MacEwan Athletics

Another top recruit for MacEwan wbball

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:02:25 Z

The Griffin's are pleased to announce the commitment of Hilary Annich for the 2010/2011 season. A member of the Metro Edmonton City Champions, St. Albert Skyhawks, Hilary is regarded as one of the top grade 12 point guards in Alberta. "Hillary was our number one recruit this year and we know she will make a major impact in our ability to play the game at a higher speed next season," commented Griffin Coach Rob Poole. "Hillary is an all-around player," Coach Poole said. "Her quickness and skill will make her a valuable member of our team next season." Under the direction of Skyhawk coach, John Dedrick, Hilary has captained the number one ranked team in 3A high school basketball for the past two years. "Hilary is a vocal leader and has a well-rounded game, with an ability to get to the rim and finish, while also being a very consistent outside shooter.  She is one of the top ‘baseline to baseline' defenders in the province and has been a tournament all-star in numerous tournaments since grade 10," noted Skyhawk coach John Dedrick. During her high school career she has been an Edmonton Journal All-star, participated in the Alberta Shooting Stars All-star weekend, and a participant in Basketball Canada's Elite Development program.  Currently averaging 19 points per game, five steals per game, and five rebounds per game, Hilary will continue her high level of excellence while directing the Griffins from the point guard position next season.

Top recruit to join MacEwan wbball

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:58:48 Z

The Women's Griffins Basketball team has received a commitment from one of the Edmonton area top high school players. Emily Sommerville, a 5' 10" guard, from the Strathcona Lords program will be suiting up next year for the Griffins. Currently leading the Lords in scoring with an 18 point per game average, in rebounds with 8 per game, and steals with 10 per game, Coach Poole believes Emily's athleticism will bring a much needed dimension to our line up. "We are really excited about the addition of Emily to our program," says Poole. "She will surprise everyone with her size and quickness. She demonstrates the ability to push the ball and sees the floor very well. She is really a good fit for us and we are excited to welcome her to our program."A gifted athlete, Emily excels in the high jump and is a favourite to win the senior gold this year. Coach Hopkins at Strathcona states, "... Emily is one of the best players I have coached, and will be a great addition to MacEwan's line up."

Men come home with silver

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:42:11 Z

On March 5 the MacEwan men's basketball team played their semi-final game of the ACAC Final Four Championships tournament against the Mount Royal Cougars on the Cougars home court. The Griffins had a great start against the Cougars and maintained that strong lead, to be up 43-33 at the half. After the break however, the Cougars out-scored MacEwan in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to 49-54. The Griffins, realizing the gold medal match is only a win away, came alive in the fourth quarter scoring 27 points to the Cougars' 15. The game ended with a final score of 81-64 for the Griffins. Gregg Frankson played outstanding as usual, sinking 25 points towards the win, with Stephan Burke not far behind with 21. JJ Russell was the rebounding machine of the night with 13 rebounds and seven points. Coming up with 12 points and five rebounds, Lyndon Taylor put in his share of work as well.The following night was a battle for the gold against a familiar opponent for the Griffins. The 109 street rival NAIT Ooks came out heavy against the Griffins as their first quarter was a domination of 34-13. The Griffins recovered themselves slowly, scoring eight more points than the Ooks in the second, ending at half with a score of 46-33 for NAIT. The second half of the game was a different story as the Griffins took control of the game. They out-played the Ooks again in the third, narrowing the score a bit more 50-63. The fourth quarter again was controlled by the Griffins, and NAIT felt the pressure. However it wasn't quite enough to make up for the first quarter spread and the game ended 73-69 for the Ooks. Frankson again carried his team with 23 points. Burke continued his consistency with 10 points and five rebounds, matched by Mitch Lonsberry with 10 points as well. The men's National Championship is held at SAIT this year March 18-20, and with NAIT winning the conference championships, the Griffins are unable to receive a wildcard to the tournament. Unfortunately this concludes the men's season, but they will finish with silver medals hung around their neck.

ID Camp for Men's Volleyball

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:47:39 Z

If you are interested in playing for the Griffins Men's Volleyball team, open tryouts are being held in MacEwan's City Centre Gym on March 20 11:00-1:00 pm and 3:00-5:00 pm. Please note that this ID camp is separate from the ACAC High Performance Camp being held on March 13 in conjuncture with the 2010 Men's Nationals Championship. For more information, please contact coach Jon Heinen at <a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/mailto:mvb@macewan.ca">mvb@macewan.ca</a>

Bronze medal for mixed curling team

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:11:22 Z

The MacEwan Griffins Mixed Curling Team won the Bronze Medal at the ACAC Curling Championships hosted by Augustana College in Camrose. The team is comprised of skip Ryley Manning, third Kelsey Pederson, second David Jansson, lead Megan Crouser, and alternate Justin Lafreniere.The Mixed team won their first two games, 10 - 2 against Concordia and 6 - 3 against Red Deer.  This set up a match with Lakeland for first place overall.  The Griffins battled hard and the game came down to last rock but lost 6 - 3.The Mixed team finished second to play Lakeland again in the 1 vs 2 game for the right to advance to the gold medal match.  The game was tied after six ends and then the Griffins stole a big three points in the seventh end.  Unfortunately Lakeland managed to take three back in the eighth end sending this game into an extra end.  Alas it was not to be, as Lakeland stole a point and the win.The loss put the Griffins in a matchup with Concordia.  The highlight of this game was a beautiful double raise take out by skip Ryley Manning, removing two Concordia rocks to count three in the sixth and tie the score.  This game also came down to an extra end, and unfortunately for the Griffins again, Concordia managed to win the game. The loss finished them with the bronze in the four - team total tournament.   David Jansson was chosen as an ACAC all-star second for conference mixed team. Congratulations team on a an excellent season.

MacEwan women's curling win gold!

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:51:56 Z

After a tough weekend of play February 26-28, the MacEwan Griffins Women's curling team won the gold medal at the ACAC Curling Championships hosted by Augustana College in Camrose, AB. The team is comprised of skip Kelly Erickson, third Vanessa Pouliot, second Kathryn Schultz, lead Danica Sluchinski, and alternate Shelby Sluchinski.The Griffins won all three of the round robin games, defeating NAIT 6-5, Grande Prairie 7 - 2, and Augustana 7 - 1.  The ladies played steadily and consistently throughout all their round robin games, and finished first with a 3-0 record.The ACAC Championship uses the Page Playoff format: 1 vs 2, 3 vs 4, with the winner of the 1 vs 2 game advancing to the Gold Medal final, the loser playing the winner of the 3 vs 4 game.  The Griffins would take the long road to victory.MacEwan played NAIT in the 1 vs2 game.  This was the poorest that the Ladies played all weekend ending in a 7 - 3 loss. They then played Grande Prairie for the right to advance to the final and they prevailed winning 7 - 2 setting up a rematch with NAIT.The Gold Medal final was well played by both teams and the score went back and forth.  MacEwan tied the score in the eighth end, 4 - 4 and then won in an extra end 5 - 4 to capture first place.Because of her consistent performance, Vanessa Pouliot was selected as the ACAC all-star female third. Congratulations Vanessa and the lady Griffins on their gold medal achievement.

