Three Stars: Choucair, Berget, Johnstone earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Women's soccer student-athlete Suekiana Choucair is the MacEwan Athletics' first star of the week after recording five points in a pair of road wins over the weekend.
The fifth-year senior scored three goals and added two assists as the Griffins beat the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack 4-0 and the UBC-Okanagan Heat 5-0.
Other athletes recognized this week include second star Justin Berget of the men's golf team and third star Seth Johnstone of the men's soccer team. Choucair and Johnstone are being recognized for the first time this season, while Berget makes the list for the second time, having been named third star on Sept. 3.
A special honourable mention this week goes out to women's soccer forward Sunder West, who recorded four points on MacEwan's road trip (two goals and two assists), all coming in Saturday's win over the Heat. The mark broke the program record for most in a game.
1st STAR: Suekiana Choucair, M, women's soccer
Edmonton, AB, fifth-year, Science
Choucair had a five-point weekend (three goals, two assists) in leading the MacEwan Griffins to a pair of dominant wins during a weekend road trip to the Okanagan.
In Friday night's 4-0 win at Thompson Rivers University, the fifth-year midfielder set up the opening goal off a free kick before really taking over the game in the second half. Choucair scored a beauty in the 59th minute when she intercepted a ball at midfield and ran to the top of the box untouched before ripping it top corner. She then converted a penalty kick in the 65th minute.
In Saturday night's 5-0 win at UBC-Okanagan, Choucair again factored prominently in the proceedings with a goal and an assist. She curled in a strike from the top of the box in the 22nd minute for MacEwan's second tally of the contest and then set up the Griffins' fifth goal by rookie Sunder West.
Choucair is currently tied for the Canada West scoring lead with six points on the season.
She will lead the Griffins into home action this weekend vs. UFV (Saturday, 12 p.m., Commonwealth Stadium) and Trinity Western (Sunday, 12 p.m., Clarke Stadium).
2nd STAR: Justin Berget, men's golf
Spruce Grove, AB, third-year, Commerce
Berget won the men's individual title at the ACAC North Regional held at Red Tail Landing GC in Edmonton over the weekend.
The third-year Spruce Grove product jarred a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole to beat two-time defending ACAC Champion Michael Harrison of UAlberta-Augustana by one shot.
The duo were paired together in the final round and Harrison held as much as a two-shot advantage throughout the 18-hole trip, but when he made bogey on 15, they walked up the final fairway all square. Harrison missed a 25-foot birdie try, leaving the door open for Berget's clutch putt.
Berget finished 5-under after rounds of 70 and 69 on the Par-72 track. He will lead the Griffins into the ACAC South Regional in Calgary (Valley Ridge GC) this weekend.
Justin Berget won the ACAC North Regional men's individual title last Sunday (Jefferson Hagen photo).
3rd STAR: Seth Johnstone, GK, men's soccer
Edmonton, AB, third-year, Commerce
MacEwan's starting goalkeeper was a big reason why the Griffins were able to mine a result out of a weekend road trip to the Okanagan.
Johnstone made six saves, including stopping a penalty kick, to preserve a 1-1 draw against the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack last Saturday.
In Friday's 1-0 loss at UBC-Okanagan, he held the Griffins in the contest with 10 stops on 11 shots – a performance that ranks in the top 10 in program history for most saves in a Canada West game.
For the season, Johnstone has 25 saves under his belt with a 1.70 goals against average and .735 save percentage.
He will lead the Griffins into home action this weekend against UBC (Saturday, 2:30 p.m., Commonwealth Stadium) and UNBC (Sunday, 2:30 p.m., Clarke Stadium).
Seth Johnstone makes a diving save during a game earlier this season. He was a big reason why the Griffins earned a tie against Thompson Rivers University on Saturday (Chris Piggott photo).
