Dateline Cowichan: T-Birds soar to B.C. champion status

Duncan’s 1965 Vancouver Island Connie Mack champion team included (front low, from left): Doug McKinlay, Gerry Brown, Larry Romuld, Greg Ledding, Larry Paradis, Tony Baker; (centre) Jim Jubenville, Robbie Little, Ron Anderson, Brian Mann, Robert Jackson, Garry Davis, Tony Mills; (back row) Bob Evans (sponsor), Fred Philpot (coach), Garry Bruce, Mike Martin, Jack Philpot, Bill Moore, Bob Willis (manager), Frank Hayes (coach).

courtesy Brian Mann

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We’re proud of our school sports teams, and so we should be. Year after year, our young athletes go head to head with the best in the province and come home confident they’ve done their very best.

For the first time ever, in March 1980, a Vancouver Island team north of Victoria won the senior girls’ provincial AA basketball title. In front of 1,500 fans in Vancouver, the Cowichan Thunderettes, backed by coach John Lockwood defeated Vancouver’s Killarney 61-55 to claim B.C.’s top spot.

After leading 31-28 at the half, the T-ettes, sparked by captain Lori Glomlien and guard Lori Elliot, showed depth and balance giving them a 44-win, one-loss record for the year.

Glomlien was spectacular in the final, scoring 25 points and hauling down 24 rebounds. Said coach Lockwood: “She seemed to be a human vacuum cleaner at both ends of the floor.” Elliot had 11 assists in the game, while Sandy Mercer scored 12 points and Twon Klawer added eight points and eight rebounds to the Cowichan win.

Glomlien also won a spot on the tournament all-star team. In an earlier tournament game, Bev Chaster led the scoring with 16 points and nine rebounds.

1980: the pool

Mike Paras, the first Duncan swimmer ever to represent B.C., competed against Alberta in the 11 and 12 age-group, placing third in the 50m freestyle and 100m backstroke to help carry B.C. to victory by a score of 164-136.

1980: the track

Of nine CeeVAC runners competing in a 10,000m race, four finished in the medals for their age group: In master class, Lyle Sheepwash was first and Lloyd Gardner second; Kerry Jones took third in open; and Dan Marwood placed second in the under-20 race.

1980: the alley

High scores in 10-pin bowling were Richard Skeet 550; Frank McNeill 570; Ralph Petrie 564; Wendy Wilkes 539; Tom George 563; Will Blacklock 556; Ron Blake 567; Vi Pottinger 573; and Vince King 587.