The Vancouver-Whistler Hawks are off to a strong start this season, and locals can come get a look at the squad this Saturday, July 14.
The British Columbia Australian Football League club will host the league-leading West Coast Saints at Myrtle Philip Community School at 1 p.m.
The Hawks, sitting with a 3-2 record, will look to hand the Saints their first loss of the season while also clawing closer to the top spot, said Whistler-based player Benjamin Wilson.
"They're on top and we're not," Wilson said. "They're quite a good team and we got touched up by them last time. We lost by 50 points, but we had a few players who were unavailable due to travelling. We'll have our full team back this week and it'll be a much different outlook on the game.
"We'll give them a run for their money."
Wilson said to expect a high-tempo style of play, as the Hawks have shored up their attack this season.
"We've got some experienced players in key positions, which has really helped the offence flow. It's greatly increased our ability to move the ball forward," Wilson said.
In terms of local content, Wilson said about a dozen players hail from Whistler, with roughly half the team on the field at any given moment calling the resort home.
The day will start with the Vancouver Vixens women's team playing an intrasquad game at 11 a.m.
Gates will open at 10:30 a.m. with a beer garden and barbecue starting up at 11 a.m.
Whistlerites help Rangers to title
A quartet of Whistlerites will go out on top.
Four Whistler Youth Soccer Club alums—Fraser Doak, Goro Toyoshima, Aidan O'Heany and Noam Steele—were members of the West Vancouver Rangers U18 club that captured the BC Soccer U18 Boys Provincial A Cup on Sunday in Richmond. The win wrapped their youth soccer careers.
The Rangers finished the round robin with two wins and a draw, besting the Fraser Valley Selects 3-2, playing to a 0-0 tie against the VIP Storm, and knocking off BDMS United 4-1 to punch a ticket to the championship game.
Once there, the Rangers blanked Fraser Valley 3-0 to win the provincial crown.
Local twosomes compete in Kelowna
A pair of Whistler golf duos took to the Black Mountain Golf Club in Kelowna for the PGA of BC Pro-Assistant Championships on July 9 and 10.
The Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club team of Padraic O'Rourke and Jordan Rourke tied for ninth with a two-day total of 13-under, while Nicklaus North Golf Course's Andrew Smart and Michael Nedoszytko teamed up to tie for 15th at 10-under.
Shadow Ridge Golf Club's James Presnail and Mark Kitts (21-under) defeated Northview Golf Academy's Matthew Palsenbarg and John Shin in a one-hole playoff to claim the narrow victory.
Full results are available online at www.pgabc.org.
