Promising results for Sea~Hawks

EVENT RECAPS

It was a busy Thanksgiving weekend for the Sea~Hawks as the cross country running, swim, and men's basketball teams were in action. The cross country team got their final tuneup for AUS Championship with a very fast third place finish in both the men's and women's races. The swim team hosted the Waterloo Warriors in the home half of the dual meet, with Waterloo taking the overall points competition 116-92, however Memorial did win three of four relays. The men's basketball team hosted three men's St. John's senior league teams in an exhibition tune-up tournament at the MUN Gym, winning their two games and the tournament.

Cross Country

The men’s and women’s cross country teams flew off to Fredericton this weekend to compete in the annual UNB Invitational. All AUS universities were invited to attend this meet, making the Sea~Hawks finish of third place in both the men’s and women’s categories all the more impressive.

 

Showing the way for the Sea~Hawks women in the 5k race was fifth year Erica Pritchett, the MUN 5k Run winner, who managed to continue her great season with a fifth place finish and a time of 18:51. Other women’s runners who ran sub-twenty were Victoria Ralph (19:37), and Jenny Hulbert (19:47). The race featured a deep field of 72.

 

Memorial Women’s Individual Results

  • Erica Pritchett 5th 18:51
  • Victoria Ralph 12th 19:37
  • Jenny Hulburt 14th 19:47
  • Laura Lawes 22nd 20:13
  • Katie Little 23rd 20:14
  • Jessica Coffey 24th 20:17
  • Priscilla Rideout 32nd 21:46
 

In the men’s 8k run Sean Hulburt, back from a recent injury, was the star Sea~Hawk recording a podium, third place finish and a time of 26:22. Other men posting solid times were, MUN 5k Run winner Matt Wakeham with a time of 28:23, and Tom Martin (29:13). The field included 56 runners.

 

Memorial Men’s Individual Results

  • Sean Hulburt 3rd 26:22
  • Matt Wakeham 20th 28:23
  • Tom Martin 23rd 29:13
  • Tyler Cole 28th 30:13
  • Adam Fitzgerald 36th 31:41
  • Jordan Francheville 37th 32:10

Full Meet Results

Upcoming Action

Both teams will be eyeing October 30th as the AUS championships will be held at St. FX. Look for Pritchett and Hulburt and the rest of the teams to continue posting great results. The women’s will begin the race at 11am, followed by the men’s start at 11:45am.

 

Swimming

The Sea~Hawks competed hard against the University of Waterloo Warriors in the Sea~Hawks home end of the Dual Meet. In swimming competitions points are earned on a race-by-race basis. In each race first place receives five points to their respective university, followed by three for second, and one point for third. The relays point allocations is different, with first place getting seven points, while second place collects zero.

 

The Sea~Hawks started off with two thrilling 4X50m medley relay victories. In the women’s relay Erin Daly managed to grab the lead swimming the breaststroke from 50m-100m. This lead was never relinquished. On the men’s side, David Forbes was the hero, as he entered the relay down but managed to power full steam ahead with a dominant butterfly helping the men’s relay team earn a key seven points. These two events really energized the crowd, as it established a fun and competitive mood for the remainder of the meet.

 

After eighteen of the twenty-four swimming events, the Warriors and Sea~Hawks were tied at 79 points apiece, drawing the crowd and swimmers into an even more spirited state. However, the Warriors managed to steal points in tight races to pull ahead just before the last two relays.

 

In the last relays, Leah Tomblin managed to get the women’s side slightly ahead when she swam the 100m-150m portion of the 200m relay. In the end it wasn’t enough as the Warriors touched the wall first in a very close finish. On the men’s side Forbes established an early lead in the last relay, a lead in which the Sea~Hawks would never give up.

 

Final Scores

Women’s- Sea~Hawks 41 Warriors 63

Men’s- Sea~Hawks 51 Warriors 53

Total- Sea~Hawks 92 Warriors 116

 

All swimmers did well this weekend. On the men’s side third year and two-time Butler Trophy winner Forbes finished individually with one first (50m Butterfly) and two second place finishes (50m and 200m Free). Rookie Brandon McKay was impressive in his first meet as a Sea~Hawk, finishing first in the 200m Free and 50m Breaststroke, and second in a neck-to-neck finish in the 200m Individual Medley.

 

On the women’s side third year Tomblin finished first in the 50m and 200m Backstroke, and a nail-biting third place finish in the 200m Individual Medley.

 

Missing from action this weekend was rookie Nadine Rockwood who was heading into this meet with times just over CIS standards in the 100m, 200m, and 400m freestyle events.

 

Post-race interviews of Sea~Hawks Leah Tomblin and David Forbes can be found at the official Facebook fan page of the Memorial Sea~Hawks.

 

Upcoming Action

The swim team will travel to Waterloo to finish the home at home series on October 30th-31st. Look for the swim to build on an exciting initial meet. Forbes and Tomblin will be counted on to take charge and get good results.

 

Men’s Basketball

The men’s basketball team saw their first exhibition action of the season this weekend as they hosted a four-team tournament with members of the St. John’s Molson Senior Division One League.

 

Friday Memorial 98 Nova Physio 94

The Sea~Hawks first action was against the perennial D1 champion Nova Physio who played without their star Peter Benoite, who was busy coaching the Sea~Hawks. The game at the MUN Gym was entertaining as the new look Sea~Hawks showed that they will be an exciting team to watch with much better ball movement and transition play.

 

Even without Benoite the Nova Physio team boasted a lineup that would give Memorial a competitive game with big men Ante Samodol and Sean Thistle joined by former Sea~Hawk stars George English and Mike Woods.

 

The game was a back and forth affair with Memorial going up late, and withstanding a late Physio run after a Mike Woods three-pointer cut it to a one possession game late in the fourth. The Sea~Hawks hit their free throws in the final seconds to seal the victory by four, 98-94.

 

First year Sea~Hawk point guard Will Bradbury showed he will be an impact player in his first season of AUS competition, scoring 25 points in his first game. Veteran Mark Woodland also looked to be in midseason form on his way to a 21 point performance.

 

Saturday Memorial 106 Bay Bulls Marine Co 78

The Sea~Hawks controlled the tournament final from start to finish on Saturday as they used their edge in athleticism and fitness to beat Bay Bulls Marine Co 106-78.

 

The Sea~Hawks used a well-rounded attack as Coach Benoite got everyone into the game. Benoite was rewarded as every player in uniform scored. For the second game in a row Bradbury led the way in scoring with 22 points in only 23 minutes of play.

 

Captain Jason Shepherd was dominant, stuffing the stat sheet with 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists in his 25 minutes of action.

 

Rookie Ryan Brockerville was instant offense off the bench, dropping 16 points, including four of four shooting from beyond the arc.

 

Former Sea~Hawk Christian Somerton led Bay Bulls Marine Co with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

 

Upcoming Action

The Sea~Hawks will see their first CIS exhibition competition next weekend as they travel to Waterloo to participate in the 2010 Naismith Classic. They will play Waterloo, Ryerson, and Laval.

 

Game times:

Friday vs. Waterloo 8pm

Saturday vs. Ryerson 6pm

Sunday vs. Laval 12pm

 

Contributed by Alex Gibson