Red Deer Queens Win Gold!

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:46:21 Z

Women's Volleyball ACAC ChampionshipsDay 3, Sunday, February 28Game 1: Keyano  vs. Lakeland at 9:00 am                                                1              2              3              TKeyano                                 28           25           25           3Lakeland                              26           28           20           1              Player of the GameKeyano: Stephanie Jackson  Lakeland:  Jackeline SparkGame 2: Briercrest vs. NAIT  at 11:00 am              1           2        3          4        5         TBC:        26          25      20        25     13         2NAIT:     14          27       25        19     15        3Player of the GameBC:  Aryn CurrieNAIT: Katie SeysGame 3: Mt Royal vs. Grande Prairie  at 1:00 pm                                         1              2              3              TMt Royal                              14           12           17           0                              GPRC                                  25           25           25           3Player of the GameMt. Royal: Diyon Van NistelrooyGPRC: Kate PortaGame 4: MacEwan vs. RDCl at 3:30 pm                        1              2            3           TMacEwan            17           11           21           0RDC                  25           25           25           3Player of the GameMacEwan: Tessa DimnikRDC: Quinn Schulzke

Day 2 WVB Conference Championships

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:03:17 Z

Women's Volleyball ACAC ChampionshipsDay 2, Saturday, February 27Game 1: NAIT vs. Lakeland at 1:00 pm            1              2              3            4            5            TNAIT       26           25           22           25           15           3              Lakeland    28           19           25           22        10          2              Player of the GameNAIT:  #6 Tawny DillaboughLakeland: #14 Ashley LangeGame 2: Briercrest vs. Keyano  at 3:00 pm                             1              2              3              TBC:                       25           25           25           3Keyano :               20           23           21           0Player of the GameBC: Kayla BruceKeyano : Kim BlatchfordGame 3: RDC vs. Grande Prairie  at 6:00 pm              1            2           3           4            TRDC       25           23           25           25           3              GPRC      23           25           18           21           1Player of the GameRDC: Katie GravesGPRC: Casey BowmanGame 4: MacEwan vs. Mt Royal at 8:00 pm                        1              2              3           4           TMacEwan            25           15           25           25          3Mt. Royal           18           25           19           18          1Player of the GameMacEwan: Katelyn MelnykMt. Royal: Makenzie AllenNext ActionSunday February 28th9:00am Lakeland vs. Keyano11:00am Briercrest vs. NAIT1:00pm - Bronze Medal Match -  MRU vs. GPRC3:30pm - GOLD Medal Match - RDC vs. MacEwan

WVB ACAC Conference Quarters - Completed

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:11:08 Z

Women's Volleyball ACAC ChampionshipsDay 1, Friday, February 26Game 1: NAIT vs. Grande Prairie at 1:00 pm                             1             2             3            4            TNAIT                      22           26           16           24           1Grande Prairie         25           24           25           26           3Player of the GameNAIT: #15 Noelle KennyGrande Prairie: #4 Ashley Davis-Pajor     Game 2: Lakeland vs. Red Deer at 3:00 pm                           1            2            3             TLakeland              20           16           19          0Red Deer             25           25           25           3Player of the GameRDC: #6 Jessica CluttonLC: #12 Peggy Sommefeld            Game 3: Keyano vs. Mount Royal at 6:00 pm                                        1            2             3            TKing's                               17           15           16           0Mount Royal                      25           25           25           3Player of the GameMt Royal: #4 Julia PasiekaKeyano: #8 Samantha Hicks         Game 4: Briercrest vs. MacEwan at 8:00 pm                         1             2             3            4            TBriercrest           16           27           25           18           1MacEwan            25           29           22           25           3Player of the GameMacEwan: #5 Kaylene EhretBC: #8 Ashley StreuberNext ActionSaturday, February 271:00 pm  Lakeland vs. NAIT 3:00pm Keyano vs. BC6:00pm GPRC vs. RDC8:00pm MacEwan vs. Mt. Royal

MacEwan named to All Conference teams

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:46:12 Z

The MacEwan basketball teams were honoured this year for their coaching. Yesterday, February 25 head coach of the women's basketball team Rob Poole and head coach of the men's basketball team Ryan Dunkley, were named ACAC North Basketball Coaches of the Year.   MacEwan athletes named on the ACAC All Conference Women's Basketball teams included Sarah Janzen on the first team and Megan Knowles on the second team. Gregg Frankson was named to the Men's Basketball All Conference first team. In women's volleyball, Whitney Matheson was named to the All Conference first team and Kaylene Ehret was named to the second team. Two curlers made the All Conference teams: David Jansoon was named as the Mixed Team second and Vanessa Pouliot was named to the Women's Team as third.Congratulations Rob, Ryan, Sarah, Megan, Gregg, Whitney, Kaylene, David and Vanessa for your outstanding efforts.

Burke vs Grande Prairie

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:59:16 Z

This past weekend February 19 and 20 MacEwan played the Grande Prairie Regional College Wolves for their last conference games of the season and dominated them both games. With an injury-riddled team, the Griffins took to the floor counting heavily on their bench to step in. With ease they took care of business and by halftime the Griffins were up 50-33. Stephan Burke had 12 points and Jason Ballie nine with two rebounds and two steals.The second half of Friday evening continued much as the first with light pressure from the 1-23 Wolves. By the end of the fourth quarter the score was 94-61 and there were some big numbers on paper by the Griffins, such as JJ Russell with 12 rebounds, eight points and two steals, Andrew Bates with 10 rebounds and 15 points. Burke put down an impressive 24 points, 15 of which were outside the three-point line, and two rebounds to be named Player of the Game.Saturday night's game opened up in a big way for Stephan Burke as he put away 18 points in the first quarter. Burke took a bit of a break and at the end of the half, he had 18 points, eight rebounds, one block and one steal. Lyndon Taylor was behind him with seven points, seven rebounds and one steal. Tisaine Brown of the Wolves had a good half as well with 12 points himself, but they still trailed the Griffins 29-41.The second half of the game continued to be Burke versus the Wolves as he somehow managed to surpass his own outstanding performance. Coach Ryan Dunkley commented that Burke had one of the most dominating performances of the season, as he finished the night with a double-double of 31 points, and 14 rebounds. He also proved himself to a huge outside threat by putting away 21 of those points from the three-point line. Taylor also had a great night again with 13 points, 11 rebounds and three steals, as well as big man Bates with 14 points, which included an uncharacteristic three point basket, and seven rebounds. Rookie Mitch Lonsberry let his presence be known as well with 11 points, nine of which were from outside the three line, and two steals. With the combined effort, the Griffins defeated the Wolves again 95-53. And to no one's surprise, the Player of the Game went once again to Stephan Burke.This coming weekend marks the beginning of playoffs and the Griffins earned the best of three match-up against the Red Deer Kings to be played at home on Thursday, February 25 at 7:30 pm. If necessary, a third game will be played on Sunday at MacEwan again, with tipoff at 7:00 pm. Red Deer is one of the highest scoring teams in the ACAC league, led by a couple stars from BC (McCallum and Porteus) who do the majority of scoring. Their veteran squad is one of six teams in the ACAC league that have a good chance on going to the National Championships. Be sure to come out and cheer on the Griffs as they battle their way to Provincials. Admission for adults will be $5, students $2 and children 12 and under are free. If you can't make it to MacEwan City Centre gym, be sure to catch the game webcast live with colour commentating by Richard Bates and Spencer Campbell at <a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/http://www.sportscanada.tv/">http://www.sportscanada.tv/</a>

