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Matt Garvey

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Taylor Pischke

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Quincy Hurst

Toban v-ballers make team

AFTER an intense week of practise at the Investors Group Athletic Centre, five Manitobans have been selected to the 2012 national women's volleyball team roster, Volleyball Canada announced Monday.

Former Manitoba Bisons Tricia Mayba (Winnipeg) and Kristi Hunter (Roblin), plus current Bison Taylor Pischke (Winnipeg) are on the 34-player roster, as is Lisa Barclay (Brandon), who plays at the University of British Columbia.

North Carolina State University setter Megan Cyr (St. Andrews) was also named to the roster.

Members of the national women's team now begin training for the next four weeks, all vying for a spot on the 'A' team that is scheduled to compete in an exhibition series against Team Argentina in Winnipeg from July 7-10, before both squads move on to the Pan Am Cup in Mexico later that month.

The 'B' team, comprised of players who are not chosen to the 'A' roster, will return to their respective hometowns at the end of June.

Former Winnipeg Wesmen libero Tesca Andrew-Wasylik (Unionville, Ont.) was also named to the women's national team roster Monday.

Hurst signs with Argos

RECEIVER Quincy Hurst hopes to be wrapped in Double Blue this season.

The former Manitoba Bison football player came to terms with the Toronto Argonauts, inking a three-year deal with the CFL club Monday. Hurst, a Coquitlam, B.C.-product, was drafted in the fourth round (28th overall) in the CFL college draft earlier this month.

The 23-year-old did not play last season but did dress for all eight games in the 2010 campaign, catching 18 balls for 295 yards and two touchdowns. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Hurst accumulated 378 return yards on 40 punt returns and also handled some of the kickoff return chores for the Herd.

Lacrosse Gryphons fall

THE Manitoba Gryphons' visit to Calgary last weekend was not an enjoyable one.

The Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League club (Junior B) dropped all three games over the weekend to three different Cowtown sides. Saturday, the Gryphons were outclassed by the Calgary Mountaineers 17-8 and on Sunday, Manitoba dropped a pair of games -- a 10-9 decision to the Calgary Chill and a 14-7 game to the Calgary Shamrocks later in the evening. Matt Garvey scored for the Gryphons.

Manitoba (2-6) is off now until the weekend of June 9-10, when they host the first-place Red Deer Rampage in Oakbank, Man.

Deezar sparks Potter side

ST. PAUL'S graduates QB Theo Deezar and SB Rhys Hansen connected for a late touchdown to give Team Potter a 29-23 win over Team Novak in the Senior Bowl last Sunday.

The annual Winnipeg High School Football League game was an intense affair, as the sides battled to a 21-20 score at halftime. Team Novak took a 23-21 lead on an Eric Purcell (Vincent Massey Winnipeg) field goal with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, before Deezar took the ball with three minutes to play and led the offence down the field for the winning score.

Deezar, who is headed to the Ottawa Gee Gees program in the fall, hit Hansen with a short four-yarder with 38 seconds left to win. Deezar was named the game's most outstanding player.

Gymnasts grab medals

MANITOBA athletes picked up two medals at the 2012 Canadian Gymnastics Championships, which wrapped up over the weekend in Regina.

Winnipeg's Natalie Gervais grabbed a bronze medal in the women's open 16-over beam event, while Isabela Onyshko of Brandon won a silver medal in the women's open 13-15 beam.

The provincial women's open team had a strong overall showing, earning a fourth-place finish behind Ontario, Quebec and Alberta.

-- Adam Wazny

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 29, 2012 C6