The Tigers kept up their hot streak and kept pace with Rebels 1 on a grey day Sunday in Vancouver Island Field Hockey competitive division play at the University of Victoria.
Tigers (8-5-0) rolled past the Victoria League Selects 9-1 in the noon game, paced by a three-goal effort from Josh Brown. Teammates Rajiv Dillon and Javier Virk added a pair each while singles went to Parm Sahota and Vadym Kirshe.
TJ Parhar tallied the lone goal for the Selects (4-5-3).
The Rebels (7-4-3) followed up with an 8-2 handling of the UVic Vikes. The winners spread the scoring around, getting two goals each from Alex Moore, Sawyer Ross and Dale Kirk, and singles from Johnny Jacoby and Gavin O’Halloran.
Vikes goals came from Finley O’Callaghan and Grant Simpson.
With just four weeks remaining on the regular season schedule, and the possibility of a couple games being rescheduled, first place is very much in question. Rebels and Tigers are scheduled to play their next and last head-to-head contest Feb. 25.
Sunday’s opening game saw Chris Dahl thwarted in his bid for a hat trick for Rebels 2, but still lead his team’s attack in a 4-1 rec division win over Marauders. Dahl, who scored a nifty first goal early in the opening quarter and added another later on, suffered a mishit on a golden opportunity to notch his third in the second half .
With other goals coming from Dave Kerr and Ray Bailey, the output was more than enough to salt away the win.
Mr. Reliable Tom Vincent scored the lone goal for the Marauders, who managed a couple short corners in the second half. On one of those plays, an apparent goal by Soner Uzun was disallowed as his flick shot sailed too high into the net.
Next week sees the rec jamboree start at 10:30 a.m. followed by a rematch between Tigers and Selects at noon. Vikes and Rebels 1 have a bye for the Family Day weekend and UVic reading break.

Tigers got some help from the Victoria League Selects in grabbing a share of top spot in the Vancouver Island Field Hockey Association competitive division on Sunday at UVic’s Lynn Beecroft Field.
An 8-2 romp over the UVic Vikes in the last game of the day sealed the deal for the Tigers (7-5-0), who kept their momentum rolling through the middle portion of the VIFHA schedule, posting their sixth win in the past eight games.
Connor Brown, one of a trio of talented siblings on the squad, led the attack against the Vikes with four goals, while Javier Virk chipped in three of his own. Shawn Kalar added a single to round out the scoring.
Finley O’Callaghan and Faarman Ajwa tallied for UVic (4-8-0), whose manpower woes have seen them drop first to fourth.
The previous game saw Rebels and Selects play to a 4-4 draw, giving the boys in red a single point, which allowed them to prevent Tigers from taking the outright lead in the standings.
Johnny Jacoby proved to be an elusive check in the game, scoring three times to lead the Rebels attack, while teammate Sawyer Ross bagged the team’s other goal.
Sunny Kahlon connected for a pair for Selects (4-4-3), who led 2-1 at the half, while * Jesse Kaloti* and TJ Parhar had singles.
The morning contest saw Marauders mount a second half comeback but fall short in a 4-3 loss to the rec division-leading Hawks, who won their seventh game in eight starts.
Hardeep Grewal for Hawks and Soner Uzun for Marauders had two goals each to lead their respective teams.
Hawks get the bye next weekend, as Marauders take on Rebels 2 in the 10:30 a.m. rec game, followed by Tigers vs. Selects at noon and Rebels vs. Vikes at 1:30 p.m.
Find more photos on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GVmensFhockey
and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vimensfieldhockey/

