Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional Royals senior girls’ basketball team captured the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation Northumberland region Division 1 title Friday, defeating the CEC Cougars 48-45 in the championship game. Accepting the banner on behalf of the team were Courtney Scott (left), Kalli MacDonald, Kelly MacGillivray and Heather MacPherson. (Submitted photo)

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The Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional Royals won the Northumberland Region girls’ basketball crown Friday night in New Glasgow, defeating the Cobequid Educational Centre Cougars 48-45.
The Royals trailed by 12 in the opening half before rebounding for the victory. The Cougars led 27-22 at the break and the teams were deadlocked at 34 entering the fourth quarter.
Grade 12 guard Kelly MacGillivray hit a pair of free throws to give the Royals a 48-45 lead with 16 seconds left in regulation time.
The Royals defense stood tall down the stretch to record the victory.
MacGillivray paced the Royals offensively with 16 points and five rebounds, while Grade 12 post-player Kalli MacDonald turned in a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Holly Scott contributed 13 points and five rebounds and Primrose Chareka added five points and eight boards. Heather MacPherson had six rebounds, three steals and two points in the game.
Keisha Paris-Clyke was the leading scorer for CEC with 11 points.
The Royals advanced to the regional final with a 72-54 win over the North Nova Gryphons Thursday evening.
MacDonald poured in 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Scott contributed 16 points and six boards. MacGillivray added 12 points and Melanie Stewart scored eight points. Chareka scored six points and a game-high 11 rebounds with MacPherson chipping in with four points and eight rebounds.
The Northumberland championship earned the Royals a berth in the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation Division 1 championship slated for Citadel High School in Halifax March 1 to 3.
Eight teams will compete for tournament honours. Also qualifying for the provincials are Citadel, Halifax Grammar, Auburn, Riverview and Horton. The remaining two teams will be determined at the NSSAF qualifying tournament this weekend at Park View.
Members of the Royals are Grade 12 players Heather MacPherson, Kelly MacGillivray, Kalli MacDonald along with Grade 11s Courtney Scott and Melanie Stewart. Abby MacInnis is the lone Grade 10 player with Holly Scott, Primrose Chareka, Kirsten Gallant, Nicole Wesley, Kallie Ross and Kier Cameron in Grade 9. The coaching staff is comprised of Gail MacDougall, Jennifer Grant and Lindsey Chisholm.
The Royals have a 23-10 record this season.

The Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional boys’ basketball team played an NSSAF Northumberland Division 2 semi-final game at Northumberland High Friday afternoon. The Royals lost 76 – 42. 
Leading scorers for the game were Frank MacFarlane with 13 points, Jermal Mansfield with nine points and Brandon MacDonald and Patrick Marlow with seven points each.
The Royals played their final game of their season Sunday at Northumberland High School.  The Royals were defeated by South Colchester in that game by a score of  70 – 68.

In jayvee boys’ action the Royals competed in Northumberland Region playoffs last weekend, opening with a 63-51 win over North Nova.
Riley Chisholm scored 20 points in the victory with Konnell Phyne adding 12 points. Morgan Guthro also managed double digits with 11 points. Rounding out the list of scorers were Brendan MacDonald with seven points, Shane Arsenault, six, Brandon Gerrior, four points and Noah Gosbee with three points.
Saturday’s storm caused the Royals to be without several players and coaches, with Evan Wiseman taking over the coaching chores. Amherst defeated the Royals 67-55. Guthro scored 17 points and Chisholm added 14. MacDonald chipped in with eight points and Gosbee supplied five points. Arsenault (four), Justin O’Handley (three) and Gerrior and Kallin MacDonald with two points each concluded the scorers for the Antigonish team.
In their final game of the weekend the Royals were defeated 103-35. Chisholm scored 21 points and Paul MacLellan and O’Handley added four each. Guthro scored three points with Brendan MacDonald and Kallin MacDonald contributing two and one point, respectively.

The Dr. John Hugh Gillis Regional Royals won the opening game of their playoff series against North Nova Gryphons, skating to a 5-2 decision Thursday night. Aaron Connolly and Kyle Bouchie provided first period powerplay markers with Stephen Chisholm supplying two assists and Neal Ryan and Mike Tobin adding one each. The Royals outscored the Gryphons 2-1 in the middle frame with Connolly and Ian Cashin finding the net. Assists were provided by Dave MacDonald, Broghan MacDonald and Alec Smith. Jeff Piek was the goal scorer for North Nova. In the third the Royals received a goal from Dave MacDonald with Connolly and Ryan picking up the assists. Scott Graham was the goal scorer for North Nova. Jake MacPherson picked up the win in nets.

The Royals senior female hockey team is competing in regional playoff competition with teams from Northumberland, North Nova, CEC and East Hants vying for overall honours.
The Royals, coached by Tommy Chisholm, include goaltender Nicole Grace and Justine Grace, Lisa MacDonald, Allison MacDougall, Jean MacEachern, Emily Doiron, Maura Gillis and Allison Boutilier on defense. The forwards are Kendra MacNeil, Jessica Hull, Lucy Gillis, Meghan MacKenzie, Adrienne Bekkers, Mikala MacDonald, Olivia MacDonald, Meghan Chisholm, Renee Proctor, Jordan Hull and Mealey MacDonald.
In double round-robin action to date the Royals lost 2-0 to CEC and beat East Hants 9-2. Northumberland nipped the Royals 1-0 and the Royals skated to a 4-2 win over CEC. The Royals will host Northumberland Friday at 2:30 p.m. at the Arena. The top team after the round-robin event will advance to provincials, while the second and third place team will play off to advance to a qualifying competition.

The East Antigonish Education Centre Mustangs senior boys’ and girls’ basketball teams won the Strait Area basketball banners. The girls defeated Richmond in the semi-finals and then went on to defeat SAERC in an exciting final by a score of 52-44. 
Katlyn Boudreau and Katie McCall led the scoring in a well-balanced effort. 
The boys defeated Dalbrae in the semi-finals and then defeated Guysborough 96-38 in the final to capture the league banner.
Colin Jarvis had 30 points and Kendall Breen had 22. In Northumberland region action last weekend the girls lost a tough first game to the host Musquodoboit team by a 47-44 score.
They bounced back Sunday with two big wins over Hants North 61-30 and Guysborough 52-36 to finish third and advance to an NSSAF qualifier this weekend at Dalbrae. All girls played extremely well all weekend.
The boys’ regionals were played in Hants North Sunday. The Mustangs won their first game over Springhill by a 90-45 margin, with all boys playing very well. Craig Perry had 21 and Breen added 17. Pat Brouwer also hit double digits with 13 points and Dameon Johnson scored eight points and hauled down 21 rebounds. 
In the final the Mustangs were able to overcome the host Hants North boys in a very exciting overtime win 82-76. Jarvis had 26, Breen 17, Perry, Brouwer and Raheem Johnson all scored 10.
“This is our first regional banner. Hants North won nine in a row up till this year,”  East coach Terry Long said.
The Mustangs advance to provincials to be held in Shelburne March 1 to 3.