B4 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 24, 2004 a - a! a

a EENA ANGLER [i

: ROB BROWN.

“Intermission

r | INTER was- over, ‘finished, “Spring:
had not begun. It. wouldn't: :for..
“ weeks. We. were, into that: ‘static in

: le are a: green’ 50 dark. ‘it t might as:
well. be biack; va time ‘of. frozen" mountain tops.
and shrunken rivers transparent as. sheets oF
glass, °, ; a ;
“After the: eulachon. run is ‘aver everthing |
starts’ move,” Finlay said.
> We'd heard rumours™ ‘that ‘eulachon had’ en-
tered the’ Skeena. “Finlay” thought: it. Was ‘too
_ early for: thei “return,” but. ‘it’s hard to. know |
_what's -early:-and” what’ S. late’ ‘when: it comes to’
eulachon. Nobody. seems. to. know: much, about
these little ‘grease-packed. fish
You'd think: some older, “"Teimshians would
know ‘the “ways: of: Skeena: eulachon—after: all”
eulachon are: the - drastically devalued cuirency -.
Of First Nations-—but; “Gf they do, ‘they’ Te ‘Keep- |
ing’ it to. themselves, You’ ‘can ‘hardly. blame :
‘them. °°, “ wee
Finlay. Suggested we! ‘ative toward Prince: Ru
pert to sce ‘if ihe. eulachon- had ‘arrived ' ‘and:to
see if: spring had’ started on‘thé Goast. A few. her-
ring gulls: were flying: upstream, just downstream —
of: the” Kasiks; when_ “we rounded the ‘bend. at’
Polymat thousands’ more. were wheeling, diving, -
and squawking. Tt seemed that every.alder: on.
the far-bank had. an‘eagle: perched’ on-its- biggest,

OE oa
“They' re in,’ ‘y said,

“Let's: pull over’ rand have’ a ioe” ». he said.
Tpulled into a ‘rock quarry. We: ‘walked | across.
the highway and: crawled over one of those con-.
“crete barriers: highway crews: put- alongside the!
road to. deflect. errant, motorists away. from the.,
river, We stood. ‘over a fast ‘and. narfow. charinel: °
The far side of. the. river: Was, distant enough to.
be hazy. ies ; :
(AL few. hundi d yards: downstream ‘the: gulls’
_ were thick _and ‘agitated. ‘They’ were ‘moving. to-~
ward us~ like ‘an “approaching: snowstorm. Finlay.
pulled up: the collar: of ‘his. Indian “sweater, The-
wind thumped Against u us like: ‘a cold fist We
~ held our Tats, > * eee :
“There, ‘must ‘ be:: a. wave: of. fish: coming.
through here right now," ' shouted Finlay. me
In-minites the gulls: were. in front of'us, ery-
ing wildly, some descending :. in ‘complex ‘flight
‘paths, others’ déopping to the water: like folded «
umbrellas. Most' of: them. pulled. free of the tiver
with fish in their, bédks.°The.channel must have |
. been: packed with fish, yet ‘we couldn’ t- see them :
in. the water directly’ ‘below. US; ee :
The -water erupted, just ‘downstream of: the.
gulls, Before: either of us ‘could .ask the’other if -
he'd’ seen. the: first, Another. giant black: form
broke the ‘surface.- Fi more Aéllowed i An. 1 rapid.
succession. ros
' "Sea Jions!” us
i “Tod big | ‘to_be- seals,” Finlay: said, - 7
The beasts: surged upstream | relentlessly, gor-
_ping themselves ‘on the candlefishi. The spiraling -

gulls moved. ahead’ ‘of them:: When they'd passed
Fin and T: gave ‘in’té the: wind and. fled. to. the.
warmth of the trick. 2)
“An ‘old ‘Italian: told: me about, this: piece. of.
land near’ here that. was a good: place. to. fish.
when. the tidé was out.”
~- Not ‘long’ after” Finlay, said : this! TL spotted a
road leaving the highway, I took: it. There.was.a°
moss covered real ‘estate ‘sign nailed ‘toa: large»

the road left the’ highway. ’

‘We ‘climbed ‘out, of he ‘cab. “and. walked to-.,

ward. the: Skeet > The rdad: jopged- to the: left:
and ended atop a. high. bank overlooking ; a anyen.

“Lord, what?s that?” exclaimed - Finlay.»

