Oct. 1, 2009
Warriors eager to play country?s best on Friday
West Kelowna, B.C. ? Calling it a test and a challenge, the Westside Warriors and their head coach say they are looking forward to their biggest game of the season Friday against the undefeated, undisputed champion of Junior A hockey in this country.
Yes, the Vernon Vipers, with their undefeated record this year and a national championship from last season in their hands, visit Royal LePage Place Friday for what proves to be an intense, exciting B.C. Hockey League tilt (7 p.m. start, tickets at 250-762-5050 or westsidewarriors.ca).
It may be a case of the Warriors trying to keep up with the Joneses.
One of the Warriors? top scorers, Grayson Downing, just returned from Okotoks, Alberta this week in time for practice Wednesday in West Kelowna. Downing, along with teammate Cam Reid, were among the 42 invitees to a camp for the selection of Team Canada West, which will compete in the World Junior A Challenge in PEI in November.
On Downing?s scrimmage team in Okotoks were a pair of Vipers, brothers Connor and Kellen Jones.
?They are high-end skilled guys and hard-working guys, especially in the corners,? Downing said. ?It?s hard to get the puck away from them and they drive hard to the net. They are just tough guys to play against.?
Any friendly verbal jabs expected on Friday?
?Definitely I?ll have some things to say to them to make fun of them,? Downing said with a laugh.
Connor Jones is 19 years old and will play in NCAA Division 1 Quinnipiac next season. He has five points (and 12 penalty minutes) in Vernon?s six games this season. Kellen Jones 19 years old and will play in NCAA Division 1 Quinnipiac next season. He has four points for the 6-0 Vipers this season. Yes, they are twins ? both are listed at 5?9? and 165 pounds and they?re from Montrose, B.C., just east of Trail in the Beaver Valley.
Nineteen-year-old Mike Collins of Boston leads the Vipers with 10 points and he?ll be going home to play in the NCAA next season at Warriors? coach Darren Yopyk?s last posting, Merrimack.
Downing (a 17-year-old from Abbotsford), Reid (an 18-year-old from Delta) and captain Trevor Bailey (a 20-year-old from Winfield) lead the Warriors with 10 points each. Downing and Reid have committed to the NCAA?s University of New Hampshire for next season.
With all this talent up front, the goalies should be busy. Kevin Jebson (a 20-year-old from Surrey) will start in goal for the Warriors. He has played every game so far for the Westside, and he was spectacular in a 2-1 victory over Quesnel on Sunday. Jebson sports a goals against average of 2.87 and a save percentage of .902 this season.
It?s likely Graeme Gordon, a 20-year-old from North Vancouver, will start for the Vipers on Friday. He has sparkling numbers: 1.39 goals against average and a .944 save percentage.
Warriors head coach Darren Yopyk has loads of respect for the Vipers.
?They?re the champs and they have a great program,? said Yopyk. ?We?re not quite there yet, but we?ll find some things out on Friday. Right now they?re up the ladder where we want to be and on Friday we?re going to try to knock them down a bit.?
The Vipers, as one can see from the goalie?s numbers, are a tight ship defensively.
?They play a very complete game,? said Yopyk. ?They?re great defensively in their own end and they don?t give you very many opportunities.?
Downing may have summed things up as he stood near the boards before practice this week.
?It?s not hard to get up for games like this,? said Downing. ?Everyone?s excited about it – I know I am.?
This is the third game of a seven-game home stand for the Warriors (5-2). They won the first two. After Vernon on Friday, the Warriors host Merritt on Sunday (2:30 p.m. start).
Don?t wait in line for tickets, call Select Your Tickets at 250-762-5050 or go to westsidewarriors.ca. You can also purchase tickets at the Select Your Ticket outlets, at the Warriors office and at the box office starting one hour prior to game time.
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