Vauxhall 1st Canucks to win Bishop Gorman Desert Classic in Vegas

The Vauxhall Jets won the 13th annual Bishop Gorman Desert Classic Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev.beating Ventura, Calif.

Vauxhall Academy Jets champions win Vegas tournament

By Lisa Vulcano

Vauxhall Academy

A Canadian team has won the prestigious Bishop Gorman Desert Classic Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Vauxhall Academy Jets, located in Southern Alberta, finished on top in the 13th annual tourney and this marks the first time a Canuck team has won the tournament.


The Jets were only able to play two games locally this spring before heading south to the Vegas sunshine. The Jets were the only Canadian team invited to the tournament this year and they matched up against some very highly respected US talent.

Coach Les McTavish (Slave Lake, Alta.) arranged have a couple of practices in Vegas and for the team to play exhibition games before the tournament started.

The Jets had a couple of long days of travel and they came out ready to play. They won their first games against No. 5 ranked Centennial HS and their second game against the JVs also from Centennial.

The Jets then split at No. 1 Desert Oasis losing a tight one in Game 1 and beating the younger group in Game 2. After a couple of practices at College of Southern Nevada the Jets were ready to play in the tourney.


The Jets opened the tournament with 3-0 win against Trinity Christian HS from Florida. Levi Abbott (Lethbridge, Alta.) started and Chase Florendine (Lethbridge, Alta.) earned the save on the mound while Carlin Dick (Abbotsford, BC) led the team offensively going 2-for-2 with and walk, double and a monster solo home run in the sixth to solidify the win.

The second game for the Jets was a 5-4 win against nationally ranked Dorel Academy from Miami, Fla. Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) started on the mound, followed by Matt Wiggins (Merrickville, Ont) and Evan O’Toole (Bridgewater, NS). Vauxhall managed three hits total with Johnny Vulcano (Surrey, BC) hitting a three-run homer in the fifth inning.

SS Johnny Vulcano (Surrey, BC) makes another throw on the run.

Next Vauxhall rallied to beat Ventura, Calif 7-4 in Game 3. Ben Adams (Ottawa, Ont.), Reece Keller (Spruce Grove, Alta.) and Juston Adamoski (Burnaby, BC) threw for the Jets while Vulcano led the way going 3-for-4 with a triple and an RBI. Dick was 2-for-4 and O’Toole hit a bases clearing triple. Nick Gravel (Fall Rivers, NS) homered while Jackson Clemett (Calgary, Alta.) doubled and singled.

The semi-final match up was a 2-0 win against Liberty, Nev. Thomas Little (Lethbridge, Ont.) started on the mound and was absolutely dominant through six innings. Maddux Mateychuk (Dominion City, Man.) earned the save. Offensively the Jets were led by Logan Grant (Calgary, Alta.) 2-for-3 with an RBI.

In the final, against the Jets beat Ventura 5-3 after Ventura had knocked off Bishop Gorman 5-1 in the final. Tyler Boudreau (Middle Sackville, NS) started for the Jets working two innings allowing two runs -- one earned -- on two hits and a walk.

O’Toole then worked four innings allowing an unearned run on a hit and three walks, while fanning five for the win. Florendine picked up the save working an inning with one strikeout.

Offensively, the Jets had two-hit games from Dayton Peters (Abbotsford, BC) with a triple and three RBI’s, Vulcano and Max Grant (Fredricton, NB), with a double. Ty Wevers (Lethbridge, Alta.) rounded out the offense going 1-for-3.

Vauxhall has players from six different Canadian provinces

“Every player on our roster contributed in some way to winning,” said coach McTavish, “Our pitchers threw strikes, competed on the mound and offensively we had some big timely hits.”

The Vauxhall Academy is made up of 22 high school aged players from across the country.

This statue is in the midst of the new $20 million complex. The hand lights up at night.