Sports

Have a sports story tip? Tell us about it by calling 250-378-4241 or emailing newsroom@merrittherald.com. New Cents coach looks to right the ship

Jake Courtepatte NEWSROOM@ MERRITTHERALD.COM

There’s a new sheriff in town for the Merritt Centennials.

The Cents have parted ways with Head Coach and General Manager Dave Chyzowski, around the midway mark of his first season on the job and with just one win under his belt.

“We had our evaluation meeting with the Board of Directors and it was decided to relieve Dave of his duties and move in a different direction, and that’s what we’ve done,” said Centennials President Kelly Bartch.

Taking up the job will be Curtis Toneff, a young, but experienced ex-junior player himself and former assistant coach of the Humboldt Broncos.

“There is an incredible opportunity for me to help the Merritt Centennials get steered back in the right direction as a franchise, and it was one I couldn’t turn down,” said Toneff in a Broncos media release. “I’m excited and humbled at the chance given to me by the organization.”

The 28-year old Nanaimo native spent his playing days bouncing around junior leagues across Saskatchewan, Alberta, and BC, including a stint with the Trail Smoke Eaters in the 2013-14 BCHL season.

Upon retirement, he has held coaching jobs with teams like Trail, the Nanaimo Buccaneers of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League, and most recently Humboldt in Saskatchewan.

Toneff took over behind the bench for the first time after the holiday break on Dec. 29, when the Cents hosted the Salmon Arm Silverbacks at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena following press time.

The coaching change will hopefully light a spark under a Cents team that has gone 1-20 in the first half.

“He’s got playing and coaching experience in the BCHL and (had) some very good success coaching at the junior B level,” said Bartch.

“We think Curtis will be a good fit (with the organization) and he’s going to fit into the community. He’s going to reside here (in Merritt) and we look forward to having him on board.”

BCHL cancels All-Star festivities

Jake Courtepatte NEWSROOM@ MERRITTHERALD.COM

The BCHL will not be celebrating its 60th anniversary in Penticton in the new year, with the recent cancellation of the All-Star

festivities.

The event was to host an All-Star game, skills competition, alumni game, and a Top Prospects game, all on a newly-built outdoor arena.

“We are extremely disappointed to announce today’s news that, in the interest of public safety, we have decided to postpone our 60th Anniversary event to next year,” said BCHL Commissioner Chris Hebb on Dec. 23.

“We are disappointed for our loyal fans that were planning on attending the event, but we feel the worst for the 50 players who were set to participate in the weekend’s festivities.

“We are grateful to all our event and league partners who supported us and are eager to work with them again next year to make the event even bigger and better.”

The Merritt Centennials’ Tristan Allen was pencilled in to skate with the Interior All-Stars, while defencemen Tristan Allen and Jacob Dewitt were scheduled to compete in the Top Prospects game.

“We are disappointed that the BCHL 60th Anniversary celebration and Save Pond Hockey event is unable to go ahead in January, but understand that with current pandemic restrictions and conditions it is the right thing to do,” said John Vassilaki, Mayor of Penticton. “We look forward to supporting the event in January 2023 at our new outdoor rink.”

Merritt Centennialsvs

COME KICK OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH THE MERRITT CENTENNIALS AT NICOLA VALLEY MEMORIAL ARENA! JAN. 2 CRANBROOK BUCKS, 7:00P.M. JAN. 5 - WEST KELOWNA WARRIORS, 7:00P.M.

www.merrittherald.com

THURSDAY, December 30, 2021 • 27 WHL’s Pats sign Merritt brothers

Jake Courtepatte NEWSROOM@ MERRITTHERALD. COM

The first and second round picks of the WHL’s Regina Pats are already quite familiar with each other.

Merritt natives, and twins, Jaxsin Vaughan and Corbin Vaughan were selected by the Pats in the 2021 WHL Draft in the first and second round respectively.

Both signed their contracts this week to skate with the major junior club.

“We are excited to get Jasxin and Corbin signed and officially welcome them to our organization,” Pats Head Coach John Paddock said. “We’re looking forward to seeing the impact they have both immediately and in the future.”

At just 15 years old, the twins bring a wealth of experience and skill - Jaxsin has cut his teeth with the Rink Hockey Academy out of Kelowna, putting up 14 points in 15 games this season with the Under-18 team.

Corbin, skating for the same team as a defenceman, has posted six points in twelve games with the Academy this season.

Fate of curling championships still up in air

Chris Foulds KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK

Curl BC’s announcement that the provincial men’s and women’s curling championships will take place in Kamloops next month may have been premature.

The championships — scheduled for Jan. 4 to Jan. 9 at the curling clubs on McArthur Island and downtown — were initially cancelled due to being caught in the provincial health order of Dec. 17 that nixed all sports tournaments until Jan. 31.

The public health order was implemented in response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreading rapidly in B.C.

On Dec. 23, however, Curl BC said discussions with provincial health officers led to an exemption to allow the Kamloops championships to proceed from Jan. 4 to Jan. 9.

On Dec. 24, however, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry clarified the situation.

“I will say the ultimate decision has not yet been made on whether that will go ahead,” she said. “It much depends on what happens in the next week.”

The provincial government website detailing public health orders now notes all sports tournaments are cancelled “except for high-performance athletes.”

Henry said it is about trying to have higher-level competitive sports being able to hold events in certain ways, including no spectators and other rules.

Adding to the urgency of a decision being made on the men’s and women’s provincial championship events in Kamloops is the fact the national men’s and women’s curling championships are taking place soon. The Scotties national women’s tourney is set to take place from Jan. 28 to Feb. 6 in Thunder Bay. The national men’s curling championship is set for Lethbridge from March 4 to March 13.

The championships were set to be played in Kamloops in January of 2021, but were axed then due to the pandemic.

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