April 21, 1999
(Tourism, Culture and Recreation)

The following is being distributed at the request of Newfoundland Labrador High School Athletic Federation:

High school wrestling and badminton championships this weekend

Wrestlers and badminton players take center stage this coming weekend as the High School Athletic Federation host two provincial championships.

St. James All Grade in Lark Harbour will host the Island 2A Badminton Tournament. The Provincial 2A Badminton is being held in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. The winner of the island tournament will travel to Happy Valley-Goose Bay to compete in the provincial against the Labrador teams. Six teams will be trying to win the right to represent the island. In addition to the host, they include St. Mark's All Grade (Kings Cove), E.J. Pratt High (Brownsdale), Cow Head School Complex, Holy Cross (St. Albans) and St. Peters Academy (Westport).

In Division I will be St. James All Grade, Holy Cross and E.J. Pratt High with St. Peters, Cow Head and St. Marks playing in Division 2. Play gets under way Friday at 9 a.m. with divisional round robin games. Cross overs are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. with championship games set for 5 p.m. Each encounter will consist of a set of five matches, boys and girls singles, boys and girls doubles and mixed doubles. The team winning three out of five matches will win the encounter.

Wrestlers from across the province will converge on Heart's Content for the Provincial High School Wrestling championships. In addition to the High School Athletic Federation sponsored male event, an invitational female competition will also take place. Fifty-three female wrestlers from Holy Trinity (Heart's Content), Piccadilly Central High, Templeton High (Gilliams), St. Michael's High (Bell Island), Stephenville High, St. George's (New Harbour) and O'Donel High (Mount Pearl) will compete in all weight classes.

Ninety-nine male wrestlers will compete for top honours in the following weight classes - 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 102, 110, 118, 126, 134, 142, 150, 158, 167, 177, 190, 210 pounds and heavy weight. The following schools will be represented in the provincial finals - St. Augustine's (Plum Point), St. George's (New Harbour), Piccadilly Central High, Stephenville High, O'Donel High (Mount Pearl), Templeton Collegiate (Gilliams), St. Michael's High (Bell Island), Holy Trinity (Heart's Content), Goose High School (Happy Valley-Goose Bay), Queen Elizabeth Regional High (Foxtrap), Ascension Collegiate (Bay Roberts), Elwood High (Deer Lake) and Herdman Collegiate (Corner Brook).

The host school and winning regional teams will compete for the team championship banner. Individual winners will also be crowned in each of the weight classes. Individuals not on the winning regional teams who have won their regional weight class have also qualified.

Both tournaments are sponsored by the School Milk Foundation/Dairy Farmers Association of Newfoundland and Keyin College.

Contact: Karen Richard, (709) 729-2795.

CONVENORS:
                            Wrestling - Charlie Bryant, (709) 583-2330
                            Island 2A Badminton - Bill Butt/Tom Humber, (709) 681-2620

1999 04 21 4:00 p.m.