The Sydney Academy Wildcats and Glace Bay Panthers will be part of the 42nd annual Red Cup Showcase high school hockey tournament after all.

The Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education confirmed on Monday the two local teams will join the tournament after originally not being part of the Coxheath event.

The announcement comes as the fourth change to the Red Cup tournament since November.

According to the centre for education, all four local high school principals met on Jan. 13 and agreed with a proposed schedule change to the Red Cup tournament.

“The local schools support Riverview Rural High’s intent to ensure the safety of all participants and spectators who attend this event,” said centre for education spokesperson Michelle MacLeod in a press release on Monday.

The Cape Breton Post first reported in early December changes to the Red Cup Showcase format, which would see games played after school and during the weekday, instead of the traditional Thursday to Sunday event.

Sources told the Post the reason for the change was due to the possibility of underage drinking among students at Redmen evening games, which is still believed to be one of the reasons.

The tournament was first expected to feature only the four local teams — Riverview, Sydney Academy, Glace Bay and Memorial — but Sydney Academy and Glace Bay declined the format.

On Dec. 20, prior to the holiday break, the centre for education released further details about the Red Cup, confirming a six-team tournament featuring Riverview, Memorial, Dr. J.H. Gillis Regional High School of Antigonish, Northumberland Regional High School of Pictou County, Cole Harbour High School, and Strait Area Education Recreation Centre of Port Hawkesbury.

Following the break, Cole Harbour decided to drop out of the tournament and Dalbrae Academy of Mabou was then asked to join, with Glace Bay and Sydney Academy not participating unless both high schools were involved.

Since then, Strait Area Education Recreation Centre pulled its club from the tournament, which left only five teams, until Glace Bay and Sydney Academy agreed to join last week, making seven teams.

The centre for education also confirmed the schedule for the tournament, which includes the Redmen playing 5 p.m. games instead of the regular 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. start times at the Cape Breton County Recreation Centre.

The tournament will also run from Wednesday to Saturday and will not be played Thursday to Sunday as it has been in the past.

Because the tournament will have seven teams, Riverview will play an extra game at the event.

Prior to the semifinal game, all four of the Redmen games will be put into a hat and a game will be selected by the Red Cup committee. The selected game will not count towards Riverview’s record.

The Red Cup Showcase is scheduled for Feb. 5-8 in Coxheath. Riverview will open the tournament Feb. 5 against the Memorial at 5 p.m.

42nd annual Red Cup Showcase:

Teams:

• Riverview Redmen
• Sydney Academy Wildcats
• Glace Bay Panthers
• Memorial Marauders
• Northumberland NightHawks
• Dr. J.H. Gillis Regional Royals
• Dalbrae Academy

*Tournament is scheduled for Feb. 5-8 at the Cape Breton County Recreation Centre in Coxheath

Dante Basque and Connor Campbell both recorded five points to lead the Sydney Academy Wildcats to a 8-5 win over the Memorial Marauders in Cape Breton High School Hockey League action at the Emera Centre Northside on Thursday.

Basque had three goals and two assists, while Campbell notched two goals and three assists in the contest.

Zach Conn scored twice, while Graham Basque chipped in with a single marker for the Wildcats.

Ian Jenkins netted a pair of goals, while Kody Groves, Nolan Ryan and Dovi Walker added goals for the Marauders.

Liam Collings was kept busy between the pipes for Sydney Academy, stopping 44 of 49 shots. Meanwhile, Aidan Penny made 21 saves for Memorial.

Sydney Academy will be back on the ice Wednesday when they host the Glace Bay Panthers at 7 p.m. at the Membertou Sport and Wellness Centre.

As for the Marauders, the team will host the Riverview Redmen on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney.

Kendall MacQueen, Bryce MacKenzie and Chase Sampson each found the back of the net twice to lead the Riverview Redmen to a 10-2 win over the Sydney Academy Wildcats in Cape Breton High School Hockey League action at the Membertou Sport and Wellness Centre on Wednesday.

Graham Basque and Dante Basque responded with goals for the Wildcats.

Michael MacMullen made 18 saves for Riverview. Daniel MacGillivary turned aside 24 of 34 shots for Sydney Academy.

Sydney Academy will return to the ice on Thursday when they play the Memorial Marauders at 7 p.m. at the Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney.

