Manitobans win bronze at ringette worlds

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Stephanie Kleysen led her team to victory in the annual Duckworth Challenge.

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THE Canada East team reclaimed the gold medal for Canada while Canada West pulled into the bronze spot at the 2012 U19 World Ringette Championship in London, Ont.

Shannon Sarahs of Winnipeg had two of Canada West's goals in the 7-1 bronze-medal game victory over Russia.

The team also included forwards Melody Caron of LaSalle, Erin Sarahs of Winnipeg and defencemen Karine Sabourin of St. Jean Baptiste and Samantha Renooy of Winnipeg.

In the gold game of the six-team tournament, Canada East scored a 6-2 win over Finland to dethrone the defending champions.

AAA hockey stars of the week

A combined record of 7-1-1 in December earned Brandon Beaulier and Scott Parsons of the Kenora Thistles Century 21 goaltender of the month honours in the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League.

Helping the Thistles solidify their third-place standing, Beaulier and Parsons posted a 2.20 goals-against average for their team to go with a .935 save percentage.

The league's WHL offensive player of the month for December was Colt Conrad of the Pembina Valley Hawks.

The 15-year-old forward, a native of St. Alphonse, had 20 points during the month, including nine goals, and now has 44 points on the season.

Cory Reid of the Norman Northstars is the MNP defensive player of the month.

The 17-year-old assistant captain of the Northstars had a goal and nine assists in nine games last month.

Dragon attack on cancer

THE Manitoba Paddling Association has initiated the first Indoor Dragon Boat festival in Western Canada, to be held Feb. 17 at the Pan Am Pool.

The event will benefit the Canadian Cancer Society.

University, high school and corporate teams will participate in the festival.

MJHL men of the month

PARKER Thomas of the Selkirk Steelers is the RBC player of the month in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

The 19-year-old forward led all scorers in December with six goals and 20 points for the division-leading Steelers.

Tanner Butler of the Dauphin Kings was chosen the Sherwood Hockey defenceman of the month.

He had 11 points in 11 games, including three goals.

The MGEU goaltender of the month was Adam Iwan of the Portage Terriers.

Iwan was 4-2 in December, with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.

The league's IBAM rookie of the month was Brian Archibald of the Kings.

The 18-year-old goalie was 4-1 during December with a 3.00 goals-against average and a .891 save percentage that included one shutout.

Hoops stars

STEPHANIE Kleysen of the women's basketball team is the Lea Marc Printing Solutions Wesmen female athlete of the month of December.

The third-year guard and team co-captain was instrumental in three victories in the month.

She averaged eight points and 10 rebounds over the five games, including a 14-point night with 18 rebounds in a 68-60 win over Manitoba in the annual Duckworth Challenge showdown.

On the men's side, basketball forward Steven Wesley is the Wesman male athlete of the month.

In his fourth year, Wesley helped the Wesmen to a 5-1 December, recording 14.8 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game. He, too, was a star in the Duckworth Challenge with 21 points and 13 rebounds in a three-point win over Manitoba.

Wesley was also chosen to the all-star team at the 46th annual Wesmen Classic tournament.

-- Staff

Making a Top 10 racket

RACQUETBALL Canada's latest national rankings show Manitoba's Kurtis Cullen in the top 10 for the first time.

Cullen, the former under-18 Canadian junior champion, is ranked eighth.

A solid fall led to his rise in the rankings, including victories in singles and doubles (with Brandon's Connor Madill) in the Happy Joe's tournament in December in Grand Forks, N.D., then a doubles win (with Saskatoon's Lee Connell) in Minot, N.D.

In October, Cullen was a semifinalist in singles and a finalist in doubles at the World Racquetball Tour event in California.

At the Racquetball Canada national team selection event in November in B.C., Cullen was sixth.

Cullen's future schedule includes another selection camp as well as the 39th annual Keystone Classic in Winnipeg, Feb. 8-10.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 4, 2013 C6