Local flavour was strong in the gold-medal games of the national field hockey championships at the University of Victoria on Sunday.
Ali Lee’s Team B.C. Blue women’s side weathered a 15-minute storm by the junior women’s national team to start the women’s final before finding their structure and posting a 3-0 win.
Nicky Graham (North Vancouver), Crystal Poland (Duncan) and Stephanie Jameson (Vancouver) scored for B.C. Blue, a team that featured former Vikes Lee and Katie Collison.
Glenlyon Norfolk’s Elspeth McGillivray played for the junior national squad, while Maddie Secco and Kathleen Leahy of Oak Bay High missed the game due to injury.
Claremont grad Kevin Laidman and the men’s B.C. Blue team defeated Ontario 3-2 for gold on a pair of late goals from Mark Pearson (Vancouver) and Gordie Johnston (Vancouver).
Victoria’s James Kirkpatrick and Arsh Buttar helped the junior men’s national squad to a 1-0 double overtime win against Team B.C. White in the bronze medal match.
Ontario Red beat B.C. White 2-1 in the first overtime period for women’s bronze.
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