A heavy mist hung over the Buzz Beecroft turf at UVic on Sunday as the Vancouver Island Field Hockey Association got back into gear with a full slate of men’s games.
The foggy conditions were a welcome change from the snowy and otherwise chilly conditions that prompted the suspension of play the past two weekends.
The day’s recreational division opener saw Rebels 2 decide to borrow a few Hawks to play a friendly rather than play shorthanded against the division leaders. The move proved a positive way to kick off the 2024 portion of the season.
The Tigers were full value for their lineup with just one spare on the sideline for the first competitive division game of the new year, outlasting Rebels 1 in a 5-3 victory. The head-to-head win pulled the resurgent Tigers – now 6-5-0 after losing three of their first four games – to within two points of the first-place Rebels (6-4-2).
Backfielder Rajiv Dillon, making the most of short corner opportunities, scored three goals for the second time this season to lead the Tigers attack, while* Josh Brown* and Parm Sahota added singles.
Rebels, who trailed 3-1 after a fast-paced first half, got their goals from Alex Moore, Ethan Picard and Bevan van de Berg.
In the late game, T.J. Parhar scored four times and Tom Pennells picked up a shutout in his second game in goal Sunday as the Victoria League Selects downed UVic Vikes 6-0.
Parhar scored from almost everywhere, bagging two goals off short corners, one on a rare penalty stroke and another from the field. Jesse Kaloti added the rest of the scoring, netting a pair of goals.
The win drew the Selects (4-4-2) level on the season and keep them in the hunt for the division title with games in hand on the Rebels and Tigers.
The Vikes, after setting the pace in the fall then suffering through player shortages, have fallen back to fourth. That said, the team is not so far back to make a second-half run should their hoped-for player returns materialize.
Next Sunday’s schedule sees Hawks meet Marauders in the 10:30 a.m. rec game, followed by Rebels vs. Selects at noon and Vikes vs. Tigers at 1:30 p.m.

On Jan. 26, several Victoria-based and Victoria-connected field hockey members were honoured at the Annual Volunteer and Community Contribution awards hosted by Field Hockey BC at Heritage Hall.

Field Hockey BC President, Denise McGeachy, emceed the event that featured annual award winners, volunteer recognition awards and community club recognition awards. Victoria was well represented in those awards. Long-time national team member for both the senior outdoor and indoor women’s team Kathleen Leahy was honoured as the top female senior athlete. Leahy was away in the Czech Republic with the indoor national team at the time so Ali Baggott was there to accept the award on her behalf. Recent mainland-transfer Mackenna Brown, who follows her sister Wynn’s footsteps is an adopted-islander who is now attending St. Michael’s University School, was named the top U16 female athlete after leading BC to a U16 National Championship title this past summer. Mackenna is also a member of the Lynx FHC and a NextGEN athlete.

Long-time Sailors FHC member and former UVic and national team member Ali Baggott was honoured for her contributions to women’s field hockey, joining a prestigious list of names on the Barbara Schrodt award. Former Vikes men’s field hockey player and now Canada’s top male official, Tyler Klenk, was named Umpire of the Year following a season being recognized as the Canada West and U SPORTS Umpire of the Year and umpiring the gold-medal games at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago and one of the men’s Olympic qualifiers in Oman just earlier this month.

Long-time former FHBC board members Brian Groos and Brenda Rushton were honoured for their volunteer contributions after both have given much time to both the provincial organizing committee and the local hockey scene. Rushton was highlighted for her time and energy starting technical officer training and mentorship in the province.

The Victoria Junior FH Association nominated long-time equipment manager Kelvin Kum for a community club recognition award. Throughout all three of his children going through the junior league, Kelvin has been the equipment manager and a board member giving most of his time on the weekends throughout the 10-week program and beyond to keeping players and coaches armed with what they need to have a great season.

FH Victoria also nominated Jagir Dhanowa for his contributions in the umpiring circle on Vancouver Island. Never one to shy away from a last minute spot that has opened up or driving to Duncan to umpire, Jagir has been so important to keeping the officiating circles going. Jagir also contributed heavily so that local umpires could be well-equipped with jackets and radio head sets, and is a valued member of the umpiring circle.

Annual Awards
Senior Female Player of the Year: Kathleen Leahy (Team Canada, UVic, Lynx FHC, Hawks FHC)
Junior Female Player of the Year: Mackenna Brown (Team BC, North Vancouver FHC, Lynx FHC, SMUS)
Barbara Schrodt Award for contribution to women’s field hockey: Ali Baggott (Sailors FHC)
Umpire of the Year: Tyler Klenk

Volunteer Recognition Awards
Governance support: Brian Groos (Rebels FHC)
Governance & Technical program support: Brenda Rushton

Community Club Recognition Awards
Kelvin Kum (Sailors FHC, VJFHA)
Jagir Dhanowa (FH Victoria, Vancouver Island Umpires Association)

Congratulations to everyone.

Icy conditions and frigid temperatures that prompted UVic to close the turf field all weekend will prolong the holiday break for the Vancouver Island Field Hockey Association.
The league was scheduled to start second-half play on Sunday, Jan. 14, but the field closure will leave players and their teams hoping conditions change in time for the Jan. 21 games.
The Island ladies league cancelled its Saturday games on Thursday and the men’s league followed suit the next day.
UVic indicated it would reassess conditions on Monday, with temperatures forecast to be warmer.