Beaks, black eyes and bouquets I'm writing this column from home this week due to an unexpected visit to the plastic surgeon last weekend. Specifically, my nose was altered appreciably Sunday by a not-so- skilled surgeon with a hockey stick in just my second game of the year in the Gentleman’s Hockey League. Besides a pair of black eyes, a mon- ster headache that come and goes, and a nagging feeling that my nose is go- ing to have to be straightened when the swelling goes down, I’m basically OK. Though not entirely of my own de- sign, I have to apologize to those who held events I couldn't attend Monday and Tuesday and a resulting lack of coverage of those events in this paper. However, I returned to The News’ line- up today and hope to be contributing _ regularly as per usual. I do have an- other hockey game this Sunday, so no guarantees for next week. One good thing about: being at home is the chance it affords for thought —not to mention extended pe- riods of rest and reading. (I finally fin- ished all 1134 pages of The Stand by Stephen King, which wasn’t as good as everybody told me it was. I would rather have read Gretzky’s book.) Still, I come to my computer today with the thought of handing out some bouquets and brickbats to those de- serving recipients. BOUQUETS: To the Castlegar Tom Kats of the Trail Flag Football League. No question on this one. In just their third year in the league, the ‘Tom Kats won the championship over the Crown Point Bulldogs at Haley Park Sunday afternoon. The win is a tribute to the guys who stuck it out through a lean first year to steadily improve to the point they reached Sunday. I don’t know all the guys on the team, but I do know that Jason Schuepfer, Tom Campbell, Graham Menzies, Roger Junker, Gord Sandrin, Clay Martini, Randy Renz and Dean MacKinnon have all been there since the beginning. There are names I have missed but they will be mentioned in a story to come. Congratulations guys. BRICKBATS: To Trail Flag Foot- ball League president Dwayne Mc- Donnel. If leading by example means anything, McDonnell’s leadership left something to be desired this season. Twice this year, the president of the league was involved in post game fights with opponents. The latest came a week ago and he was slapped with a three-game suspension that forced him out of the playoffs. I un- derstand that the fights weren't insti- gated by him, but if the league presi- dent can’t restrain himself when pro- voked, why does he expect the other players in his league to do so? Ina league that has been plagued with ug- ly incidents because of poor officiating and a lackadaisical attitude towards punishing offenders, McDonnell be- came an example of the problem rather than a potential cure. Do as I say not as I do is no way to run that league. BOUQUETS: To the Vancouver Canucks. Who would have believed it? The Canuckleheads lead the Smythe Division and are in the top three teams in the league. Just one thing that bothers me about the Canucks sudden rise to glory. To date I've heard precious few reasonable explanations as to the hows and whys of the Canucks’ rise. (Same goes for a similar situation with the Montreal Canadi- ens for that matter). I mean, usually there’s some obvious explanations but with the Canucks I really don’t see any. I don’t buy the one about Courtnall and i and Flames are becoming has-beens who are on the way out. Sure, Wild Rose Country teams aren't what they used to be, but side by side, pound for pound, I’d say the the Flames and Oil- ers are both at least as good as the Canucks. With no acceptable reasons that I can fathom, I worry that the Canucks may be phantoms of the pa- cific and fade into the mist before the season ends. If you've got any ideas I'd Canucks brass. Howe, Phil Esposito, Bobby Hull, Maurice Richard, Guy Lafleur and Stan Smyl? It was a nice gesture but retiring Stan Smyl’s sweater just di- minishes that honor. OK, so