As for the Redmen, they will play the Glace Bay Panthers on Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Canada Games Complex on the Cape Breton University campus.

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It wasn’t the ending the hosts wanted.

But the fact that the Riverview Redmen captured the Sydney Academy-hosted Blue and White Contractor Cup tournament is only bound to intensify of the decades-long rivalry between the two Cape Breton high school hockey teams.

On Sunday, about 300 people turned out in freezing rain conditions to take in the tournament’s championship game between the Redmen and the Dartmouth Spartans. And when the horn sounded to end the contest, the Riverview players were celebrating after a 3-0 victory in a game that was closer than the final score.

After a scoreless first period in which they were heavily outshot, the Redmen began the second frame with renewed intensity. The Riverview players swarmed the Spartans zone crashing and bumping the Dartmouth defenders.

The momentum shift translated into a goal soon after Redmen forward Chase Sampson was heavily smashed into the boards. On the ensuing play, Sampson took control of the puck at the top of the face-off circle and whipped a zinger into the net past the possibly-screened Dartmouth goalie.

Sampson would cement the win early in the third period when he split the defence and shovelled the puck into the Spartans net. Riverview would add a third and breeze through the final minutes before claiming victory at the sound of the buzzer.

The Redmen earned their way to the championship game after defeating the host Sydney Academy Wildcats 5-3 in one of two semifinal matches played on Saturday evening. The Spartans defeated the Memorial Marauders 3-1 in the other semi.

Eight teams participated in the tournament which was a resumption of the longtime Sydney-hosted competition that has been around in one form or another since the days (1970s and 1980s) of the Cape Breton Metros Hockey Association annual invitational tournament that attracted some of the best highs school teams from across Canada.

Other teams taking part in this year’s tournament were the Glace Bay Panthers, the Richmond Hurricanes, Chester’s Forest Heights Falcons and Dartmouth’s Prince Andrew Panthers.

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The Sydney Academy Wildcats opened the Blue and White Contractor Cup with a 5-4 loss to the Memorial Marauders at the Membertou Sport and Wellness Centre on Thursday.

The Wildcats lead after the first period, but allowed four unanswered goals, including the game-winner at 5:19 of the third period.

Ian Jankins and Nolan Ryan both scored twice, while Evan Fraser recorded the game-winner for the Marauders.

Justin Thistle, Zach Conn, Alex Chenhall and Dante Basque netted goals for the Wildcats.

Aidan Penny allowed four goals of six shots before being replaced by Cole Pygiel, who stopped all 16 shots he faced in his 30 minutes of relief. Pygiel picked up the win.

Liam Collings turned aside 25 of 30 shots for Sydney Academy.

In other action Thursday, the Glace Bay Panthers doubled the Riverview Redmen 4-2.

Xavier Johnson scored three goals, including the game-winner, while Matthew Crane added a single marker for the Panthers.

Glace Bay's Colton Boutilier made 18 saves, while Josh Leudy allowed four goals on 24 shots for Riverview.

Action at the Blue and White Contractor Cup resumes Friday afternoon.

Tournament Schedule:
Friday:
12 p.m. – Riverview vs. Dartmouth
12 p.m. – Glace Bay vs. Prince Andrew
1:30 p.m. – Richmond vs. Forest Heights
4 p.m. – Dartmouth vs. Prince Andrew
5:30 p.m. – Sydney Academy vs. Richmond
7 p.m. – Memorial vs. Forest Heights
Saturday:
8 a.m. – Glace Bay vs. Dartmouth
9:30 a.m. – Memorial vs. Richmond
11 a.m. – Riverview vs. Prince Andrew
12:30 p.m. – Sydney Academy vs. Forest Heights
5 p.m. – 1st Morrison vs. 2nd MacNeil
7 p.m. – 1st MacNeil vs. 2nd Morrison
Sunday:
11 a.m. – Championship game

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Justin Thistle doesn’t know what to expect when he steps on the ice Thursday, but he won’t be the only person feeling the same way.

Thistle and his teammates will hit the ice at the Membertou Sport and Wellness Centre for their first Blue and White Contractor Cup.

The high school hockey tournament will return for the first time in four years with the Wildcats hosting the eight-team event, beginning Thursday night.

“It’s my first Blue and White tournament, so it’s going to be exciting and interesting for sure,” said Thistle, the captain of the Wildcats “I think we’ll do good."

