Carson Graham's Tanis Metcalfe (centre) drives to the basket despite the active defence of Holy Cross' Shaelynn Tolereton (left) and Abbotsford's Sienna Lenz during the Fraser Valley-Lower Mainland girls high school seniors all-star game Tuesday in Burnaby. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca)
Feature High School Girls Basketball

SENIOR SERVICE: Abby’s Sienna Lenz, Carson’s Tanis Metcalfe finish high school careers on a high at All-Star finale

BURNABY — The best thing about following Sienna Lenz and Tanis Matcalfe over their past few high school basketball seasons has been the way in which their respective careers just kept getting better and better.

The Whitecaps FC Showcase, which opens a three-day run Friday in Surrey, makes Newton Athletic Park the centre of the collegiate soccer world this weekend. (Photo courtesy of Vancouver Whitecaps)
After 35 years, the drought is over. The UBC Thunderbirds celebrate a 3-0 win over Trinity Western in Sunday's U Sports national final in Hamtilon. (Photo by Rick Zazulak property of McMaster athletics)
Feature University Men's Volleyball

UBC men’s volleyball: How long is 35 years? Truly a lifetime for Thunderbirds , who top TWU 3-0 for landmark national title

When Kerry MacDonald was being interviewed for the head coaching position with the UBC Thunderbirds men’s volleyball team back in the spring of 2016, the soon-to-be successful applicant admitted he had done a little bit of research.

UBC Thunderbirds' middle Joel Rehehr (right) and setter Byron Keturakis flash the emotion of a national semifinal match which givers the 'Birds a shot at their first U Sports crown in 35 years on Sunday. (Photo by Rick Vazulak, McMaster athletics)
Feature University Men's Volleyball

‘Birds first title since ’83, or Spartans’ threepeat? It’s UBC vs. Trinity Western for U Sports national men’s volleyball spoils!

Hey volleyball fans, get out your history books because Sunday’s U Sports men’s volleyball national championship final is going to be all about the excellence of the sport in B.C. …no matter what ends up happening.

UBC's Keylyn Filewich is flashing star potential towards the end of her second season with the 'Birds. (Bob Frid/UBC athletics)
Feature University Women's Basketball

This ‘Key’ unlocks the future: UBC’s Keylyn Filewich opens the door and befriends her inner basketball beast

VANCOUVER — Keylyn Filewich emerged from an impromptu one-on-one chat with her head coach one day not too long ago, realizing to a certain extent that she has just discovered her mission statement.

A positional tweak this season has upped the volume of Phil Jalalpoor's offensive contribution to the UBC offence, and the Thunderbirds' German import has made it count. (Bob Frid photo/UBC athletics)
Feature University Men's Basketball

UBC’s Phil Jalalpoor: How a basketball vagabond unpacked his bags and found a perfect fit in Thunderbird nation

VANCOUVER — You’d like to think that the basketball gods put a little check mark by his name back in the fall of 2009. Yes, they would have agreed, it was gutsy how this ninth-grade German kid, at the tender age of 14, left his safe European home on a solo flight to North America

Trinity Western's Katie Devaney has the Canada West's all-time career blocks record well within her grasp. (Scott Stewart/Trinity Western athletics)
Feature University Women's Volleyball

Katie Devaney: From humble goals to huge presence, TWU’s star middle brings her true centre to Spartan nation

LANGLEY — Katie Devaney was convinced that she knew how to dream big. So five years ago, the senior volleyball star at Port Coquitlam’s Terry Fox Secondary School set in her mind, an ambitious goal to be a starter by the midway mark of her impending university career with Langley’s powerhouse Trinity Western Spartans.

What does your picture of passion for life look like? This is Hailey Counsell's. (Varsity Letters photo by Howard Tsumura)
Feature High School Girls Basketball

Hailey Counsell: Watching Heritage Woods’ UBC-bound senior star reminds us all why passion for the game carries the day

COQUITLAM — Passion for basketball can come in a magnitude of degrees, but along the trail of a long season spent wandering through gymnasiums, you don’t easily forget the ones you score as perfect 10s.