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Hawks move up after split

Major Midget team climbs into third place
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Valley West Hawks forward Matt Bradley (front) hits the ice with Fraser Valley Thunderbirds defenceman Cody Paivarinta during a BC Hockey Major Midge League hockey game Sunday at the Langley Events Centre.

It was only a split, but it was enough to move the Valley West Hawks into third place in the BC Hockey Major Midget League standings.

The Hawks defeated the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds 5-3 Saturday evening in Abbotsford, then dropped the rematch 5-4 Sunday afternoon in Langley. At 9-5-0 (won-lost-tied), Valley West moved a point ahead of the Vancouver Chiefs. The Okanagan Rockets and Vancouver Giants lead the leave with 10-1-1 records.

In Abbotsford, Valley West scored four times in the third period to pull away from the Thunderbirds for a win. A goal from Matt Bradley of Surrey had the Hawks in a 1-1 tie after two periods, before Mitch Newsome of Surrey, Ty Westgard and Spencer Berry of White Rock and Jordan Funk of Cloverdale scored in a span of eight minutes to five the Hawks a 5-1 lead with nine minutes to play.

Fraser Valley scored twice in the final seven minutes of play to get to within two goals.

Sunday in Langley, the Hawks tallied three times in a five-minute stretch to take a 3-1 lead over the Thunderbirds. But midway through the third period, the Hawks were behind 4-3.

Newsome tied the game with 12 minutes remaining, but Fraser Valley netted  the winner five minutes later.

Paul Smith of White Rock, Bradley and Surrey's Paul Savage were the other goal scorers for the Hawks.

Valley West will be in Kamloops next weekend for two games against the winless Thompson Blazers (0-10-2).