NORTH SYDNEY, N.S. — Spencer Shebib would like nothing more than to win the annual Mae Kibyuk Memorial Green and Gold Hockey Tournament in his final year of high school.

The 17-year-old netminder is one of five Grade 12 players on this year’s Memorial High School Marauders hockey team, who will play in their final home tournament this weekend.

“The whole team is pretty excited about it, especially the guys in their final year,” said Shebib with a smile. “We had a good tournament last year, but we didn’t make the semifinals, but I’m really looking forward to this weekend —I think we’ll do better.”

The 2018 edition of the Mae Kibyuk Memorial Green and Gold Hockey Tournament will begin on Thursday at the Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney.

The event will feature six teams including the host Marauders as well as local representatives, the Riverview Redmen, Sydney Academy Wildcats and Glace Bay Panthers. Mainland teams including the Prince Andrew Panthers of Dartmouth and the J.L. IIsley Judges of Halifax.

Marauders head coach Terry Duff expects the tournament will provide local fans with a jam-packed weekend of hockey action.

“We have some good teams coming to the tournament and we’re looking forward to see how we stack up against them,” said the veteran bench boss. “We’re a young team with only five Grade 12s, so we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
 

Shebib joined the Marauders last season after spending his Grade 10 year playing midget ‘AA’ hockey with the New Waterford Sharks.

The Millville resident decided to play for the Marauders because he considered high school hockey as the “better path” for his career.

“I had a lot of friends on the team and I think it’s a pretty competitive league and one that’s great for local hockey players,” said Shebib.

“It means a lot to me to be able to represent my high school — it’s quite an honour.”

The Marauders last won the tournament in 2016 when they edged the Glace Bay Panthers 2-1 in the championship game.

“It would mean the world to me if we could win this tournament in my final year of high school,” said Shebib. “It would definitely be one of my best hockey memories.”

Memorial enters the tournament with an 0-2 record after losing its first two games of the Cape Breton High School Hockey League season last week.

The Marauders hosted the Panthers last Thursday at the Emera Centre Northside, a game which drew an estimated crowd of 700 people to the North Sydney venue.

“The tournament is all the boys have been talking about and I know there is some excitement among the students as well,” said Duff. “The students decorate the arena and they come dressed up with their face painted, so I expect the crowd will only be bigger this weekend.”

The Mae Kibyuk Memorial Green and Gold Hockey Tournament will open with the Redmen and Panthers squaring off at 6 p.m. on Thursday, followed by the Marauders and Wildcats at 7:45 p.m.

jeremy.fraser@cbpost.com

Twitter: @CBPost_Jeremy

Mae Kibyuk Memorial Green and Gold Hockey Tournament

Gold Division: Memorial Marauders (host), Prince Andrew Panthers and Riverview Redmen

Green Division: Sydney Academy Wildcats, Glace Bay Panthers and J.L. IIsley Judges
Thursday

6 p.m. – Riverview Vs. Glace Bay

7:45 p.m. – Memorial Vs. Sydney Academy

Friday

10:45 a.m. – Sydney Academy Vs. Riverview

12:30 p.m. – Glace Bay Vs. Prince Andrew

2:15 p.m. – J.L. IIsley Vs. Riverview

4 p.m. – Memorial Vs. Glace Bay

5:45 p.m. – Sydney Academy Vs. Prince Andrew

7:30 p.m. – Memorial Vs. J.L. IIsley

Saturday

9:30 a.m. – Prince Andrew Vs. J.L. IIsley

1 p.m. – Third place Vs. Sixth place (quarter-finals)

2:45 p.m. – Fourth place Vs. Fifth place (quarter-finals)

6:15 p.m. – Second Place Vs. Highest ranked quarter-final winner

8 p.m. – First Place Vs. Lowest ranked quarter-final winner

Sunday

1 p.m. – Championship Game

*All games at Emera Centre Northside in North Sydney