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Grills' Storm blows past competition

Sports briefs: Austin Evans strong for Bombers in defeat
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storming ahead Whistlerite Ryan Grills will help lead the Campbell River Storm into action in the Keystone Cup in Cold Lake, Alta. later this month. Photo by Wes Roed

The Campbell River Storm are off to compete for the Keystone Cup.

Despite missing Whistlerite forward Tyler Welsh, who is out for the rest of the season with an injury, defenceman Ryan Grills stepped up and chipped in an assist in three games as the Storm won the Cyclone Taylor Cup as provincial Junior B champions in Mission on April 6.

Campbell River doubled the North Vancouver Wolf Pack 6-3 in their opener, outlasted the Kimberley Dynamiters 4-3 in overtime and edged the host Mission City Outlaws to punch their ticket to the final. Once there, they once again got past Kimberley by a 6-5 final, holding steady despite allowing two goals in the game's dying moments.

The Storm will now challenge for the Western Canadian Junior B championship at the Keystone Cup in Cold Lake, Alta. from April 16 to 19. The Cold Lake Ice will host, while the North Edmonton Red Wings, Saskatoon Quakers and Thunder Bay Northern Hawks will all be in attendance. The Manitoba champion has not yet been determined, though the Peguis Juniors lead the Selkirk Fishermen 3-2 in their best-of-seven series. Game 6 was scheduled for April 8 in Peguis.

Evans goes out with a bang

The Flin Flon Bombers didn't win a round in this year's Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs, but it's hard to pin that on Whistlerite Austin Evans.

The 20-year-old, in his final season of junior hockey, scored four goals and an assist in the Bombers' series against the Notre Dame Hounds. Notre Dame won the series in seven games, taking the deciding game 3-2 in overtime.

Notre Dame then beat Kindersley in six games to earn a berth in the Canalta Cup final against the Melfort Mustangs.

Evans, who tallied 10 goals and 25 assists in 54 regular season games this year, has committed to join the Norwich University Cadets in the NCAA's Division III for the 2015-16 season.

Martial artists shine at Tiger Balm Internationals

Whistler's Awesome Arts Academy was among the Sea to Sky contingent strutting its stuff at the Tiger Balm Internationals in Vancouver on March 21 and 22. The students represented Gracie Barra Whistler, Gracie Barra Squamish and Yaw Yan Kickboxing at the event.

In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Max Oughtred won silver in his division and Derek Perizzolo won bronze in his. Adult competitor Joe McKinnon won bronze.

As well, kickboxing instructor Fish Boulton won gold, while fellow kickboxer Ellie Lee won silver in her division.

In terms of the Squamish contingent, Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitors won a total of three medals — Sam Boa took gold, Rocky McKone won silver and Flint McKone won bronze in their respective divisions.