It was quite the year for athletic achievement here in South Delta in 2023.
There were many significant individual performances in various sports, a number of team championships and other stories that shaped the local sports scene.
Below are just a few of the highlights that former Optimist sports editor Mark Booth and myself covered throughout the year.
July
Matt Wilkinson (AKA) the Tugboat captures a major U.S. college award. He is the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association D1 Pitcher of the Year for Central Arizona. Later in the month he was selected by Cleveland in the MLB draft.
SDSS track and field star Geema Dumas will be taking her career to SFU after securing a scholarship.
The Ladner Pioneers senior ‘B’ lacrosse team was selected as hosts for the 2024 championships here in Ladner.
The 2009 Delta Coastal Selects girls’ soccer team repeated at provincial cup champs.
The 2004 Delta Heat girls fastball team captured the Seattle Metro 18U championship with a dominating tournament final win over Northwest Speed.
The 13U Red Sox from Ladner had a perfect record in winning the Valley of Champions tournament in Kelowna.
August
Ladner’s Brooke Tuba was one of three B.C. players on the gold medal winning Canadian team at the U21 World Women’s Ball Hockey Championships in Czechia.
The Ladner Red Sox U13 AAA team won the provincial championship in Chilliwack beating Kelowna in the final. The baseball team was then off to nationals.
The Tsawwassen Athletics won the U13AA provincial championship after beating North Delta in the final.
Delta Police Const. Jessy Sahota won gold in wrestling at the World Police and Fire Games in Winnipeg.
South Delta Little League was crowned the District 3 championships after an impressive playoff run.
Delta Blue Jays won Baseball B.C.’s 15U AA national qualifier in Ladner beating the Langley Blaze to secure their spot at nationals where they repeated as national champs with a 7-2 win over Quebec in the final.
The South Delta Kyojushin Karate club was the top club at the Canadian Championships.
The Ladner Pioneers captured the West Coast Senior Lacrosse Association Championship and were off to nationals to defend their title.
The South Delta Brewers were B.C. Minor Baseball’s junior men’s tier one provincial champs for the third straight year after beating Ridge Meadows 11-9 in the final.
September
Delta basketball players Cameryn Tait, Syra Toor and Zoe Millette helped Team BC capture gold at Basketball Canada’s U15 national championship.
The Ladner Pioneers went back-to-back capturing their second straight national senior men’s lacrosse title.
The South Delta Padres went 5-0 over the Labour Day long weekend to win the Baseball BC Senior AA provincial championship.
Tsawwassen Martial Arts had 19 students’ part of the national team who competed at the World Karate Championships in Scotland.
Delta’s Isaac St. Cyr won a bronze medal in mixed doubles at the national pickleball championship in Regina.
The Delta Sports Hall of Fame announced its 2023 inductees in the Sport Champions and Hall of Fame. The ceremony was held in October.
