 13 kills and hitting for a .323 percentage, while also adding 11 digs, one solo block and two block assists.
Moes has made a successful transition to Canada West play this season after transferring from the Lethbridge College Kodiaks of the ACAC. He currently ranks eighth in the conference in hitting percentage (.290) and is 13th in kills per set with 3.13.
UBC now tops the conference with a 12-4 record and are riding an eight game winning streak. They’ll look to continue momentum as they host Manitoba next weekend.
Women’s Wrestling – Angelina Ellis-Toddington (Calgary)
The third-year from Lethbridge, Alta. had an impressive weekend, winning all four of her matches by way of fall at both the Pandas Duals on Friday and the Golden Bears Open on Saturday.
She opened the weekend with a victory over Alberta’s Maria Sewaik at the Pandas Duals event, then continued momentum by winning the 65kg class at the GBO the next day.
She started her Saturday with a win over Alberta’s Feilder Bishop (Fall 2:42) in the quarterfinals, then defeated Alica Paling of the EWC Bears (Fall 3:25) in the semis. The first place match featured a rematch against Sewaik, with Elllis-Toddington grinding out a victory by fall (4:48).
The wins helped Calgary claim top spot in the women’s team standings at the GBO, as they led the event with 50 points.
Men’s Wrestling – Elias Wile (Alberta)
Wile played a key part in a strong showing from the Golden Bears wrestling team last weekend, as he delivered a 5-0 showing on his home mat.
The third year from Rosebay, N.S. opened with a victory by technical fall at the Dual Meet vs Calgary on Friday. He then went 4-0 at the Golden Bears Open on Saturday, claiming the 72kg weight class championship after winning all four of his matches by way of fall against a deep field of competition.
The Golden Bears captured first place at the event with 73 points.
Women’s Track & Field – Taylor Schultz (Saskatchewan)
Schultz and her Huskies teammates kicked off their 2024 indoor track season at home as they hosted the annual Sanderson Classic last weekend.
Schultz, a fourth year from Camrose, Alta, jumped her way to an impressive showing in her season debut. She won both the long jump (5.81m, #2 in U SPORTS, and moving her into #7 on the Huskie All-Time Top 10 List) and high jump (1.71m, U SPORTS standard, and #1 in U SPORTS) in personal bests achievements.
Men’s Track & Field – Devon Zuchotzki (Calgary)
The second year Calgary product got his season off to a blazing start at the Sanderson Classic hosted by University of Saskatchewan last weekend.
He claimed first in the 300m with a time of 34.81, ranking him first among CW competitors and fourth nationally. He also grabbed a fifth place finish in the 600m after racing to a time of 1:22.18, ranking him third among CW competitors.
Zuchotzki also added a silver in the 4x400m relay, helping his team race to a time of 3:25.96.
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