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This week in Saanich Sports (Jan. 29-Feb. 5): ERG rowers set to sweat at UVic

Come cheer on the Saanich Braves midget this Sunday at Pearkes Arena, with the opening face-off at 3:30 p.m.

By Devon Gall

As Saanich youth hockey teams enter playoffs and the quest for a provincial title, three Saanich Minor Hockey teams wrapped up their regular seasons with league titles. In addition to Saanich Bantam AA, which earned the Div. 2 banner after finishing the season with nine wins, one loss and two ties, the Bantam B and PeeWee B boys squads each earned a pennant. Across town in Gordon Head, the Victoria Racquet Club Bantam AAA team won their respective Bantam Div. 1 banner.

In playoff action, the Saanich Midget AA squad knocked off Juan de Fuca B 3-0 in their opening game of the Island playoffs, with goalie Joe Barton earning the shutout. Come cheer on the local boys this Sunday at Pearkes Arena, with the opening face-off at 3:30 p.m.

The Saanich Junior Braves host the Victoria Cougars Friday (Jan. 30). Puck drop is 6:30 p.m. at Pearkes arena. The Braves visit Oceanside tomorrow.

Don’t forget to support Pearkes Rec. Centre’s nomination for the Kraft Hockeyville arena upgrade contest. The winning arena receives $100,000 in upgrades: khv2015.ca/en/nominations.

UVic campus is busy this weekend leading with the Vikes men’s and women’s basketball teams going Friday night versus the Lethbridge Pronghorns at McKinnon Gym. Women tip off at 6 p.m. followed by the men at 8 p.m., and again tomorrow at 5 and 7 p.m.

UVic’s premier men’s rugby Vikes are at Wallace Field pitch versus James Bay at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, while the Velox Valhallians host the UVic Saxons in first division play at Velox, 1 p.m.

The Vikes men’s and women’s rowing teams host the day-long Monster Erg/Canadian Indoor Rowing Championship in McKinnon Gym on Sunday (Feb. 1).

Still with the Vikes, the track teams are in Seattle at the University of Washington Invitational and while the men’s field hockey squad competes in Burnaby Lake this weekend and the women are at Island Savings Centre in Duncan for the B.C. Senior Indoor Tournament.

The Camosun Chargers men’s and women’s volleyball teams play host to the Douglas College Royals this weekend, with the first serve launching at PISE Friday (Jan. 30) at 6 p.m. followed by the men at 8 p.m. Day two of the double-header goes at 1 and 3 p.m. tomorrow.

Exam week is limiting high school hoops this week. Senior action begins Tuesday, Feb. 3 with Lambrick Park Lions girls visiting St. Michaels University School Blue Jaguars and St. Andrew’s Sabres at Claremont Spartans, both at 5:45 p.m. The SMUS senior boys welcome Oak Bay Bays boys and St. Andrew’s welcomes Pacific Christian School Pacers, both at 7:30 p.m. With just one senior game Wednesday, Pacific Christian Pacers girls host Sooke’s Edward Milne at 5:45 p.m. Come Feb. 5, the Pacers girls play again, visiting SMUS at 5:45 p.m. SMUS’ boys visit a tough Mount Douglas Rams squad while Lambrick Park hosts Belmont Bulldogs, and Claremont visits Oak Bay, all at 7:30 p.m. The week concludes Feb. 6 with Spectrum hosting Belmont at 2 p.m., followed by Lambrick Park boys visiting Oak Bay and an all-Saanich match-up with Claremont visiting Mt. Doug; both games tip off at 7:30 p.m.

Registration is open for Saanich’s Little League parks – Layritz, Hampton and Lakehill – today (Jan. 30) and tomorrow at park clubhouses. Little League serves boys and girls aged three through 13 and female softball players five through 18. The Challenger league, for mentally and physically challenged youth, is available at Saanich’s Hampton and Lakehill associations. Registration will continue Feb. 6 and 7. Visit beaconhilllittleleague.org for more details.

Tryouts for the Saanich-based Victoria Eagles Midget AAA baseball club continue Sunday, Feb. 1, and next Sunday, Feb. 8, at Oak Bay Rec. Centre. In addition to competing in highest level of play through B.C. Minor Baseball, the AAA Eagles will play a handful of tournaments in B.C. and the U.S. in front of many college and university scouts.

Tryouts begin at 3:30 p.m. For details see victoriaeagles.com.

- Devon Gall is an avid sports fan and athlete attending Grade 12 at Mount Douglas secondary. Reach him at jocktalk@telus.net.