Men cross over to play Medicine Hat

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:41:48 Z

The Macewan men's volleyball team headed North this past weekend February 13 and 14 to take on the Grande Prairie Regional College Wolves. The Griffins are one and one after previously playing the Wolves in the first semester. After struggling all second semester, the Griffs were hungry for a couple wins. Saturday night, the Griffins started out strong and looked as though they were ready to play, taking the first set by a score of 25-22. Although the Griffins continued to put pressure on the Wolves with their consistent serving and passing, the Wolves took advantage of the Griffs failure to execute. The two teams battled hard throughout the night with very close sets. Unfortunately, Grande Prairie came out on top with a 3-1 victory over the Griffins for the evening. Player of the game honors went to second year right-side, Lyndon Mercier who contributed with 10 kills, one block and three digs. Despite the Saturday night loss, the Griffins knew that Sunday was a new day full of opportunity. With a few changes in the lineup throughout the afternoon match, the Griffins struggled to find something that would work. With the constant pressure that the Wolves put on in their home gym, the MacEwan men's volleyball team fell apart and lost the match in three straight sets. Jeremy Potter was given the player of the game honors with six kills and three digs. The Griffins now have to put this loss behind them and look onward in preparing for crossovers with the North/South division, which will be held in Medicine Hat against the Rattlers starting February 19th. The men finished the second half with a record of one win and nine losses.

Lady Griffs finish season with split

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:31:02 Z

February 13th and 14th marked the Griffins last weekend of regular season play in the 2009-2010 season. They headed up to Grande Prairie to take on the Wolves looking to finalize the second semester standings. The Griffins were determined to come out of the weekend and not have to play a crossover game the following weekend. On Saturday night the Griffins and Wolves were set to compete at 6:00 pm. The Griffins came out swinging with a very steady performance. The Griffins won the first two set 25-22 and 25-20, but the Wolves took advantage of the Griffins ‘third set lull' and won 25-20. The Griffs battled hard in the fourth set to finish the night with a 25-19 win for a three set to one victory. The Griffins had some of their best stats they've had all season and were extremely pleased with their performance. Left Side Whitney Matheson received player of the game for an unbelievable performance of 21 kills and 15 digs.Early Sunday afternoon the women reset to take on the Wolves again. The Griffins were looking to be able to encore the previous night's performance, while the Wolves were looking to split the weekend.  Unfortunately, the Griffins couldn't duplicate their performance and the Wolves stepped up and played phenomenally. The Wolves won in three straight sets 25-22, 25-23, 25-20. Player of the game went to left side Meagan O'Neill with 12 kills and seven digs. The Griffins end the season in third place in the Provincial pool with a record of five wins and five losses. They will not have a crossover game against a team from the North/South division but will play again as host team at ACAC Provincials on February 26th-28th.

Griffs secure 2nd place for playoffs

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:54:07 Z

With a playoff home court advantage on the line and a second place finish in the league, Concordia was the only thing in MacEwan's way. Heading into the weekend, the Griffins held a slight lead of three points on the Thunder. Previewed to be one of the toughest games of the year for the Griffins, the men knew it would take a top performance to lock up home court for the first round of playoffs to begin February 26. Concordia is a strong team with three fifth-year players and have added some top recruits to their line-up since the start of the year, including a fifth year ACAC all star American guard Kris Raymond. The Griffins prepared themselves and came out committed to defense, not giving the Thunder any good looks all weekend. Both teams struggled against the playoff quality on the offensive end, thus both games were extremely intense and hard fought. Friday evening at Concordia, the Griffins seemed to be out of sync offensively and had trouble keeping the inspired Thunder off the offensive boards. The first quarter ended in favour of the Thunder 14-9. However the Griffins were very strong defensively against Concordia, which made up for a low shooting percentage. Gregg Frankson was once again an unbelievable asset to the team and Lyndon Taylor had a great fourth quarter to secure the narrow win for the Griffins 63-58.  On Saturday night, the Griffs came out again with tough defense. They didn't give Concordia an inch of room and allowed only six points scored on them the first quarter. Despite excellent ‘D', the Griffs missed numerous lay-ups and only scored seven themselves. Their strong playing continued and by the half, MacEwan had a double digit lead of 33-21. After the break however, Concordia re-gained confidence and suddenly the two teams were neck and neck the rest of the way. MacEwan pulled away down the back stretch and solidified the home court game for first round playoffs with a win of 62-52.Stefan Burke made several huge shots, adding up to 16 points and combined with his defense and six rebounds, his playing was key in the victory. He was named player of the game. After the weekend the men currently stand in second place with 18 wins and four losses. They face the Grande Prairie Wolves this coming weekend for a double header to end the season. On Friday, February 19 they play at 8:00 pm and on Saturday, February 20 they play at 3:00 pm. Remember you can catch the Griffs live at home by going to the website <a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/http://www.sportscanada.tv/">http://www.sportscanada.tv/</a>

Griffins easy defeat over Rustlers

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:34:29 Z

Friday, February 5 the MacEwan men's basketball team took on the Lakeland Rustlers and won 89-60. The men played a solid defensive game with many players contributing to the score sheet. Five players were in double scoring digits including Gregg Frankson, Andrew Bates, Mitch Lonsberry, Lyndon Taylor and Stephan Burke. On Saturday, the men played a tough game but managed to grind it out and get themselves a large third quarter lead of 28-12. Bates again had a strong game, leading his team with 20 points and seven rebounds. Assistance came from guard Jason Baillie, who continues to thrive and fill the role of injured Brett Gaudreau, and put in 18 of his own points. was a man possessed and Baillie continued his strong play with a career high 18 pts. Evan Schwindt was his usual solid self with great work ethic and was named the Player of the Game after nine rebounds and 12 points.With a playoff home court advantage on the line, the Griffins face a very strong Concordia February 12 and 13.

