News about Valley Royals athletes….

Congratulations to Oliver Jorgensen who has just completed an excellent first season as a member of the Simon Fraser University Cross Country team.  Oliver distinguished himself by becoming the leader on the Clan men’s team:  a tribute for a young man who under the guidance of coach Sue Northey worked diligently through his high school years and has now emerged as a very competent middle distance runner.  Oliver placed 19th at the district championships held last week and fell just short of qualifying for the NCAA Division 2 National Championships.   At the conference meet held two weeks prior, Oliver was again the leader on the Clan team and was selected as the “freshman athlete of the year.” 

Once again, congratulations Oliver.

This coming Saturday Alex Siemens will travel with her Idaho Vandal teammates to Sacramento, California for the NCAA West Regional Championship.   Alex did not run as well as she would have hoped for 10 days ago at the conference championships but the Vandals did win the meet.  “I am more relaxed now and am looking forward to being a scoring member of the team in California,” stated Siemens.   During the season Alex has ranked as high as the third Idaho runner and she is looking forward to doing well in California.

Speaking of doing well, former Royal Allison Jackson was the leader of the Trinity Western Spartan team that placed fourth at the CIAU Championships held last Saturday in London, Ontario.   Allison placed fifth in the meet and led her Spartan teammates to a fourth place finish, well in front of the University of the University of Victoria team that placed eighth.

The moderator of the TV broadcast that filmed the meet live didn’t seem to know who Allison was and kept referring to her as a “runner from Trinity.”    That commentator will remember Allison from now on. 

Congratulations are in order for both Sarya Ross and Callum Pilgrim both of whom have been selected as members of the BC Athletics team that will take part in the Canadian CC Championships to be held at Jericho Beach Park on Saturday, November 30.  This is the first provincial team nomination for both girls and we wish both of them and the BC team good fortune at the Canadian meet.