Assiniboine women strive for more offence

The Assiniboine College Cougars are done sitting back and fending off a steady stream of scoring chances.

This Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference women’s soccer season, as the Cougars welcome opponents to their new home, head coach Manuel Luben is aiming to light up their brand-new scoreboard.

Assiniboine opens the regular season on Cougars Field at the Maple Leaf Foods Sports Complex on Saturday against Canadian Mennonite University at 1 p.m., with most of its veteran players in forward positions.

“Last year, I didn’t have the numbers. This year, I have the numbers and a whole defensive line that I’m happy about,” Luben said.

Cougars push for another trip to final

Six months ago, the Assiniboine College Cougars were one goal away from a magical season.

While the bulk of that men’s futsal lineup that pushed the team to its first-ever Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference final is gone, the residual effects will carry over into the soccer season starting on Saturday.

The Cougars open the MCAC campaign against the Canadian Mennonite University Blazers at 3:15 p.m., on the new Cougars Field at the Maple Leaf Foods Sports Complex with high hopes.

“We have a few guys returning from that, and it gave them the confidence they need. At those games, there were a lot of former players, and a lot of people talked to us about coming back,” said head coach Chris McLachlan.

Thomson ‘donated his whole life’ to Spartans

Kyle Smart figured he knew Don Thomson well enough to have a little fun after playing four years of volleyball and basketball for him.

“He was that person that if you needed to talk about something, whether it was school related, family related, personal, breakup with a girlfriend,” Smart said. “He was a second dad for everybody who’s ever played for him.

“We had a good relationship, so we’d play practical jokes.”

So on a spring day in 2002, he rallied the boys, armed them with toilet paper and headed outside.

Neelin rolls through BU boys’ volleyball tourney

The Neelin Spartans dominated AAA volleyball last year. Now they’re taking down just about anyone who crosses their path in Manitoba.

A star-studded Spartans squad cruised to the Brandon University varsity boys’ volleyball tournament title on Saturday, outscoring four opponents 202-122 in eight sets.

“We knew there were going to be challenging teams in this tournament but our week of practice really led up to where we were today in the final,” said left side Kal-El Wilson, who was named tournament MVP. “Our team has been working very hard this week with transition and getting a swing on every ball so it was good.”

They’re a week removed from a second-place finish at the University of Winnipeg tournament, where most of the best teams play to see where they stack up. Neelin beat Springfield, Mennonite Brethren, St. Paul’s and last year’s AA champion Gabrielle-Roy before falling to Glenlawn in the final.

Jones shares ball-striking secrets

Drew Jones is ready for an obscure kind of beach day as soon as the snow melts.

Bazin makes impact in return to Virden

It’s been a successful return to the Virden Oil Capitals for forward Roux Bazin.