Griffs gain two more wins

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:23:44 Z

The weekend of February 5th and 6th, the MacEwan Women's Basketball team battled against the North sixth place Lakeland Rustlers for two promising victories.  Friday night's home game began with a great start for the Griffins who went on a scoring run. They surged through the first quarter with a solid streak, but with the second quarter came a lull for the Griffins. The Rustlers managed to squeeze back into the game and were down only by five at half time, with the score halting at 32-27 for the Griffins. The second half became a whole new game for the Griffins as they left the locker room determined to make a statement. They shot out in the third quarter with Meghan ‘Knowlesy' Knowles stepping up to energize the team, along with rookie Bayan Kurd who fired up the game with a total 14 points and six rebounds. The Griffins finished with a 72-50 win over the Rustlers. Player of the game award went to fourth year forward Knowles, from Kamloops, B.C., with 13 points and six rebounds. Saturday night's game started the same way for the Griffins as they lead the first quarter 13-4. This game was a slight improvement, for with some extra effort they managed to continue their streak in the second quarter as well. The first half stalled at 37-17 for the Griffins, who were pleased with their execution. The Rustlers picked up their game in the second half but weren't able to catch up to the Griffins as they ran their sets and played their entire bench. The game finished with a solid 75-53 victory for the Griffins. Player of the game went to second year Sarah Janzen of St. Albert, with 12 points and five rebounds. Kurd and Knowles continued on their streak from the previous night with 12 points and nine rebounds, and 17 points and two rebounds respectively. In other ACAC Basketball news, the second place King's Eagles lost both games over the weekend to last place NAIT, which gives an opening for MacEwan to possibly finish the regular season in second. They currently stand in a very close third place with 15 wins and five losses.Come and support your Griffins as they play the number one ranked team, the Concordia Thunder, February 13 at home Saturday at 6 p.m.

Griff at it again: Mascot Monday II

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:58:01 Z

Griff was at it again. This time he had three new accomplices: one from a local elementary school and two from local high schools. Mascot Monday also had new locations in Edmonton and the interesting mixture of creatures could be seen hanging around City Centre, Manulife Place as well as Commerce Place. Activities included sliding down railings, going up and down escalators, jumping on a trampoline, playing ping pong in the Bounce studio, throwing snowballs at each other and at pedestrians. Together the group made many mascot sandwiches, which sometimes involved the public.Griff decided to linger in the snow a bit and found himself a patch of snow to leave a beautiful snow angel for everyone to see. Griff then went inside the City Centre mall to have some fun, only to be chased around by security who, for some reason, wanted him to leave. Griff was undeterred and tried to dance away their frustration, which somehow didn't quite work.Griff left the mall eventually then pencil-rolled down a sidewalk, trying to block people (‘because no one gets past a Griffin', says the man behind the mask Chris Harold). He must have decided this wasn't the best idea because he was seen shortly after escorting a group of women across the street. This brought out many smiles, which led to great photo opportunities. Changing his mind once more, Griff then had a great male bonding moment as he danced the waltz with a man at a bus stop. He soon was on one knee, proposing for marriage. Alas, Griff was quickly informed that the man was already married. Griff was visibly upset, exclaiming to everyone nearby that his heart was broken. Griff's spirits weren't damaged too badly as he was on top of a car doing the jig minutes later. Then to cap off their morning, the mascots did the Can-Can dance together then had a big group hug. All in all, Mascot Monday has been deemed a success and another day is planned for sometime in March. Harold thought that the morning was a really good experience for the high school mascots in particular, especially since they may never get to do something like this again. This year is Chris's first year ever filling the role as a mascot. In fact, this year has been very enlightening for Chris in a number of ways.In just his first year at MacEwan, Chris learned, after speaking with a student advisor who recommended him to a neuropsychologist, he has Asperger's Syndrome. Chris explained Asperger's as a mild form of autism or a high functioning form of autism. It makes communicating and social interaction quite difficult and confusing. Symptoms tend to increase with age and also without treatment, often leading to cases of schizophrenia. Chris has just recently begun clinical treatment. Always knowing that he has troubled social skills and aware of his intangible social barrier, Chris constantly worried about making mistakes or being inappropriate. However our young Griff  feels as though has been guided and truly started his treatment back in September as he took on the role as Griff. When he puts on his mask, or large Griffin head, Chris feels as though he can make as many mistakes as he wants and can learn from them this way. "If only we could all be mascots, we could make as many mistakes as we want" he states.He has learned so much about himself and found so many answers in these past few months. Many more things make sense to him, such as poor marks on exams although he knows the material well. Being able to remember names and faces from years into his past, but cannot concentrate long enough to study. "It's been life changing" Chris says about his time as Griff. He has been able to relate being a mascot to his personal life. It's been a great way to express himself, and feels very comfortable while doing it. "A Griffin stands for pride, strength and leadership." He has found a sense of ‘self' while being a mascot and has realized that you have to become what you want to be. Chris Harold has been able to make people laugh, smile, have fun and thoroughly enjoy themselves while in his company. Any organization couldn't ask for better when looking for someone to take on the mascot duties. To end our meeting again, Chris left me with another inspirational quote, this time by Kanye West: "Believe in your fly-ness, conquer your shy-ness".Written by Rhawney Zubko, Griffin Athletics

ACAC Women's Championships at MacEwan

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:50:57 Z

This weekend, February 26-28, MacEwan University is host to the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Championships for Women's Volleyball. Eight of the top teams in the conference will vie for the gold medal and the chance to compete at the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association Nationals.Visiting MacEwan this weekend are the Briercrest Clippers, Grande Prairie Regional College Wolves, Keyano Huskies, Lakeland Rustlers, Mount Royal University Cougars, NAIT Ooks, Red Deer Queens and our very own Grant MacEwan Griffins. Because the Griffins finished first in the North division, the women earned this opportunity to play in the Provincial tournament on home court. Seeded third going into the weekend, their first match will be on Friday against the sixth place Briercrest Clippers at 8:00 pm. Admission is five dollars for adults, two dollars for students and children 12 and under are free. For the complete schedule, <a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/download.php?upload_id=85">click here</a>. Remember, all games will be webcast live with colour commentating! Watch some of the best women's volleyball in the province by checking out <a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/http://www.sportscanada.tv/">http://www.sportscanada.tv/</a><a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/http://www.sportscanada.tv/"></a>

