Bowler eyes third world championship

MICHAEL SCHMIDT of Winnipeg, a two-time world champion in tenpin bowling, will represent Canada and go after a third world title at the 2012 QUBICA/AMF Bowling World Cup beginning Nov. 25 in Wroclaw, Poland.

Schmidt, 32, will make his seventh World Cup appearance in eight years. He won world titles in 2005 in Ljubljana, Slovenia and 2010 in Toulon, France.

If Schmidt were to win the 2012 title, Canada would become the first nation to have a bowler win three World Cup titles.

In his past six trips to the World Cup, Schmidt has had five top-five finishes. Last year in South Africa, Schmidt placed 13th for Canada out of 81 participating countries.

Germany calls Manitobans

MANITOBA hockey players Brigitte Lacquette of Waterhen, Christine Bestland of Brunkild and Jenelle Kohanchuk of Winnipeg have been selected to play for Canada's women's under-22/development team. They'll skate in the Meco Cup on Jan. 2-6, 2013 in Buchloe, Füssen and Ravensburg, Germany.

Lacquette, who plays defence, and forwards Bestland and Kohanchuk, are among 22 players selected by Hockey Canada for the Meco Cup, which was formerly known as the MLP Cup and Air Canada Cup.

Canada is an eight-time gold medallist at the Meco Cup, winning gold from 2003-08, 2010 and 2011. Canada finished with the bronze medal at the 2012 Meco Cup.

Avro sniper honoured

FORWARD Alanna Sharman of the Winnipeg Avros has been named the Selkirk Keystone Source For Sports-Reebok player of the week in the Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League.

Sharman, a Winnipeg native, recorded two goals and two assists for the Avros last weekend in a 3-3 tie with the Norman Wild and a 3-0 victory over the Eastman Selects. She is the Avros' scoring leader with 17 points in 15 games.

Wesmen's new recruit

COACH Diane Scott of the University of Winnipeg Wesmen women's volleyball team has announced Aaliyah Masepela of the Sisler Spartans varsity girls team has committed to join the Wesmen for the 2013-2014 season.

Masepela, a 5-11 middle blocker, was the captain of the Sisler high school team and is an honour-roll student. She has been a successful player at both the provincial and club team level with the Mavericks under-18 team.

High school's best are...

RYAN Kehler of the Steinbach Sabres varsity boys volleyball team and Olivia Thorleifson of the Nellie McClung Stingers varsity girls volleyball team are the players of the week in the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association.

Kehler, a 5-10 Grade 12 setter, was chosen as the Home Run Sports urban athlete after helping his team win the South Central Athletic Conference Championship with a five-set victory over Dakota.

Thorleifson, a 5-10 left-side hitter who is in Grade 12, was named the Tri-Star rural athlete for helping lead her team to the Zone 6 championship with 11 blocks and four service aces in the final match.

-- Ashley Prest

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 16, 2012 C8