– A busy summer continues this week for Brandon Wheat Kings’ forward Jayce Hawryluk. This Sunday, he’s off to Quebec for the National Junior Team’s Development Camp. It’s the latest trip for Hawryluk after the Roblin product participated in Florida’s Development Camp earlier this month. He was chosen by the Panthers in the second round of June’s NHL Draft. The players at Hockey Canada’s Summer Development Camp will arrive on Sunday, practice on Monday and will then play a series of exhibition games against National Under-20 teams from the Czech Republic and Russia for the rest of the week. CKLQ’s Bruce Luebke has more on this story at http://luberslounge.blogspot.ca/
– Jake Gardiner and the Toronto Maple Leafs agreed to a new five-year contract that will pay the defenceman just over $4 million dollars annually. The 24-year-old led all Leaf blue-liners last season with 10 goals in 80 games. He was originally drafted by Anaheim in 2008 before debuting with Toronto in 2011.
– Matt Gunning of the Brandon Cloverleafs has been named the Manitoba Senior Baseball League’s MVP. Gunning led the league with 27 RBI’s and ten doubles while also finishing with a .403 batting average and striking out just three times in 94 plate appearances. Gunning was also one of six Cloverleafs named to the All-Star team, joining catcher Travis Jean, third baseman Kevin McNeill, shortstop Mason Schiff, outfielder Jason Rae and pitcher Anthony Friesen. For a complete rundown of the award winner, click here.
– Derek Chapman and Kevin McNeill drove in a pair of runs each to lead the Brandon Cloverleafs to a 7-4 win over the Neepawa Farmers in MSBL action Tuesday night. The victory gives the Cloverleafs a sweep of their best-of-five semifinal series and moves them into the league’s championship series. The Brandon Marlins swept Reston in the other semifinal series.
– The Reston Rockets have nearly finalized their roster for next month’s Baseball Canada Senior Nationals. Anthony Friesen, Matt Gunning and Sean Dryden of the Brandon Cloverleafs and Ryan Boguski and Nolan Jago of the Brandon Marlins are among the nine players added to the Rockets’ roster. The championship begins August 21st in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.
– Two semifinal series got underway Tuesday night in the Border West Baseball League. Chris Reykdal’s three-run homer lifted the Baldur Regals to an 8-2 victory over the Pilot Mound Pilots while the Morden Mohawks downed the Killarney Lakers 14-2. The Regals and Mohawks have 1-0 leads in the Best-of-Five semifinals.
– Justin Knight drove in six runs with three hits including a homer, lifting the Hamiota Red Sox to a 7-3 victory over the Wawanesa Brewers in South West Baseball League action Tuesday night. Chris Obach added three hits and scored three runs for the Red Sox as they completed a sweep of the Best-of-Five semifinal series.
– The Minnedosa Mavericks have advanced to the Santa Clara Baseball League final. Mike Tarleton went 3-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs as the Mavericks topped the Plumas Pirates 7-2 Tuesday night to complete a sweep of the Best-of-Five semifinal series. Carberry has a 2-1 lead over Portage in the other semifinal with Game #4 Wednesday night in Carberry.
– Jeff Neufeld’s grand slam home run gave the Canadian Tire Cardinals a 9-2 victory over the Diamond Dawgs Tuesday night in the opening game of their Andrew Agencies Senior AA Baseball League semifinal series.
– Marcus Stroman pitched seven superb innings and Colby Rasmus hit his 14th long ball of the year as the Blue Jays doubled up the Red Sox 4-2 Tuesday night. The victory is Toronto’s ninth in their past 11 games and improves the club to 9-and-3 this season against its division rival. The Blue Jays remains 2 1/2 games behind first-place Baltimore in the AL East and two games ahead of New York and Seattle for the second wild-card berth.
– Brandon’s Isabela Onyshko and Team Canada just missed out on a podium finish at the Commonwealth Games, finishing fourth in the artistic gymnastics team competition. Individually, the 16-year old Onyshko did qualify for two finals — the all-around final Wednesday and the beam final on Friday.
– Hamilton quarterback Dan LeFevour is the CFL’s offensive player of the week after an impressive first career start. He completed 21 of 30 passes for 361 yards and ran for another 109 yards in Hamilton’s 33-23 win over Ottawa last weekend. Saskatchewan teammates John Chick and Sam Hurl take the defensive and Canadian awards respectively. The special-teams honour goes to Winnipeg kicker Lirim Hajrullahu. Hajrullahu nailed five field goals, including one from 51 yards out, and punted five times with a 43-yard average.
– Former UFC champion Anderson Silva will return to the octagon January 31st against Nick Diaz in Las Vegas. Silva hasn’t fought since December, when he shattered his left shin in a bout with Chris Weidman. Diaz has fought just once since February 2012, losing a decision to former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre last year.
– Niakwa’s Barry Minish takes a one shot lead into the final round of Golf Manitoba Senior Men’s Championship Wednesday. Minish fired a three-over 73 Tuesday and is +1 for the championship, one stroke ahead of Breezy Bend’s Mark Olson. Brandon’s Rod Klassen is the top Westman player after Tuesday’s 78 left him tied for 27th-place at 160.
– The NBA is looking forward to the completion of the sale of the Los Angeles Clippers now that a judge has cleared the way. The two billion dollar sale of the team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer could be wrapped up within two weeks after Monday’s ruling that Shelley Sterling has the right to sell the team over the objections of estranged husband Donald Sterling. While Donald Sterling can still fight the decision through the appeals process, the judge also ruled that the sale could not be delayed by the appeal.