Men's Basketball dominate King's

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:22:35 Z

The MacEwan men's basketball team played the King's Eagles on January 29 and 30, defeating them both nights. Friday evening was played on MacEwan home court, an exciting game with loads of energy. The Griffins took an early lead and held it all first half, ending with 42-18 score. The second half gave a more stimulating show as Andrew Bates threw down a heavy dunk to get his team going. Fouls increased along with chippy remarks which lead to three technical fouls, including one for a frustrated MacEwan coaching staff. Nevertheless, MacEwan finished the game nearly doubling the Eagles 82-43. Although the game was an effort put forth by MacEwan's entire bench, Gregg Frankson took home Player of the Game with his 15 points, three assists and one rebound.Saturday's game had a continuance of aggressiveness, but MacEwan once again took an early lead, up 24-13 after the first quarter. MacEwan continued this consistency right to the end of the game, ending with another win 98-62.Although the Griffins dressed only 10 players due to multiple injuries, head coach Ryan Dunkley was pleased with his teams' defense both nights. Stephan Burke was the team warrior for the weekend, coming away with stitches. He contributed a very physical play to help beat the Eagles, putting away 11 points Friday and 17 on Saturday. Evan Schwindt also got back to form as he scored 13 points Friday and 22 Saturday. Frankson matched Schwindt Saturday and added 22 of his own.The Griffins are currently standing with a record of 14 wins and four losses. The men hit the hardwood again this coming weekend February 5 and 6 to take on the fourth place Lakeland Rustlers at home to try and steal the first place position in the North. Friday at home, the tipoff is at 8:00 pm.MacEwan Athletics is now webcasting games live. You can watch by clicking on: <a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/http://www.sportscanada.tv/">http://www.sportscanada.tv/</a>

Griffins settle with close weekend split

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:05:34 Z

Over the weekend of January 29th and 30th the MacEwan Griffins Women's Basketball team once again came face-to-face with the cross-town rival King's College Eagles. Both teams were eager for revenge from the previous split in games, which helped land the Eagles in second place. Friday night's game started off with a lead for the Griffins, who managed to stretch their scoring streak to ten. For a while the Griffins held the Eagles under control, but sadly they just couldn't hold on. By half time the score was at 28-22 for the Griffins. The second half got the crowd excited as the battle for the lead continued, and with the Griffins down by one with just under two seconds left a foul had been called on the Eagles. The addition of fourth-year player Meghan Knowles, who previously played for the U of A Pandas, was very evident with her penetration to the hoop. All they needed were the two shots to win the game, or at least one to take them into overtime. Unfortunately, the pressure was too much and they couldn't sink the shots. The ladies had to settle with the stinging loss by one point, final score being 49-48 for the Eagles. Player of the game went to second year post Sarah Janzen of St. Albert with a solid 12 points and four rebounds.Saturday's game was time for the Griffins to shine as they headed into the Eagles gym for vengeance. Unnerved by the previous nights' loss the Griffins started out with a solid lead, but this time they continued their reign for the majority of the game. It was a rough night for Bayan Kurd as she got rocked multiple times by some controversial screens, which lead to three men being fouled out from the Eagles side. As the Griffins lead by eight in the final seconds of play, with no hope for the Eagles to come back, a charging Eagle decided she would take the lead down to six as the buzzer rang, finishing the game at 66-60 for the Griffins. Player of the game once again went to Sarah Janzen with another 12 points and five rebounds.The split in games solidifies the Eagles at least at second place, and in third place the Griffins continue to fight for a playoff spot. See them next weekend on Friday, February 5th at home against the Lakeland College Rustlers. Submitted by Jessica VeldhuizenMacEwan Athletics is now webcasting games live. You can watch by clicking on: <a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/http://www.sportscanada.tv/">http://www.sportscanada.tv/</a>

Griffins take the Trojans

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:47:08 Z

This past weekend of January 29 and 30 had the Griffins and Trojans continue their strong rivalry as they played the last two league games against one another for 2009-2010. With the recent losses against Red Deer and NAIT, the Griffins needed a successful weekend to climb up the league standings and regain their playoff position. The Griffins started the important weekend down in Calgary on Friday when they visited the SAIT Arena.  Playing with only 13 skaters due to injuries and illness, they showed their determination as they opened the game on the offense, taking the opening faceoff and moving right into the SAIT end of the ice.  They forced the SAIT defense into mistakes and generated good scoring chances only to be foiled by their goaltender, Lindsay Coughlin. There was no scoring in the first period, with each team being assessed three minor penalties each and the Trojans outshooting the Griffins 10-8.The second period started aggressively for the Griffins and more scoring opportunities were generated but again turned aside by Coughlin.  Despite their best effort and outshooting the Trojans 13-9 in the period, neither team could score, and the game remained scoreless heading into the third period.The third period saw the Griffins exert their aggressive play and determination as they continued to press the SAIT team into turnovers, creating even more scoring opportunities.  They were finally rewarded for their hard work when Carly Andersen took a pass from Kristyn Bailer and put her third goal of the year behind Coughlin at 6:08.   The Griffins continued to press and minimized any SAIT scoring chances until the final minute, when they pulled their goaltender and pressed the Griffins in their own end. However, the Griffins would not break and played out the remaining minute to win their seventh game of the season, 1-0.  Shots on goal were 12-6 for the Griffins and 33-25 overall in the game.  Shauntelle Williams earned her second shutout of the season and lowered her league leading GAA average.Player of the game for the Griffins was #15, Carly Andersen.Game two took place the next evening in Leduc, when both teams took to the ice one more time. Showing more determination, the Trojans started the game very strong and pressed the Griffins into some turnovers and bad passes. However, neither team could put a goal behind the respective goaltenders and the first period ended scoreless with the Griffins outshooting the visitors 12-10 in the period.The second period started off strong again for the Trojans as they continued to exert pressure on the Griffins defense.  However, it was the Griffins who struck first when Jillian Barber got her first power play goal of the season on a deflection of a Ashley Edwards point shot at 7:36. Undaunted, the Trojans continued to press and evened the game at 1-1, also on the powerplay.  At 12:53, M. Vincent took a point shot which was stopped by Shauntelle Williams.  However, before she could corral the rebound, H. Kleinsasser picked up the loose puck and scored. With the game tied at one, and the momentum shifting towards the Trojans, the Griffins struck back quickly when, at 14:59, Jayden Skoye won the offensive faceoff and drew the puck back to Ashley Holt.  She took a couple of strides and fired her third goal of the season past Sarah Oswald, the SAIT goaltender to put the Griffins back in the lead. The period ended with the Trojans outshooting the Griffins 15-11.Nursing a slim one goal lead, the Griffins faced an onslaught of shots from the Trojans and managed to withstand the pressure. They continued to keep the Trojan players away from the slot area and forced them to shoot from the perimeter. There were no goals in the period and the Trojans once again outshot the Griffins 15-8 in the period and 40-31 in the game.  If not for the heroic goaltending of Shauntelle Williams, another sure win might have been lost.  With the winning goal and strong play at both ends of the ice, Ashley Holt was rewarded as the Griffins player of the game.With the two wins, the Griffins now sit with a record of eight wins, nine losses and two ties for 18 points. They are only one point behind NAIT for third place and two points behind SAIT for second place. They have the weekend off before facing the Mount Royal University Cougars in a three game set over four days, of which they play Friday, February 12 at home. With MRU currently in first place in the league standings, it promises to be a good set of games as the  Griffins continue to work hard to climb the standings.Submitted by Coach Dave Triska

