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Three North Stars invited to Junior A Challenge selection camp

Nov 25, 2016 | 11:00 AM

North Stars’ players Levi Kleiboer, Cody Spagrud, and Layne Young each received an invite to attend selection camp for the 2016 World Junior A Challenge.

Tryouts for Canada West will take place in Leduc, Alta., from Dec. 5 to 8, while the tournament, which features two Canadian teams as well as four international entries, will run from Dec 11 to 18 in Bonnyville, Alta.

“I think it’s good when your team is recognized, even when it’s recognized [for] individuals,” Coach Nate Bedford said. “It just speaks volumes to how deep our team is [and] how good and how young our team is. The three guys that are going all deserve to be there and we hope all three of them make it.”

Sixty players were invited to try out for Canada West, made up of players from the AJHL, BCHL, MJHL, SIJHL, and SJHL, while 40 players were invited for Canada East, made up of players from the CCHL, LHJQ, MHL, NOJHL, and OJHL.

Young, who was also invited last year, currently leads the North Stars in scoring with 32 points in 26 games, which puts him fifth overall in SJHL scoring. His 15 goals are tied for the fourth most in the league, as are his six power play goals, while his 17 assists put him just outside the top-10.

“It’s obviously an honour to be invited to this,” Young said. “It’s great to have a second chance at making the team and hopefully I can.”

Last season, Young won the Rookie of the Year award in the SJHL after posting 75 points in 57 games. He recently passed the 100 point plateau for his career.

Kleiboer, a defenceman, is having a lights out season offensively. He currently has 19 points in 28 games, placing him in fifth in the league in scoring among defenceman.

Last season he had 21 points in 39 games.

“It means a lot to me [to be invited] but it also means a lot to Battlefords,” Kleiboer said. “I really just want to represent them well.”

Meanwhile Spagrud, who is paired with Kleiboer on defence, has 10 points this season in 28 games. He has recently been getting first unit power play time.

Last season he had 25 points in 47 games.

“Getting the chance to possibly represent your country is always a great feeling,” Spagrud said. “I’ll get to see most of the best players out of Western Canada and kind of compare myself to them. It’ll give me a chance to know what I need to work on and hopefully improve from there.”

The three North Stars player invites are the most of any SJHL team, with Flin Flon receiving two, and Estevan, Melfort, Melville, Notre Dame, Weyburn, and Yokrton each receiving one.

Last year Reed Delianey and Connor Sych joined Young as the North Stars invites.

Kleiboer, Spagrud, and Young will miss the North Stars game against La Ronge on Dec. 7 because of camp and could also miss four additional games if they end up making the team.

 

Nathan Kanter is battlefordsNOW’s sports reporter and voice of the Battlefords North Stars. He can be reached at Nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca or tweet him @NathanKanter11