Stan’s a great guy, put his picture up in’the dressing room, put a brass plaque on the arena wall or give him some mon- ey or something. I always thought the idea of retiring a player's sweater was to recognize his greatness. At least no one would be able to wear that num- ber again without fans thinking about the great player who used to wear it. Sorry, but I can’t even recall what number Stan Smy! was. * *e For the first time in a long time Stanley Humphries secondary school’s swim team lost the West Kootenay championships which were held at the Aquatic Centre Sunday. The good news for SHSS, which finished second in the five-school meet, is that nine of its swimmers qualified for provincials. See complete results in The Numbers.. TheNUMBERS STANLEY HUMPHRIES Results from the KOOTENAY REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SWIM MEET Nov. 3 in Castlegar. TEAM STANDINGS L.V. Rogers (Nelson) 140 SHSS J.L. Crowe (Trail) Grand Forks Secondary Selkirk (Kimberley) SHSS Provincial Qualifiers Jill Imrie, Aimee Guido, Torrie Lahue, Rae Carter, Wendy Closkey, Dan Fodor, Justin Phillips, Mario Fehrenberg, Devon Lahue. RESULTS 4x 100 Free Relay —Girls 3rd. Aleesha Campbell, Sarah Ssuther- land, Amy Polonicoff, Averil Shep- pard. 4 x 50 Mediey R3elay — Girls 3rd. Rae Carter, Wendy Closkey, Jill Imrie, Aimee Guido. 4th. Amy Morin, Sarah Suther- land, Torrie Lahue, Aleesha Camp- bell. 4x 50 Mediey Relay Boys 1st. Maric Fehrenberg, Justin Ph8illips, Dan Fo“or, Devon Lahue. 50 Fi xe — Girls. 3rd Aimee Gui- ‘do. 8th Averil Sheppard. 9th Amy Polonicoff. 11th Sarah Sutherland. Dining Lounge 15th Amy Morin. 50 Back — Girls. 5th Rae Carter. 6th Aleesha Campbell. 8th Amy Morin. 50 Back — Boys. 1st Mario Fehrenberg. 50 Breast — Girls. 2nd Wendy Closkey. 8th Amy Polonicoff. 50 Breast — Boys. ist Justin Phillips. 100 Free — Girls. 4th Aleesha Campbell. 100 Free — Boys. 3rd Devon Lahue. 50 Fly — Girls. 4th Jill Imrie. 6th Torrie Lahue. 50 Fly — Boys. 2nd Dan Foddor. 100 Individual Medley — Girls. 4th Wendy Closkey. Sth Averil Shep- pard. 4x 50 Free Relay — Girls. 2nd Aimee Guido, Torrie Lahue, Jill Imrie, Wendy Closkey. 4th Amy Morin, Averil Sheppard, Amy Polonicoff, Rae Carter. 4x 50 Free Relay — Boys. 1st Justin Phillips, Dan Fodor, Devon Lahue, Mario Fehrenberg. 4x 50 Free Relay — Mixed. 2nd Dan Fodor, Torrie Lahue, Aimee Gui- do, Mario Fehrenberg. 4x 50 Mediey Relay — Mixed. 2nd Rae Carter, Justin Phillips, Jill im- ¢ Open 4 p.m. Daily « Located 1 mile South of Weigh Scales, Ootischenia Vouchers Accepted NOW STRIPPING 980 HOND y Western Auto Wreckers Granite Road, Ne Ison Ph. 354-4 COMMUNITY es Bulletin Board CHRISTIAN WOMEN'S CLUB Luncheon Thursday, November 14, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Fireside Inn. Speaker: Carol Woltjer, Spokane, "Gifts to Delight". Reservations: 365-3886. 365- 7607 2789 SENIOR CITIZENS ASSOCIATION Business meeting, November 7, 2 p.m. Whist November 14, 7 p.m., Coffee Party November 15, 10 a.m.-1 p.m 2/68 CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR Castlegar Community Complex, November 8, 10 a.m.-9 p.m, November 9, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sponsors: Blueberry Creek Recreation Commission. Coming events of Castlegar and District non-profit organizations may be listed here. The first 15 words are $5 and additional words are 30¢ each. Boldfaced words (which must be used for headings) count as two words. There is no extra charge for a second insertion while the third consecutive insertion is half-price and the fourth and fifth consecutive insertions are only half price for the two of them. Minimum charge is $5 (whether ad is for one, two or three times). Deadlines are 5 p.m. Wednesdays for Saturday's paper and 5 p.m. Monday for Wednesday's paper. Notices should be brought to the Castlegar News at 197 Columbia Ave. COMMUNITY TOYOTA 10.6. 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