Ladies earn the split

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:26:43 Z

This past weekend the Griffins took on the SAIT Trojans, Friday January 29 in Calgary and Saturday January 30 at home. With hype about the gym environment that they were about to play in Friday, the girls weren't in the appropriate mental state of mind to play the match. A string of runaway errors started off the match and rattled the Griffins into a quick 25-16 loss. After showing enough grit to pull off the second set with a 25-18 win, the Griffins then struggled through the rest of the night losing 29-27 and 25-18. Player of the game honors went to libero Kendra Huculak with an outstanding 24 digs, and a consistent performance. The Griffins had to re-evaluate their mental strategies after the evening's disappointing 3-1 loss.On Saturday morning, at home, the Griffins called an early afternoon practice to find a way to bring some enthusiasm and work ethic to the court. The girls came to the practice ready to show their willingness to battle that afternoon and in the evening's matchup. When SAIT showed up for the match that evening, the Griffins came out on fire and took the evening in three straight sets 25-10, 25-22, and 25-18. The Griffins were much happier with their performance. Player of the Game went to middle Teresa Bokenfohr who had a superior blocking performance, as well as six kills.The Griffins now have a weekend off to help treat some illnesses, but will be back in action for their last regular season games in Grande Prairie on February 13th and 14th. MacEwan Athletics is now webcasting games live. You can watch by clicking on: <a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/http://www.sportscanada.tv/">http://www.sportscanada.tv/</a>

Griffins are given reason to celebrate

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:19:47 Z

The Griffins resumed second semester action with a two game set January 29 and 30 against the SAIT Trojans. It was to be the first league matches between the schools since the 2007-2008 ACAC season. The Trojans came into the weekend as heavy favourites over the struggling Griffins as they already earned the right to host provincials after a strong first place showing in the south during first semester play. However, the Griffins felt prepared to knock off the Provincial hosts and get their season headed back in the right direction.Friday night the Griffins visited the Trojans, beginning a stretch where they play three of their final four matches on the road to close out the regular season. The first set opened with the Griffins holding their own against the Trojans. However, as has happened far too often this semester, they were unable to make a big play at a crucial moment and dropped the set 25-20. To make matters worse for the visitors, they dug themselves an early hole to begin the second set. In fact it took the Trojans being up 21-17 before the Griffins showed some fight and battled back in the set. Closing the gap one point at a time the boys from MacEwan were able to claw back into a tie. But unfortunately again they were unable to get the one dig or block that would have turned the set in their favour and lost a heartbreaker 31-29 to go down two sets. Undeterred the Griffins came out firing in the third and lead by strong serving and passing were able to build a lead that they weren't about to give up. They eventually closed out the set 25-17 to creep closer in the match now only trailing two sets to one. In spite of this strong performance in the third the Griffins were unable to carry it into the fourth. And as the story of the Griffins semester has been, as goes the passing so goes the team. Despite their best efforts the Griffins couldn't get into a rhythm in the set and succumbed to the Trojan pressure falling 25-16 to drop their seventh in a row three sets to one. Third year leftside Ryan McDonald was awarded player of the game for the Griffins.Even with the disappointment of the loss the night before, the Griffins played arguably their best match of the semester and if not for a couple of bounces going the way of the Trojans, very easily could have come away with the win. With this knowledge, the Griffins came back to Edmonton for Saturday's last home game of the regular season full of confidence that they could get the job done. The first set saw the Griffins fight hard but in the end it was a service ace that allowed the Trojans to jump out to a one set lead with a 25-19 win. As the second set began the Griffins were still struggling to get anything going. Falling behind 17-12, the home side was faced with a "here we go again" scenario. However, fuelled by huge blocks and digs the Griffins came all the way back and were rewarded with a 25-22 win, tying the match at a set a piece. Taking advantage of their new found momentum, the Griffins were able to pull out a 27-25 third set nail biter that gave them the opportunity to close out the match in the fourth.  The Trojans however had different ideas and completely dismantled the Griffins 25-11 to force a fifth and deciding set.Despite the lopsided defeat, the Griffins began the fifth set playing with a confidence not seen out of this group all year and when it came time for the teams to change sides the Griffins held an 8-2 lead. However at this point the Griffins may have let the thought of the finish line creep into their heads as they slowly relinquished the lead until it was 14-13 in favour of SAIT. But, just like star players are supposed to when the game is on the line, it was Ryan McDonald that came up huge ripping a ball off the head of a Trojan blocker and out the back to tie the match at 14-14. After the teams traded points it was first year left-side Stephen Miazga's turn to play hero as he came up with a one-on-one block against ACAC kill leader Kenny Rauwerda to put the Griffins up 16-15. With the Griffins one point away from ending their long losing skid everyone in the building was holding their breath as William Pasieka went back to serve. He put the Trojans into trouble and after a Mark Breakwell dig it was up to fourth year middle Tristan Locke to put the Griffins back into the win column and he made no mistake.  As the ball landed untouched on the Trojan's side, the Griffins were able to celebrate a long overdue win. Although it was once again Ryan McDonald who was named player of the game for his phenomenal outing coming up with huge blocks, kills and digs all night long, an honourable mention could be given to setter Dustin Marcinkevics who ran a strong offence all weekend helping the team remove the giant gorilla that was hanging from its back.With the win the Griffins are able to head into their bye weekend feeling a little better about their situation. Although there is still plenty of work to be done, the win keeps the Griffins alive to finish fourth in the division and therefore avoid having to play a crossover series against a team from the bottom division for the right to go to provincials. All that stands in their way is a pair of must win matches in Grand Prairie to close out the regular season. But with so much on the line and an extra week to prepare there is no reason to believe the boys can't come away with two wins. The next chance to see the Griffins in Edmonton will come March 11-13 when they host the CCAA National Championship.MacEwan Athletics is now webcasting games live. You can watch by clicking on: <a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/http://www.sportscanada.tv/">http://www.sportscanada.tv/</a>

Griffins clean up Vikings

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:05:05 Z

Friday, January 22 the MacEwan men's basketball team travelled to Camrose to play the Vikings on their home court, then played the Vikings again Saturday at MacEwan Gym.  Head coach Ryan Dunkley felt the weekend was satisfactory, although Friday evening had a slow start. Coach would like to see fewer mental errors and more commitment to defense from his team. Nevertheless, MacEwan pulled out a weekend sweep with scores of 92-71 and 108-71 against Augustana. Gregg Frankson played an outstanding weekend, scoring 26 points, five rebounds, one assist and one steal Friday evening. Saturday he somehow outdid himself, scoring 29 points, grabbing two rebounds and made four steals. Amazingly, 15 of his points were from outside the three line. To no one's surprise, he was named Player of the Game.  Evan Schwindt, 23 points, three rebounds Saturday night, found his stride again and is providing the secondary perimeter scoring the team needs for the rest of the season. Andrew Bates has stepped up, showing he can be an elite big man player and put 19 points and 13 rebounds down on paper in Friday's game. Both Colin James and Jason Ballie played a solid weekend, having to fill in minutes for injured guard Brett Gaudreau.

