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Hawaii’s top player starring for NightOwls

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Ickes named Gatorade Player of the Year

A memo to the people of Nanaimo — don’t miss the chance to see Elijah Ickes while you can.

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The star shortstop for your Nanaimo NightOwls, strong and lean at 6-0/175, is heavily on the radar for the upcoming MLB draft (July 9-11) — and for good reason. He can hit, he can field, and man can he run, a pure athlete who stands out game after game.

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His arm from short, his game instincts on the basepaths, and his aggressive style of play while showing composure beyond his years has caught the attention of his coaches, teammates and the opposition.

“Elijah has been impressive, and earned the starting role at short right from the start,” said Jim Swanson, GM of the NightOwls. “For his age, and being away from home for the first time, he’s adjusted well and is a pleasure to be around, not just at the park but with his host family and in the community. He’s dedicated to being the best, and the work he puts in at the gym is a further testament to that.”

The University of Hawaii commit from Wahiawa, HI, which is located north and inland from Honolulu, was named the Gatorade Hawaii Player of the Year for this past spring with Kamehameha Schools Kapalama High School. The Kamehameha Warriors infielder batted .448, stole 26 bases and scored 36 runs to anchor Kamehameha’s run to the state championship. Ickes went 3-for-3 and scored the game-winning run in a 4-3 state final win over Baldwin.

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The University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are excited to have him at Les Murakami Stadium come fall, where he can develop into a true pro prospect after three years of NCAA baseball.

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Through 17 games for the NightOwls this season, he’s batting .293 with four doubles and 12 runs driven in, stealing four bases. On defence, he has sparkled with just two errors in 117 innings playing shortstop — and he makes all the tough plays.

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Ickes was also named the 2023 Interscholastic League of Honolulu Player of the Year — “The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Ickes as Hawaii’s best high school baseball player,” said a release in early June. Ickes ranks among the state’s top five prospects by PerfectGame, and he maintained a 3.54 GPA — all while volunteering at local food drives and finding time to umpire youth baseball games.

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This is as well-rounded a person — not just a player — as you will see on the diamond, and scouts are giving him strong consideration for the upcoming draft.

The NightOwls are home at historic Serauxmen Stadium this weekend, facing the Port Angeles Lefties on Friday night (6:35pm) and day games on Saturday and Sunday (1pm both days), after this current trip with three games against the Yakima Valley Pippins (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday).

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Victoria HarbourCats – Arms Race Speeds Up for Cats, Seven Pitchers Signed

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Pitcher Jack Marek (San Jacinto College)(above) is another strong arm joining the HarbourCats for 2026 (Photo courtesy of San Jacinto College)

VICTORIA, B.C. — Pitching quality and depth are the key to grinding out wins in a very tough competition environment like the West Coast League.

The Victoria HarbourCats are putting in the work to be ready with the arms they’ll need on the mound, working with first-year pitching coach Zach Swanson.

Veteran head coach Todd Haney and Swanson, the former HarbourCats hurler who is now a pitching coach at Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu, are excited for the six new signees announced today.

“Todd definitely has a plan and philosophy on being successful with the pitching staff, and I’m excited to work with him and follow that plan,” said Swanson, a Lambrick Park grad who played five years of college baseball after going through both the Eagles and Mariners programs. “Our job as coaches will be to be ready and prepare the pitchers for this level of competition. I’m also excited to work with (assistant coaches) Darius Opdam Bak, Troy Birtwistle, Steve Sinclair and Carson Myers on the staff.”

Announced today for the 2026 roster:

RHP Bryson Toner, Hawaii, 6-3/190, Honolulu
RHP Pierce Stone, Regis, 5-9/180, Round Rock, TX
RHP Anson Stuckly, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 6-1/200, Katy, TX
RHP Jack Marek, San Jacinto College, 6-2/190, Liverpool, TX
RHP Easton Reimers, North Dakota State, 6-2/215, Missoula, MT
LHP Jack Clark, Cal State San Marcos, 6-0/185, San Diego
RHP Davis Lee, University of Calgary, 6-5/210, Richmond

Clark, a lefty, is a key recruit from San Marcos — he didn’t allow a run in his first 14 college appearances, and now in his sophomore season has made nine starts this spring. He is 6-1/4.74 with a save, and strikes out a batter per inning.

Lee is a big-arm project with a fastball that has touched 95mph. Playing in the CCBC for the Calgary Dinos, the business student from Richmond and product of the PBL Delta Blue Jays has 16 strikeouts in 10.1 innings, and will work closely with Swanson and Opdam Bak to cut down on his walks.

Toner is a big right-hander who should have no challenge adjusting to life on a beautiful island — he’s from Honolulu. The Hawaii freshman was a dominant, highly-ranked pitcher in high school who will get valuable game experience as a HarbourCat this summer.

Stone is a sophomore who struck out more than a batter per inning as a freshman, while Reimers is a freshman who was state tournament MVP as a high school senior and a dominant innings-eater. Of note, his dad Cameron was a 35th round pick of the Blue Jays in 1988 and reached AAA.

Stuckly is a graduating high school senior who is committed to Texas A&M Corpus Christi, while Marek was an early commit to Southern Illinois now at San Jacinto College, with a fastball in the 90-92 range.

