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Final flight: 4 MUN Sea-Hawks to play final home games

Before the opening tip off of Friday night's Memorial Sea-Hawks basketball game, the university will honour four 5th-year players whose careers are coming to an end.

Ontario recruits Sydney Stewart and Brooklyn Wright, along with Sydney Ezekeil and Rosie Stanov of St. John's, will play their final two home games at MUN's Field House Friday and Saturday.

"They are four very talented young women," head coach Mark English said.

"They bring it every night, they brought for the last four years."

Jeremy Eaton/CBC
Jeremy Eaton/CBC

It wasn't always a smooth flight for the Sea-Hawks, who missed the playoffs in 2015-16 for the first time in more than twenty years.

"They made a conscious effort that wasn't going to happen again," English said.

And it didn't. The team has been in the AUS Championship hunt each season since — and will be again when the tournament takes place in Halifax March 1.

Friday and Saturday's games against Dalhousie will be the last time the four women will play on home court.

"They provide the bulk of the scoring, the bulk of the leadership. It's not going to be easy [to replace them]," said English.

Sydney Stewart of Sarnia, Ont.

Jeremy Eaton/CBC
Jeremy Eaton/CBC

Sydney Stewart is among the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) best in a number of categories. Averaging 21.4 points per game, she sits third in the league. She's leading everyone with 49 steals, and her 14 blocks are the fourth most this season.

Recruited from Ontario, Stewart decided to come to Memorial after a visit in 2013.

"I really found that the girls were close and it seems like a very close-knit family, more so than the schools back home," she said.

"That's why I chose here, and I am glad I did."

Saturday will be the last time she plays for Memorial and reality of that hasn't sunk in yet.

"I am really pumped for it," Stewart said.

"I really don't think that I will get that it's the last time until I've done it — which kind of sucks."

Sydney Ezekiel of St. John's, N.L.

Memorial Athletics
Memorial Athletics

Sydney Ezekiel's goal coming to Memorial was to play basketball, as she's done just that for five seasons.

"It's been great, a lot of different experiences, but it's been fun," she said when asked about her time with the team.

This year she's fourth in the AUS in for rebounds and steals.

While she is still finishing her education at Memorial, these last two home games will be her last as member of the team.

"I'm pretty excited and it's always great to play in the Field House," Ezekiel said.

"It will be interesting with it being the last game — the sadness hasn't hit me yet."

Brooklyn Wright of Cambridge, Ont.

Memorial Athletics
Memorial Athletics

Brooklyn Wright had other options before becoming a Sea-Hawk.

"I went to a couple of schools in the United States and I also had a recruit visit to University of New Brunswick," she said.

But a friendship with former Sea-Hawk, and fellow Ontarian, Megan Robinson helped land the six-foot-two-inches centre in St.John's.

Despite tearing her ACL in October 2013 and missing her entire rookie season, she bounced back and has put up big numbers over the past five years. Wright is second in the AUS with 30 blocks this season.

"It's been really great and I met a lot of really great people," Wright said.

"It's a little sad [leaving]. It's been a long six years."

Rosie Stanov of St. John's, N.L.

Memorial Athletics
Memorial Athletics

Rosie Stanov found the balance between basketball and her undergraduate degree in applied mathematics. Currently in the middle of a master's degree in epidemiology, Stanov is the team's captain.

"There's been a lot of learning and a lot of growing as a person," she said of her time on the team.

"I am a completely different person than when I started in my first year, I think a much better person."

While she is looking forward to having more free time when basketball ends, she's embraced the opportunity to play for a team she grew up watching.

"It's a bit bittersweet," Stanov said.

"It's weird how quick it went by. Five years flew by in the blink of an eye."

Memorial Athletics
Memorial Athletics

The four fifth-years will be front and centre this weekend at Memorial but the season doesn't end there. Memorial will play March 1 in Halifax for the AUS Championships

"As a program we will move on," English said.

"But they are Sea-Hawks for life."

You can watch the four in one of their last practices at Memorial.

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