Vancouver College won the first McEvay Post dual meet in three years at the Alberni Invitational high school wrestling event on Friday, Feb. 3—opening day of the two-day event.
The dual meet is named in honour of longtime Alberni Wrestling head Tom McEvay. The post was carved by Walter Taylor and presented to McEvay in the mid-1990s in honour of his long career with School District 70. Taylor started the wrestling program at what is now Tsuma-as Elementary School in 1976; McEvay was a student teacher on a practicum at the same school in 1977 when he was asked to help out in the wrestling program.
The dual meet traditionally kicks off the ADSS Invitational and leads up to the opening ceremonies on the first day of competition. This year three teams competed a three-meet event: ADSS, Vancouver College and North Shore.
“Both dual meets came down to the last match to determine the winner,” said John McDonald of ADSS Wrestling. Alberni and Vancouver College were closely matched in the first dual meet, with Van College ahead 25-23 and the heavyweight match left. Grant Coulthart for ADSS met Jude Yee Fung in the final match, which Fung won on a pin. That gave Van College 30 points to win the first meet.
“It’s quite exciting when it comes down to the very last match,” McDonald said.
Vancouver College beat North Shore 27-23 in the second dual meet to win the McEvay Post and a keeper plaque; ADSS beat the North Shore 49-38 to take second place.
Opening ceremonies for the Alberni Invitational took place Friday afternoon. Semi-finals and finals took place Saturday at ADSS gymnasium. Watch www.albernivalleynews.com for more results.
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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