Lions hope to advance

On Monday night, the Lions took a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven division semifinal series with a 5-4 victory in Ste. Catherine. It was the first road win by either team in the series. Francis Drolet broke a 4-4 tie at the 18:25 mark of the second period and the Lions held on through a scoreless third pe-riod. Forward Kyle Hunchberger scored two goals to lead the Lions, while Benjamin Power added another. The teams split the first four games. Last Tuesday in Ste. Catherine, the Riverains won 2-1 before the Lions took game two, 4-1 last Wednesday at the Civic Centre. The Riverains bounced back to capture game three at home last

Friday, 3-2 on a Nicolas Beauchamp goal scored on a penalty shot with no time remaining in regulation time. On Saturday night at the Civic Centre, the Lions took game four, 3-2.



Special Olympics wrap up

For 52 Special Olympic athletes and 17 coaches representing the Lac St. Louis region — many of who live and train in the West Island - the rare blend of competition and comradeship came to a forefront last week in Valleyfield. The occasion was the annual Provincial Winter Special Olympic Games, held March 9-11. Seven Québec Special Olympics official winter sports were featured, including curling, floor hockey, figure skating, speed skating, snowshoeing, alpine skiing and cross-country skiing.

Results were also used to select the members of Team Québec that will compete at the 2008 National Winter Games, scheduled to take place in Quebec City Feb. 26 to March 1, in conjunction with the provincial capital’s 400th anniversary celebrations. For full results of all local athletes at the provincial Games, visit www.specialolympicsquebec.qc.ca.

The next major competition for area Special Olympic athletes will be the 24th Défi sportif, scheduled to unfold at several locations around Montreal, beginning April 28.

Hainault, Beaulieu-Bourgault

set for international caps

Canada’s senior and under-20 men’s national teams will be holding training camps at separate locations this month in preparation for future international matches, and two West Island natives have been asked to participate at each.

Hudson native Andrew Hainault is off to Hamilton, Bermuda where he will practise under the watchful eye of interim senior men’s team head coach Stephen Hart. Hainault and his teammates will then play Bermuda in an international friendly on March 25. Meanwhile, Ile Bizard native Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault is off to Burnaby B.C., to practise with the Canadian men’s under-20 youth team. They will play Scotland in Burnaby on March 24 and in Victoria on March 27 in international friendlies. Canada’s u-20 team will be hosting the FIFA u-20 World Cup tournament this summer at various locations including Montreal, and Beaulieu-Bourgault, a central midfielder, known among his coaches and peers as a quiet leader on the field whose main attribute is maturity and determination, has been named one of six ambassadors for Canada on the road to the FIFA u-20 World Cup.



Goodman impresses

Pointe Claire native Anna Goodman narrowly missed a trip to the podium last Wednesday, finishing fourth in the women’s slalom at the Northwest Mutual Funds Coupe Nor- Am Cup Final in Panorama, BC. Goodman finished with a two-run time of 1.42.49, behind Kaley Duke of the United States.

“The second run was good, I felt like I was attacking more,” Goodman said. “I hurt my back a little bit in training recently so I was happy with how I held up and I finished. I was struggling to finish races earlier in the year so to finish today and finish strong is a good feeling. This will help improve my world ranking and that’s important to get an earlier bib number when I race World Cup.”

Mawhinney earns plaudits

Pierrefonds resident Scott Mawhinney was recently named Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) men’s basketball Coach of the Year. Mawhinney, who in only three years, turned around an Islanders program that had been floundering in mediocrity, was also recently named Quebec Student Sports Federation Coach of the Year. Mawhinney directed the Isles to a 10-4 regular-season record this year before taking them to the provincial tournament in Sherbrooke for the first time in 12 years. The Isles advanced to the March 4 final, only to lose 90-85 to the Dawson College Blues. In that game, West Island resident and former Pierrefonds-based Brookwood Bullets player Adrian Hynes-Guery scored 21 points to lead the Blues to a come-from-behind victory Despite the loss, the Isles qualified for the CCAA championships, held last week in Truro, N.S. When all was said and done, the Isles finished third, beating fourth-seed Mount Royal College of Calgary Cougars 81-71 in the bronze-medal game last Wednesday. Rachid Nguinambaye led the way for the Isles with 21 points while Anthony Moore netted 18 and Gerry Moore had 17. The Isles lost 87-81 to Fanshawe College in their opener on March 12 before beating Okanagan College 94-77 and Mount St. Vincent University 78-68. The Dawson Blues ended up winning the national championship with a 94-84 win over Douglas College Royals of New Westminster B.C., in the gold-medal game. Hynes-Guery led the Blues once again with 29 points.ꆱ