The Osoyoos Secondary School senior boys’ basketball team was given a send-off at a pep rally at the school Tuesday morning. The team is headed to provincial championships. (Richard McGuire photo)
There are many games to be played before Osoyoos can call itself City of Champions.
However, residents in this community certainly have plenty to be proud of when it comes to their sports teams.
In the long history of this community, there has likely never been a run of success like the one taking place right now as three local minor hockey teams and the Osoyoos Secondary School Rattlers senior boys basketball team have all qualified for provincial championship tournaments.
Meanwhile, for the third year in a row, the Osoyoos Coyotes have moved into the final four in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) playoffs.
The Coyotes will be seeking to avenge last year’s semi-final series loss to the Kamloops Storm. The heavily-favoured Storm defeated the Coyotes in five games and advanced to the league championship series, where they eventually lost to the Beaver Valley Nighthawks.
The Coyotes will be the favourite this time around as they easily captured the league’s regular season title and have lost only three games – one to Princeton and two to a tough Summerland Steam squad – on their way to the league semi-finals.
While winning has become old hat for the Coyotes, the SOMHA has never in its long history had three teams qualify to compete in provincial championships.
The players and coaching staff – along with a large contingent of parents, siblings and supporters – with the South Okanagan Minor Hockey Association (SOMHA) Junior Coyotes’ Peewees, Thunder Bantams and SOMHA Midget Rep teams are all headed to their respective provincial tournaments this weekend.
All three captured regional championships after claiming first place in their respective divisions during the regular season.
The Peewee team will be travelling to Terrace, while the Bantam Thunder will be travelling to Port Hardy and the Midget Rep squad to Dawson Creek to battle the very best hockey teams in their respective age divisions during the March Break.
We wish all three teams nothing but the best of luck and hope they realize the entire community is behind them as they seek to become provincial champions.
We wish the same good luck to head coach Casey Brouwer and the 10 players on the Rattlers basketball squad.
The team was given a nice sendoff Tuesday morning as a large pep rally took place in front of the entire student body and faculty in the school gymnasium.
It has been many years since a Rattlers basketball squad has qualified to compete against the province’s best teams.
They have had a remarkable season no matter what happens in Langley at the B.C. Provincial 1A Senior Boys Basketball Championships.
Because they are the biggest ticket in town, the players with the Coyotes receive plenty of attention and accolades throughout the season. That’s not always the case with those youngsters playing minor sports.
Good luck to every single player representing Osoyoos and here’s hoping they enjoy what should be a memorable experience for years to come.
