Memorial Marauders captain Dovi Walker says there’s a lot of excitement around the school heading into the annual Mae Kibyuk Memorial Green and Gold Hockey Tournament, an energy the host side hopes to harness on the ice.

“There are a lot of fans there and if our team makes a good play or we score, the fans go crazy,” said the 17-year-old forward from Sydney Mines. The Grade 12 student will play in his third and final Green and Gold.

“It’s a great feeling going out there and having the fans supporting your school and it’s a great turnout.”

The four Cape Breton High School Hockey League teams open play Thursday at the Emera Centre Northside. The Riverview Redmen and Glace Bay Panthers kick things off at 6 p.m., followed by the host Marauders versus the Sydney Academy Wildcats at 7:45 p.m.

“We have a good shot at doing well in the tournament,” said Walker. “The other teams are definitely strong but I think if our team comes together, we’ll turn out OK.”

This year will feature eight teams competing for the tournament title, up from only six last season. The host Marauders will play in the Gold Division along with Sydney Academy, SAERC Saints of Port Hawkesbury and J.L. Ilsley Judges of Halifax. The Green Division features the two-time defending tournament champion Redmen, Glace Bay, Dalbrae Dragons of Mabou and the Prince Andrew Panthers of Dartmouth.

It’s only early in the local league’s season, but the Marauders enter the tournament with one victory in their first four games. Memorial head coach Terry Duff said with the Green and Gold being so early in the campaign, it’s a good way to get into gear.

His squad has eight Grade 12 players looking to make an impact in their final shot at tournament gold.

“You get to know what type of game you need to play against the different teams and you have your own team identity,” said Duff. “We don’t have the lineup to play a run-and-gun style with other strong teams, so our team defence, we have to concentrate on that.

“This tournament will be a test for them once the pace of the play gets a little higher, how they’re going to adjust to it.”

The top two teams in each division move on to the semifinals on Saturday night at 6:15 p.m. and 8 p.m. The winners move on to the championship game at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

2019 Mae Kibyuk Memorial

Green and Gold Hockey Tournament

Emera Centre Northside, North Sydney

Gold Division: Memorial Marauders, Sydney Academy Wildcats, SAERC Saints, J.L. Ilsley Judges

Green Division: Riverview Redmen, Glace Bay Panthers, Dalbrae Dragons, Prince Andrew Panthers

Thursday

• 6 p.m. – Riverview vs. Glace Bay
• 7:45 p.m. – Memorial vs. Sydney Academy

Friday

• 10:45 a.m. – Dalbrae vs. Riverview
• 12:30 p.m. – Sydney Academy vs. SAERC
• 2:15 p.m. – Prince Andrew vs. Dalbrae
• 4 p.m. – J.L. Ilsley vs. SAERC
• 5:45 p.m. – Glace Bay vs. Prince Andrew
• 7:30 p.m. – Memorial vs. J.L. Ilsley

Saturday

• 9:30 a.m. - Prince Andrew vs. Riverview
• 11:15 a.m. – Sydney Academy vs. J.L. Ilsley
• 1 p.m. – Memorial vs. SAERC
• 2:45 p.m. – Glace Bay vs. Dalbrae
• 6:15 p.m. – 1st Gold vs. 2nd Green
• 8 p.m. – 1st Green vs. 2nd Gold

Sunday

• 11 a.m. - Championship

Sam MacKinnon scored twice to lead the Riverview Redmen to a 5-0 victory over the Memorial Marauders in Cape Breton High School Hockey League action at the Cape Breton County Recreation Centre on Friday.

Tanner Udle, Nathaniel Fuller and Brady Lavin also found the back of the net for the Redmen (4-0-0-0).

With the loss, Memorial's record falls to 1-2-0-1.

Josh Leudy made 23 saves for the shutout. Goaltending information for Memorial was not available.

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The Riverview Redmen picked up their second win of the season on Sunday, defeating the Glace Bay Panthers 4-2 in Cape Breton High School Hockey League action at the Canada Games Complex.

