Maple Ridge athletes dominated the canoe and kayak competitions at the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games in Woods Buffalo, Alta., taking home 31 medals.
Matthew Koehler, 17, won nine medals at the games, including five gold on the water, taking home top spot along with partner Alex Brent in the K-2 500 metre, 1,000 m, and 5,000 m. Koehler was also part of Team B.C’s gold medal performance in the K-4 500 m and 1,000 m.
Teammate Seb Sorescu of Maple Ridge, 17, came home with 10 medals, winning two gold, five silver and three bronze. Sorescu won gold as part of the K-4 500 m and 1,000 m teams.
Justin Won of Maple Ridge, 16, rounded out the boys dominant performance, grabbing two gold as part of the K-4 500 m and 1,000 m teams, and three silver with Sorescu in the K-2 500 m, 1,000, m and 5,000 m events.
On the girls’ side, Maple Ridge’s Sandra Sorescu and Julianna Won paddled to gold in K-4 200 m and 500 m. Sorescu also won bronze in the K-4 1,000 m.
Won grabbed a pair of bronze medals in K-2 500 m and K-4 1,000 m.
In baseball, Maple Ridge’s Michael Stovman collected gold as part of Team B.C. as it won its third straight Western Canada Summer Games title. The hard-throwing lefty pitched 6.2 innings, giving up five hits with an ERA of 2.44. In six plate appearances, Stovman had a walk and a single to go with a run scored and an RBI in the team’s 11-0 gold-medal win over Alberta.
In girl’s softball, Maple Ridge’s Courtney De Adder was part of the gold-medal winning team that trounced Alberta, 11-0 in the final. ‘Team B.C. went 8-1 in round robin play.
Natasha Akbarizadeh rounded out the gold-medal haul as the hammer thrower took home top honours with a toss of 12.84 m. The 19-year-old was the 2014 B.C. high school champion and currently attends Gardner Webb University in North Carolina, where she finished fifth at the 2015 Big South Conference championships.
Pitt Meadows’ Kelsey Anne MacDonald won a pair of silver medals in cross country mountain biking and individual time trails. MacDonald also grabbed a pair of bronze medals in the road race and cross country eliminator.
Will Bundy earned silver in soccer, as Team B.C. fell 1-0 to Alberta in the final.
In track, Pitt Meadows’ Reid Muller collected bronze in the 800 m final.
In total, Team B.C. had 280 podium performances, including 134 gold, 86 silver, 61 bronze.
Team B.C. topped the medal count, ahead of Alberta and Manitoba.