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L.V. Rogers suffers first field hockey loss

L.V. Rogers lost its first girls field hockey game of the season over the weekend, but still finished the tournament with a winning record.
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The L.V. Rogers girls field hockey team huddles at their weekend tournament in Castlegar

L.V. Rogers lost its first girls field hockey game of the season to Oliver over the weekend, but the team still finished the Castlegar tournament with a winning record.

In LVR's opener, a 5-1 junior division match win against Rossland, Emma Bohri had a hat trick, which is exceptionally rare in the sport. (Jena Wheeldon and Andi Stinson were the last LVR players to do it.) Emma Wheeldon contributed the other two goals.

The second game, a senior division match against Stanley Humphries, ended in a 2-2 draw. Sarah Wade scored both Nelson goals, both assisted by Allie Zondervan.

It was the first time LVR goalkeeper Tara Yowek has let in more than one goal.

Then, against Oliver, LVR fell 3-1 to suffer their first loss of the year. Naomi Perkins had the lone Bombers goal. "This amazing young Grade 10 player can go far in any sport," co-coach Val Gibson said.

LVR bounced back the next day with a 5-0 win over the Oliver juniors. Bohri added two more goals with singles from Perkins, Ava Strautman, and Chiara Chirico.

Due to what Gibson described as "horrible and unsafe weather," tournament directors cancelled the last game between Nelson and Trail.

The teams meet again Thursday in West Kootenay league play at Pass Creek park.

Traditionally, the Rossland Royals have been the team to beat, Gibson said, but this year with the loss of senior grades in Rossland, the team has regrouped under the J.L. Crowe Hawks banner. .

"The league is more competitive than ever," Gibson said. "This is an exciting year for girls field hockey."

The winner of the Kootenay final October 23 advances to the provincials in West Vancouver in November.

LVR has no Grade 12 players this year, but lots of young talent, including McKenna Bennett, Noa Butterfield, Marley Reynold, Emma Wheeldon, and Taylor Zimmer.

The captains are goalkeeper Yowek, defender Lauren Walgren, and forward Jena Wheeldon.

The coaches are Gibson, Bruce Walgren, and Sydney Zondervan, a recent grad who captained the team in 2012.

The team practices twice per week and has two dry land conditioning sessions on top of that.