I looked down: upot: a giant. carcass the size.

of a-propane: tank. ‘We: made’ our-way. down the.

loose gravel. Neither of -us:had- ‘been-so: close to.

our waists. It had ta‘he twelve. feet long.

“What could have. killed: i?” iy

-. “Maybe somebody. shot it,” -y- “ventured.

“There ate a lot. of. people in’ this. part: of the

world who ; aren't very’ fond: ‘of salmon® “eating
mammals.” po

~. “Or, maybe Jit died’ of
washed down: here at high’ tide," speculated.’

” We-crawled back up ‘the bank’ and walked”
back- to the: truck: ‘forgetting - ‘the : reason‘: that .
brought us’ {o- that’ spot’ inthe ‘first: place then,
drove off ast Kwinitsa and ‘Tyee, over Rainbow:

at “Smiles.

splattered. window. atid talked of. spritg, 8

spruce that stood. ‘a hundred: metres from’ where I

a sea ion before., Al its:shoulder. it came up to :

natural causés: and: ‘

branch, all. of ‘hem: sittin u strai ht. as choir. i
: e . aigh “Jd Kevin: Fletcher. “There's” dots: of interest and

‘Jots: ‘of enthusiasm.” ;

:| Blazers fry Roadrunners to

: RRACE STANDARD gumen

“Canada became: & country: ‘or Europeans, ar-

birthright, cas

«tion and a- drop-it
: - turday, April ‘3 and. Sunday April 4 from 1 to 3

“nior. league to: play indoor. box. lacrosse: up to
° three: nights a--week. (Tuesday,
oS Thursday) i in April, May and June:

7 ‘ning ‘by April 17,"-he. said
a! many kids as possible.”

po cage,” elbow’ -and: shoulder: pads: mand : ala

‘| Ridercross win makes three for Giannelia-

‘ SILVIE GIANNELIA 3 is on arun.:

_women’s open snowboare

‘tition at the Ruins. Cup tidercross
}“at Shares. Mountain March: 14
"capped . a: ‘string: of, victories this”
“ Amonth, : °

] «wins at the Forum Young Blood =
“Contest. al: Big White. in Kelowna >
and. the Shames Mountain ‘Rail’

VICTORY was sweet for. the Blue Ridge Bla-
 2ers, who - fought. hard: last’ week to-owin their:
second. straight: Terrace Ree Hockey League’.

chamipionship. ;

“threes game final. over. the: Braid” 1 Insuirance:
"5 Roadrunners; .

‘one“g game lead with’ Hy “dominating 6:1; perfor:
“mance by. ‘capitalizing. ‘on:Blazer:turnovers,
Bue veleran, Harald’ ‘Holubowski. .-~

“ Trevor ‘Hendry, who thissed: game | ‘one-due to a
“ busitiess. trip changed,

“brecht., held :
” Tore cruised: ts

we By JEFF NAGEL °
T 1S. the: original sport of the jand ~ before

And: a ‘group of Terrace players. wants. la-
crosse -to- gain.a a following: here: befitting its -

[es réally ‘growing’ up “here.” says organizer the sport of lacrosse: An indoor leagu will start rt play It in mid- Apri. JEFF NAGEL PHOTOS:

B. Cc. Lacrosse.

Fletcher: jaalso-: on: the. hunt for “sponsois and.
for help building Jacrosse NEL. eee
While it? $8 longshot. for: the’ game lo evel
rival hockey: here, it: is. technically: one. of" Ca-
‘nada’ stwo national-sports along side_of hack:
ey. Hockey’ is the.- national “winter: Sport; while
_ =, Tacrosse * has official status” as’ our: nationa
ee summer ‘sport. . ;
27 Phe ‘game. was: 5 first docurnented when a Te:
"suit missionary~ watched. a contest: ‘between
Huron players” inwhat ‘would become: ‘southeas'
Ontario in 1636, The’ game was. standardized
‘Canada :i in: 1867."
:..For: more: ‘information. on: Terrace. : acrasse”
~ contact: Kevin, Fletcher. al, 635: 7361 or ‘Deanna. mo
Cormano at: 635-4503: °

*. “¢rosse! stick if possible, although, the group thas :
»_ Some spares.” ;

He: ‘says there’s “are active: groups. cof player -
in Kitimat, New Aiyansh’ ‘and. Houston.: ‘They’ re-also- going. to form: imén’ S! and
_And ‘Terrace will ‘be. nextif- he gets his way. 7 ‘women: s adult leagues. And when. fields ary up.
- Terrace Minor Lacrosse will-hold registra
n play. day’at- the:arena:on Sa-|

me

it is: 5 technilcally’a ‘one. of. Cana:
‘da’s two-national. sports: along:
, side of hockey.

