Peninsula athletes are making a strong showing on the national stage this week as medal contenders at the Canada Games in Prince Edward Island.

B.C.’s under-18 rugby team – which includes three Earl Marriott Secondary players and one from Elgin Park – is proving a force to be reckoned with after three consecutive wins.

The streak began in the first game Monday afternoon, with a 41-3 victory over Alberta.

Cole Coventry, Keaton Styles and Hayden McMullin of Marriott’s senior boys team were joined by Elgin’s Conner Dickie when the team continued its success with a 33-0 win against Newfoundland and Labrador later that day.

The B.C. squad – coached by EMS head coach Adam Roberts – headed back into action Tuesday morning against Quebec, and came out on top once again, with a score of 57-3.

They were set to play Ontario Tuesday afternoon, after Peace Arch News’ press deadline.

The boys’ Aug. 22 rugby final is to be broadcast on TSN.

White Rock divers Keith Tidey and Stephanie Hansen also made the trek east for the competition, and are competing during the first week of the games, which began Saturday and wrap up Aug. 29.

Both divers have had impressive summers so far, especially Tidey – who qualified for the Games after a three-medal performance at B.C. Championships in June. At provincials, he won silver medals on one- and three-metre boards, and bronze on the platform.

He followed that performance with 11th and 12th-place showings – in one-metre and three-metre events, respectively – at Junior National Diving Championships in July.

Like Tidey, Hansen is a veteran of national competitions, having competed at age-group nationals last year in Thunder Bay.

In the preliminary 10-metre diving at the games Monday, Tidey came in fifth, while Hansen placed 14th.

In the diving final later that afternoon, Tidey took 11th spot.

Diving events continue today (Wednesday).

Track and field events, in which Peninsula residents Katie Reid and Samantha Walkow will compete, begin Monday, Aug. 24.

Reid is fresh off a national record-setting run in the 17-year-old girls’ 400-metres at Legion nationals earlier this month in Quebec, and is expected to be one of the runners to beat at the Canada Games.

Semiahmoo Secondary runner Walkow will also vie for a medal in the steeplechase.

Also competing in the second week of activity will be White Rock’s Kyle Donen, fourth-year libero with Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men’s volleyball team.

Donen is a member of Team BC, which will compete Aug. 24 at the games.

“I’m really looking forward to going to the Canada Games,” he said. “This is the last chance I’ll have to play with this group of guys and coaches. It’ll be one of the pinnacles of my volleyball career.”

Donen – who was also on the bronze-medal-winning Canadian team at the Maccabiah Games in Israel in July – said he believes Team BC will be the squad to beat.

“Competition will be fierce, but we should be able to hold our own.”

For Canada Games information and results, visit www.2009canadagames.ca