Gazette staff
ALERT BAY—Taking advantage of the home court on the final weekend of competition, T’lisalagi’Lakw School claimed the 32nd annual Charlie Cup checkers championship with wins from students Mariah Elliott and Lucas Alfred during the June Sports festival Saturday.
Elliott earned the MVP Award and Alfred received the Most Inspirational Player Award from contest host David Lyon, who challenged schoolchildren to checkers matches throughout the school year before awarding prizes to the top point-getting school and students.
Elliott’s win over Lyon Saturday in Alert Bay put T’lisalagi’Lakw into a five-way tie for first place in the school standings, with one point each.
Alfred won a special tiebreaker match Lyon used to select the school champion.
Tara Cox-Cooper, a Grade 2 student at Eagle View, won the Best Sport Award.