Curling teams advance to Provincials

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:19:05 Z

The MacEwan Griffins' Ladies and Mixed Curling teams both had a very successful weekend at the ACAC Winter Regional competition in Grande Prairie, January 29 - 31, 2010. The Griffin Ladies team comprising of skip Kelly Erickson, third Vanessa Pouliot, second Kathryn Schultz, lead Danica Sluchinski and alternate Shelby Sluchinski. The girls started off against the hometown Grande Prairie Wolves.  The combination of a long travel day and home ice advantage saw the Ladies lose 0 - 6 to the Wolves.  They shook off those cobwebs and reeled off four wins in a row scoring several large ends of four or more points, including a 9 - 3 win over 109 Street rival NAIT.  The score was 4-3 for the Griffins after five ends and in the sixth the ladies all made some very fine shots. A final take-out from skip Kelly Erickson saw the ladies score a big five points.  At this point, NAIT conceded the game.  The next three games were wins of 12-3, 10-3 and 12-3 against their opponents.  In the final game of the weekend the Griffins ran into a hot Augustana team and gave up four points in the very first end. The ladies dug deep and battled back eventually tying the score in the seventh end.  They played hard but eventually lost the game 7 - 8 on a measurement.Overall the Griffin Ladies Curling team finished with four wins and two losses at the Winter Regional and a cumulative 10 wins and 3 losses after the Fall and Winter Regionals.  The great play of the Ladies has allowed them to qualify for the ACAC Provincial Curling Championships in Camrose.The Griffin Mixed team, comprising of skip Ryley Manning, third Kelsey Pederson, second David Jansson, lead Megan Crouser, and alternate Justin Lafreniere, started off very strong by winning four games in a row. Like the Griffin Ladies the Mixed team also beat our 109 Street rivals NAIT by a huge gap 8 - 0.  Over the first four games the team played very well, maintaining control of every game with some very fine shooting from all of the players.  The Mixed team then suffered their only loss of the weekend, a 1 - 7 defeat to Red Deer.  The team came out a little flat and just never seemed to find the groove in this match.  In the final game of the weekend the Mixed team again found its game and handily defeated Lakeland to finish on a very positive note.Overall the Griffin Mixed Curling team finished with a sparkling five win and one loss at the Winter Regional, to make a cumulative record of nine wins and three losses after the Fall and Winter Regionals.  The excellent play of the mixed team has allowed them to qualify for the ACAC Provincial Curling Championship in Camrose.Coach Tom Kitagawa commented on his teams' potential: "I fully expect that both the Griffin Ladies and Mixed teams will be strong contenders for Gold Medals at the Provincial Championship."

Griff debuts Mascot Monday

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:57:43 Z

Outside the gym, Griff made his first public appearance this season Monday, February 1. Griffins mascot Griff, or secretly known as MacEwan student Chris Harold, spent a chilly Monday morning interacting with the public downtown Edmonton. He helped to wake up nearby pedestrians with friendly hugs and give commuters an early morning greeting as they drove by."There were people who either really loved our hugs or didn't like it at all. Then there were people who didn't know what was going on" commented Harold.Radio station 91.7 The Bounce had their ‘Mascot Monday' from 6-9 am this morning along Jasper Avenue and on a west-end overpass that overlooks the Whitemud. In fact Harold actually contacted The Bounce to start their Mascot Monday's that they have had in the past. Robby (the intern) Piluso and Chris had some discussions over the phone then met and together brainstormed some ideas to gather more mascots and organize a Mascot Monday.   Not only did Edmontonians get a greeting from Griff, they likely had a good laugh. Edmonton Eskimo mascot Punter was alongside Griff to compete for high fives and handshakes. Before they left the front step of The Bounce studio, the two mascots had a dance-off. They had a number of mascot fights, which sometimes included willing passer-by's. They even competed at who could dance better on road sign poles. Good thing Robby was there to mediate.But not everything was competitive. Griff gave many giant hugs, high-fives or fist-pounds, and he even felt obligated to do some charity work. At a nearby McDonalds, Griff helped to hand out food to customers, and even cleaned tables and washed food trays. On his way out of the restaurant, Griff decided a little more fan interaction would be fun and threw some snowballs at vehicles lined up in the drive-thru. When asked the best part of Mascot Monday, Chris answered "Being able to show my creative side".  Nobody will deny that being a mascot requires creativity. Anyone who has been at a Griffins where Griff makes an appearance would certainly agree. Just last weekend Griff joined the MacEwan Dance team as they showcased their talent at a volleyball half time show. He certainly stole the centre of attention, even if he was off sync at times.At this point it is uncertain if another Mascot Monday will be held or not. "I Definitely want to do Mascot Monday again. It was great to cheer people on an early Monday morning" said Chris.Chris is always up to trying something different. His spunky and carefree attitude says it all.   To cap off the interview, Chris quoted one of the most famous men of all time, Albert Einstein: "If you've never tried something new, you've never made a mistake."Check out <a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0-rdy56LeI">this video</a> of Griff and Punter in action! Written by Rhawney Zubko, Sports Information, Griffin Athletics

Women's Hockey ID Camp

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:53:49 Z

If you are interested in playing for the MacEwan women's hockey team, Open ID camps are being held April 2, 3 and 4, 2010 at the Leduc Recreation Centre. To register, contact coach Dave Triska at <a href="http://www.macewanathletics.ca/mailto:dtriska@shaw.ca">dtriska@shaw.ca</a>