The tournament will feature two divisions — four teams in each — honouring Adrian Morrison and Dugga MacNeil.

Joining Sydney Academy in the Adrian Morrison Division will be the Memorial Marauders, Richmond Hurricanes of Louisdale, and Forest Heights Falcons of Chester Basin.

Meanwhile, the Dugga MacNeil Division will feature the Riverview Redmen, Glace Bay Panthers, Dartmouth Spartans and Prince Andrew Panthers of Dartmouth.

The four-day event will mark the second tournament in as many weekends for the Sydney Academy club.

Last week, the team participated in the popular City of Lakes tournament in Dartmouth, surprising many by posting an undefeated 3-0 record in the round robin with wins over the Dartmouth, Prince Andrew and Sussex.

The Wildcats, who finished the round robin in second place out of 16 teams, knocked off Kennebecasis Valley of New Brunswick 4-3 in the quarter-final, before losing to Leo Hayes High School of Fredericton 9-0 in the semifinals.

Alex Chenhall, a forward for the Wildcats, believes Sydney Academy has momentum going into the Blue and White tournament after the successful performance last weekend.

“We came out and worked hard as a team and threw the body and we have to keep that going this weekend,” said Chenhall, who has two assists in 13 regular-season games this year.

“We played as a team and we were able to take advantage of our opportunities and we have to keep that going moving forward, even beyond this tournament.”

The local high school tournament was called the Sydney Academy Invitational Tournament when it first hit the ice on Nov. 30, 1989. The event later changed to the Blue and White tournament, recognizing the school’s colours.

The first tournament was played at Centre 200 and featured seven teams including clubs from across the province and even Newfoundland and Labrador.

Longtime Academy hockey coach Dugga MacNeil and Peter Mombourquette, the school’s principal at the time, were the co-chairs for the tournament.

The event was established after the Cape Breton Metros Hockey Association decided not to host its annual invitational tournament, which started in the early 1970s and attracted high school teams from across Canada.

The Cole Harbour Cavaliers won the inaugural tournament, defeating the Prince Andrew Bombers 3-2.

Sydney Academy is led offensively by Dante Basque, a former Cape Breton Jet, with three goals and 10 assists, while Ethan MacInnis leads the team in goals with seven and has 11 points in 13 contests.

Defenceman Belle Jacobs believes the Wildcats are progressing every game and have become a much better team since the start of the season.

“We have a totally different team,” said Jacobs, who made Sydney Academy history this season becoming the first female to play for the school’s boys hockey team.

“We’re pretty deep this year and we know we can compete with the higher-end teams in the province and now we have a chance to win.”

Sydney Academy will open the tournament Thursday with a game against Memorial. Puck drop is slated for 7:30 p.m.

The Wildcats will finish the round robin with games Friday at 5:30 p.m. against Richmond and Saturday at 12:30 p.m. against Forest Heights.

The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., while the championship game will be played Sunday at 11 a.m.

Thistle expects the school community and general public will support the team and the tournament.

“I think there will be a lot of fans and a lot of noise,” said Thistle. “Hopefully we can give the fans what they’re coming to see, but we have to play hard as a team.”

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Sydney Academy Blue and White Contractor Cup

Thursday

• 6 p.m. – Glace Bay vs. Riverview
• 7:30 p.m. – Sydney Academy vs. Memorial

Friday

• 12 p.m. – Riverview vs. Dartmouth
• 12 p.m. – Glace Bay vs. Prince Andrew
• 1:30 p.m. – Richmond vs. Forest Heights
• 4 p.m. – Dartmouth vs. Prince Andrew
• 5:30 p.m. – Sydney Academy vs. Richmond
• 7 p.m. – Memorial vs. Forest Heights

Saturday

• 8 a.m. – Glace Bay vs. Dartmouth
• 9:30 a.m. – Memorial vs. Richmond
• 11 a.m. – Riverview vs. Prince Andrew
• 12:30 p.m. – Sydney Academy vs. Forest Heights
• 5 p.m. – 1st Morrison vs. 2nd MacNeil
• 7 p.m. – 1st MacNeil vs. 2nd Morrison

Sunday

• 11 a.m. – Championship game

*All games at the Membertou Sport and Wellness Centre