Nathaniel Fuller, Bryce MacKenzie, Sam MacKinnon and Liam Robertson found the back of the net for the Redmen (2-0-0-0).

Adam Hicks and Jarrett Hicks answered with goals for the Panthers (1-2-0-0).

Cape Breton High School Hockey League action continues today with the Memorial Marauders hosting the Sydney Academy Wildcats at 8:30 p.m. at the Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney.

The Glace Bay Panthers picked up their first win of the Cape Breton High School Hockey League season at the expense of the Memorial Marauders on Thursday.

The Panthers defeated the Marauders 4-1 in the Sydney Mines' school's home opener at the Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney.

Logan Snow had a goal and an assist to lead the Panthers, while Matthew MacIntosh, Dylan O'Neill and David Beaton added goals for Glace Bay (1-1-0-0).

Eric LeBlanc had the lone goal for the Marauders (1-1-0-0).

Owen Coombes made 16 saves for Glace Bay. Aiden Penny turned aside 20 of 24 shots for Memorial.

High school hockey action will continue on Sunday when they Panthers host the Riverview Redmen in their home opener at 7 p.m. at the Canada Games Complex on Sunday.

Ethan Long scored the overtime winner as the Memorial Marauders downed the Sydney Academy Wildcats 5-4 in Cape Breton High School Hockey League action at the Membertou Sport and Wellness Centre on Tuesday.

Nick Targett, Sam Brown, Evan Fraser and Jacob Fraser scored single markers for the Marauders (1-0-0-0).

Ethan MacInnis scored twice, while Nick Burke and Ashten Dawson replied with goals for the Wildcats (0-0-1-0).

Aiden Penny picked up the win in goal for Memorial. Daniel MacGillivary and Liam Collings shared time in goal for the Wildcats. Collings was tagged with the loss. Goaltending statistics were not available. 

In other high school hockey action, the Riverview Redmen downed the Glace Bay Panthers 3-2 at the Cape Breton County Recreation Centre on Monday.

Chase Sampson, Nathaniel Fuller and Kendall MacQueen netted goals for the Redmen (1-0-0-0).

Alec Campbell and Xavier Johnson answered with goals for the Panthers (0-1-0-0).

Michael MacMullen made 31 saves for Riverview. Owen Coombes stopped 15 of 18 shots for Glace Bay.

Cape Breton High School Hockey League action resumes tonight when the Memorial Marauders host the Glace Bay Panthers at 7 p.m. at the Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney.

For the first time in Sydney Academy’s history, a female hockey player is suiting up and hitting the ice with the Wildcats.

Belle Jacobs says having the opportunity to join the boys’ team is a dream come true.

“I was just looking down at the list and I was like, ‘Belle Jacobs?’ and I was like ‘Yeah!’ I was excited,” recalls the 17-year-old Sydney Academy student.

The school has had a boys’ hockey team for more than 100 years and it’s believed no girl has ever played on the team.

Barry Martin, manager of the Sydney Academy Wildcats, says the team is lucky to have her.

“She was never late. She worked hard. She kept up with the boys, so she was a natural,” says Martin.

Jacobs has played on an all-girls team in previous years. She says it will be a challenge playing with the boys, but it’s one she’s looking forward to.

“It was really nerve-racking in tryouts and stuff like that. You always have to deal with the negative comments, like you’re not good enough, and all that, but hopefully I prove them wrong this year,” says the teen.

While there has been much excitement surrounding Jacobs’ making the team, some concerns have been raised about combining girls and boys. There are also some logistics to work out, which includes ensuring Jacobs has her own dressing room.

“People think it’s going to be a problem, but it’s not,” says Martin. “Things have been worked out between parents and staff, so Belle is not compromised at all by being with the boys or playing with the boys."

Jacobs’ skating ability makes her a perfect fit on the team’s blue line this year and, while she played the last two years without contact, she says she won’t shy away from the physical play.

She’s also thrilled to be breaking the gender barrier and making history at the school.

“Just to be the first girl to ever play in the high school league and for Sydney Academy, it just means a lot,” she says.

The team’s first game is slated for Oct. 23.