Eagles down the Griffins again

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:09:07 Z

The Griffins men's volleyball team continued their second semester January 22 and 23 with a pair of matches against cross town rival King's University College. The schools had previously battled twice in the first semester with each team grabbing a home court win. However, coming into the weekend both teams were struggling and still looking for their first win of the semester.The Griffins knew going into Friday night's home game that it was as good an opportunity as any to get their season back on track. As the match opened, it appeared that they were going to send the Griffin faithful home happy at the end of the night. The Griffins stormed out of the gate with aggression and poise, allowing them to grab an early lead that never relinquished, taking the first set 25-18. But like the two previous home games against Mt Royal and Red Deer, the Griffins were unable to ride the momentum of a first set win into the second set. The visiting Eagles jumped all over the Griffins early in the set and never looked back, embarrassing the home side 25-15. With the match now tied at a set apiece, it was beginning to look like the fans would be treated to another five set thriller. After the first two sets were dominated by one team, the third was a see-saw affair that had both teams grab a lead after 20. Despite hard work from the Griffins, the Eagles seemed to embrace the pressure that comes with playing a tight set, not only coming up with many crucial digs, but also turning those digs into points and came away with a 25-23 win. The fourth set opened with the home side on the brink of dropping their fifth in a row. But the veteran Griffins lineup wasn't about to go down without a fight. In fact they battled themselves within one point of forcing a fifth and deciding set. Unfortunately the unforced error problem that has plagued the Griffins in January reared its ugly head once again as they did the unthinkable and let a 24-20 lead slip away.  The Eagles were then able to complete the comeback with a block at 27-26 that saw the ball fall untouched in the Griffins court. With that final blow the Eagles won the set 28-26, thus ending another frustrating night for the Griffins who for the third straight time at home came out with a great first set only to lose the next three. Second year right side William Pasieka took home player of the game honours for the Griffins. On Saturday the Griffins were given the challenge of forgetting about the night before and getting a win in a hostile environment where earlier in the year they had already been victim to a 3-0 sweep at the hands of the Eagles. However, the Griffins couldn't have gotten off to a worse start in the match falling behind 6-0 early in the first. But undeterred, they battled back to take the lead late in the set. Nevertheless a trend that has become all too familiar continued and the Griffins were unable to put the set away falling 25-23. After the disappointment of the first set, no matter what was attempted by players and coaches, nothing seemed to go right for the Griffins. They committed error after error and never got closer than 25-17 in either of the two remaining sets. This meant that once again the Griffins were on the wrong end of a 3-0 match at King's College.  Frustration was evident during this game as the Griffins lost their sixth straight. Perhaps the most disturbing part of this game from a Griffin perspective was the lack of desperation and fight shown on the court. In fact, the coaching staff seemed to bring more fire from the bench pointing out some questionable officiating then the players on the court were able to consistently bring throughout the match. Third year left side Ryan McDonald was given player of the game for the Griffins.Despite the bleak outlook for the Griffins at this point in the season, all is not lost. As the marathon that is the ACAC season has shown in the past, championships aren't won in January. Its how you perform come late February and March that really matters and if the team can rid themselves of the inconsistent play they have stumbled into this month, the evidence is there to believe this team still has the pieces to make a run at defending the National title the program captured last March. The Griffins get the chance to climb out of the current rut they find themselves in this Friday in Calgary against the SAIT Trojans.  The next home date for the Griffins comes the following night, Saturday January 30, starting at 8:00 pm.

WHOC split weekend against Red Deer

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:03:18 Z

The Griffins women's hockey team travelled down the highway to Red Deer to take on the Queens in the last two league games between the two insitituions Thursday, January 21. The first period saw the Griffins open the game on an aggressive note as they worked both ends of the ice to almost perfection.  With the puck, they moved up the ice quickly and had good scoring opportunities.  Without the puck, they were backchecking hard and causing turnovers on the Queens defense and in the neutral zone.  The Griffins opened the scoring at 10:06 when Kristyn Bailer took the puck away from a Queens player in the neutral zone, skated into the high slot area and wristed a shot into the top corner, over the glove of K.J. Chapman.   They opened a 2-0 lead at 17:18 when the line of Skoye, Melnychuk and Hawkeswood moved up the ice and passed back to Danielle Schmidt on the Queens blue line.  She made a good pass to her partner, Katelyne Epp, who fired a shot at the net.  Jayden Skoye picked up the rebound and scored her sixth goal of the year.  Shots on goal in the period were 8-5 in favor of the Griffins.The second period saw the Queens reduce the deficit to 2-1 on the powerplay when Megan Abt's shot hit the Griffin goaltender, Shauntelle Williams, high in the chest.  She made the stop but lost the rebound in the crease, allowing Chantal Froehler to score at 4:30.  Also assisting on the goal was Jessica Abt.  Both teams continued to play good, sound hockey for the balance of the period with no further scoring.  Shots on goal in the second period were 15-10 for the Griffins.The third period saw the Queens become more aggressive and putting considerable pressure on the Griffins in their own zone.  In the first ten minutes, they were outshooting the Griffins 10-0.  However, the Griffins withstood the pressure and took the momentum back, outshooting the Queens 6-0 in the final 10 minutes.  They also increased their lead to 3-1 when Breanne Melnychuk's shot was stopped by Chapman.  However, Griffin defenseman Danielle Schmidt, picked up the loose puck on the side boards and put her backhand shot into the near corner at 18:31.  Despite the Queens attempt to pull their goalie, they could not generate any scoring chances and the Griffins took the win on the road.  Shots on goal in the third period were 10-6 in favor of the Queens.  Final shots in the game were 29-25 for the Griffins.Game star was Shauntelle Williams, who played a very strong game between the pipes.   The re-match was played Saturday, January 23 in Leduc and the game was a different story for the Griffins.The first period saw no goals, as both teams were battling very hard to be the first on the board. The second period, however, marked a bit of a breakdown for the Griffins as the Queens scored three times. The first two goals were Power Play goals back-to-back, nine minutes into the period. Then with just over seven minutes remaining Red Deer put another goal past goal tender Williams. The Griffins began to pull themselves back together for the third period.  First, however, they would have to get through another penalty by the Griffins, which put themselves into another vulnerable situation. As they did all game so far, the Queens capitalized on the Power Play and scored once more. This time though, the Griffins answered back and Sydney Hawkeswood found the back of Red Deers' net with less than two minutes remaining. The game ended 4-1.The Player of the Game was given to Katelyne Epp, who made her presence well known on the ice that evening. The lady Griffins hit the ice again this coming weekend to play the SAIT Trojans. On Saturday, January 30 they are in Leduc Recreation Centre, with a game start of 8:00 pm.

Lady Griffs take the weekend

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:08:05 Z

The Griffins headed into their third weekend of play this semester on January 22 and 23 with a one win and three loss record to take on the King's Eagles. On Friday night, the Eagles entered the Griffins gym and the teams set out to combat. The Griffins took the first two sets with energy and finished 25-18 and 25-18. In the third set, however, the Griffins let a comfortable lead slip away to lose 25-23. To prove that they truly deserved to win, the Griffs came out to take the fourth set handedly 25-16. Player of the Game honors went to setter Katelyn Melnyk for a consistent and outstanding performance.On Saturday, the Griffins looked to sweep the weekend in the King's gym. Without hesitating, the Griffins took the first two sets 25-13 and 25-18. The third set was a tougher battle and the teams pushed the score back and forth, but the Griffins pulled through to take the set 27-25. Player of the Game went to middle Teresa Bokenfohr with six kills and an incredibly steady performance. Teresa played for the Eagles last year, making this weekend also a personal success story.The Griffins now sit at a three and three record, scheduled to play SAIT next weekend January 29 and 30. Saturday they play on home court at 6:00 pm.