The Kamloops Wildcats advanced to the Southern Interior Football Conference peewee semifinals with a 26-0 victory over the Kelowna Dragons in a playoff game Sunday at Hillside Stadium.
The Wildcats, who finished 5-5 during the regular season, will play their semifinal either in Vernon or Kelowna on Sunday.
Ben Prokopetz rushed for 211 yards and three touchdowns, while Mike MacDonald scored a one-yard touchdown on the ground. They were helped by solid blocking from linemen Preston Jenkins, Bryce Welz, Mateo Viani, Brennan Ettinger and Jagger Reid.
Quarterback Carsen Day passed for 43 yards, and a kickoff recovery from Mathew Stanhope got the Wildcats’ offence going in the third quarter.
Sean Smit had seven solo tackles to lead the Kamloops defence, and Nick Berry, Rorik Munson, Colby Griffiths, Dayton Tomlin and Denzel Marican combined to make 14 others. Hunter Driver and Darcy Rowden each had a quarterback sack.
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Team B.C. won the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup hockey tournament in Calgary on Sunday.
Defenceman Kevin Davis and forward Nick Chyzowski, both of Kamloops, helped B.C. defeat Alberta 9-3 in Sunday’s championship final. Both Kamloops boys play for the major-midget Thompson Blazers.
Jansen Harkins of North Vancouver, the son of former NHLer Todd Harkins, had four goals for B.C. on Sunday, and Burnaby’s Matthew Barzal had a goal and three helpers. Brad Morrison of Prince George scored twice, with Richmond’s Glenn Gawdin and Surrey’s Jakob Stukel rounding out the scoring.
Davis had an assist in the victory.
Chyzowski had a goal and an assist as B.C. defeated Manitoba 5-2 on Saturday in its final round-robin game.
In the third-place game, Team Saskatchewan defeated Manitoba, 2-1.
The U16 Challenge Cup is a showcase and Hockey Canada identifier for the best 1997-born players in Western Canada.