The HarbourCats begin their 2026 season on May 29th with a visit to Portland and then return to Victoria for the Home Opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks on Tuesday, June 2, 6:30 pm.

Season tickets, single-game tickets, 12 and 32-game flex packs and 2026 All-Star Game ticket packages are now on sale at harbourcats.com/tickets or at the HarbourCats office at 1814 Vancouver Street.

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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats announce 2026 A&W Summer Kids Camps

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May 2, 2026

Victoria, BC – The Victoria HarbourCats are pleased to announce that their 2026 Summer Kids Camps offerings, sponsored by A&W, are now available for registration, including a FREE, one-day, MLB sponsored camp on MLB PlayBall Weekend, Saturday June 6th!

All camps will be run by Victoria HarbourCats and Victoria Collegiate Cats players and coaches and take place either at Wilson’s Group Stadium or at our indoor Edwards Family Training Centre on Cook Street.

THE OFFERINGS

MLB PLAY BALL WEEKEND CAMP
Saturday, June 6th, 12 noon to 3pm, Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park
FREE ADMISSION, BUT REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED, Limited to 100 Registrants
Boys and girls ages 5 to 12 are invited to participate in the FREE three-hour camp at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park on Saturday, June 6 from 12:00 Noon to 3:00 pm. The camp is designed to give boys and girls the opportunity to develop their skills, regardless of experience or ability.
DETAILS AND REGISTRATION

OUTDOOR SUMMER CAMPS, AGES 8-17
Weekly camps beginning July 7th and ending August 28th, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park
$225-$350 per player depending on week, all 8 weeks $2000. Limited to 30 registrants per week.
DETAILS AND REGISTRATION

INDOOR SUMMER CAMPS, HALF-DAY, AGES 8-11
Weekly camps beginning July 7th and ending August 28th, 9:00 AM to 12 Noon
Edwards Family Training Centre
$200-$250 per player depending on week, all 8 weeks $1,900. Limited to 15 registrants per week.
DETAILS AND REGISTRATION

INDOOR SUMMER CAMPS, HALF-DAY, AGES 12-17
Weekly camps beginning July 7th and ending August 28th, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Edwards Family Training Centre
$200-$250 per player depending on week, all 8 weeks $1,900. Limited to 15 registrants per week.
DETAILS AND REGISTRATION

Our camps usually fill up fast, so please be sure to register today to secure your spot.

If you have any questions, please contact HarbourCats GM Christian Stewart at chris@harbourcats.com.

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Victoria HarbourCats – Emery Electric powers HarbourCats, food trucks, and RAP

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April 21, 2026

VICTORIA, B.C. — Practical power, provided — thanks to Emery Electric.

The Victoria HarbourCats are proud to recognize local company Emery Electric, a proud local business founded in 1930 by Ernie Emery and now overseen by Derek Emery.

What is this recognition all about? Well, working with the HarbourCats and the City of Victoria, Emery Electric has provided a major power upgrade to what is known during the baseball season as Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park — one that brings significant environmental improvements.

Emery Electric will be a key part of the HarbourCats season, helping to highlight “Emery Electric electric plays” by the home team, and the WCL All-Star Game Festival’s home run derby, featuring former Blue Jays star outfielder Kevin Pillar, will be referred to as “Powered by Emery Electric.”

“What was completed by Emery Electric earlier this year is a significant piece of quality work and infrastructure improvement we are proud to have put in place — and it will bring enhanced service capacity to all who use the City-owned facility,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the HarbourCats. “There should be no more brown-outs in that area. Derek and his staff are so community-minded, it’s hard to describe.

“We can’t yell ‘THANK YOU’ loud enough. It’s a big addition for the City, no cost to taxpayers, and we are proud to help contribute.”

In short, the work will provide power for the equivalent of four food trucks along Caledonia Avenue — a cabinet housing 4x30amp, 120/208 volt, and 4x15amp, 120 volt was installed in the off-season. That means generators and various fuels, and the associated hum of the engines, can be removed from the park (gas and diesel prices these days, anyone?).

Cup-A-Roni is one of many food trucks operating during HarbourCats games that will benefit from the power upgrades installed during the off season.

Emery Electric is nearing 100 years of serving Victoria and indeed all of Vancouver Island in commercial, industrial and marine electrical contracting.

The HarbourCats have been the main user of Royal Athletic Park since 2013, the longest continuous single user group in the history of the facility, which opened in May of 1908. The HarbourCats have contributed many improvements including dressing room upgrades, the movable fence, and enhanced seating areas, all with no taxpayer burden.

The HarbourCats begin their 2026 season on May 29th with a visit to Portland and then return to Victoria for the Home Opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks on Tuesday, June 2, 6:30 pm.

Season tickets, single-game tickets, 12 and 32-game flex packs are now on sale at harbourcats.com/tickets or at the HarbourCats office at 1814 Vancouver Street.

Tickets for the All-Star Home Run Derby on July 14th are currently available in a package that also include tickets for the WCL All Star Game that will be held on Wednesday, July 15th and feature the top players in the league.  Prices for the package start at $40 for General Admission seats to $85 for field level Diamond Club Seats, and can be purchased ON-LINE, or by visiting the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, just around the corner from the stadium.

 

 

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