: Fletcher says they’ It: form teams for the | jue.

‘Wednesday a and ve ; rae
~ they may 1 move. ‘dutdoars to play field’ lacrosse ;
“We hope to: have: the league. tip. “and: vin Fletcher pitches it as: an, ideal ‘activity, ‘in:
We. want. to. get’ as the. ‘spring, Bap ‘between ‘hockey: season. cand
: soccer: season...

“Entry costs .are: $90, ‘which inellides-ingu
ance," arena rental and registration Sosts. with

Anyone’ interested: should. bring. a 1 helmet!

“overall, ‘ahead of” ‘second- place.”
Jason’ Belisle Jind, third- “place.

“ Roded contest March 13:: coe to First: ‘ahead “of: Chance Healy: and’ 7
-Her. first- place wins in” the... . Trailing. Giannelia- nthe. “third-place | Rob. Maurer. ae
id -compe-, women's “open: boarding. was’ sée-, > The l4- AT age class saw. Travis” Brady Stokes; - a
ond- -place: Lori ‘Talstra and: third -Yagelnaski:.ski - ‘to first. Second °° Jordan: Sckibli: topped the fiel
: place: ‘Danna Haworth. -was:‘Matt Hoyles ‘and third went to; in’ 14-16 17-year-old. snowboarding’:
Vida Carsen lopped. the field: of “Tim Smith:. Mati-Stewart'was first” coitipetition.. He ‘beat ‘Jessi: Sheas-'
vomien’s ; skiers, : taking first: in ““amiong the. 13- and- under skiers. He. -by and Jeff Chapman. QL
" women’ ‘S* open. “Linda ~Spak: as." beat: second- -place’ ‘Curtis Bolton 2 - Leo: Hoorn: was: first. in: ‘men
> second: 14 13-and_ under. snowboarding: Lee

i and third- ranked: Bruce Hamilton. oo
‘The- men’s. :dpen skiing, title» In men’s open snowboarding ‘Miller. “was, ‘second: and: Connor
Wreggit’ was third ~

action, Rich Heighington, was: ‘first.’

The’ boarder Was : coming off.

Sweat to. Rob Schibli, who. finished -

| defend rec hockey crown |

By MIKE CHRISTENSEN

The Blazers: took ihe league title. in a close”

The Roadrunner “jumped out, 'to an. nearly .

Goals-canie. from all Ahree lines ‘including a:
backbreaking. fourth goal by: longtime: rec. Tea-.

The. arrival: of ‘Blue ‘Ridge. team captain .

THE TRIUMPHANT. Blue Ridge Blazers after capturing the Terrace Rec. poeney League
_hampionship. for the second straight year. It was their fifth title i in nine years.

t three’ quick goals’
is. Bannister, and:

the, momentum. for’ the

the two-p al. ‘Bap inaking it 2. 1 for the Blazers, 2
“Goaltenders Dave. Wolfe-of: the Roadrunners
‘and-Ken Giesbrecht: of Blue Ridge took: over: ©:
from-that. point: and shut the doors making. fore |
an;exciting finish as Braid pulled ‘out, all’ the: os
Stops. in -dn-effort to’ tie it-up. mee ee

with’ a ‘pass ‘that sotehow ‘got: redirected and
ee found its way ine: . 2
comeback’ making * Blue Ridge scored again just'n ‘minutes: ater :
4-1" but ‘stellar ‘goaltending: by: Kens:Gies-” when’ ‘the: tap: line: of Ken- Eyolfsen; -Lance *
If. the: ‘bartage ’ ‘anid’ Blue. Ridge ' Armstrong,: arid Ryan’ Hallam. broke out-of their.”
8 “victory. setting, the slage : playoff slump: with’ a: perfect wrist, shot from

‘We looked out-at the docks 4 rough: ‘rai “Cont

- JAKE. JUNKER, 10, (top left), and. 19-year-old Stephanie Fletcher, above, demons 7 cS