Home course advantage?
It may be excellent news for those Manitoulin Secondary cross country runners who like a familiar course and not having to wake up at an ungodly hour. It has recently been announced that both the Pre-NSSSAA and NSSSAA (North Shore Secondary Schools Athletic Association) Cross Country meets will be held at the Rainbow Ridge Golf Course on Oct. 13th And October 20th respectively.
I would think that most, if not all will have run here during their elementary school days, likely having run in the annual, Wiky Invitational with one of their previous teams. I guess it depends on the added pressure perhaps but it has to be better than leaving at five-something in the morning to get to CASS (Central Algoma)! Good luck team and keep up or pick up your training for the home crowd, everyone!
NOJHL Catch-up!
The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League is off to a great start for some local players. Billy Biederman of Little Current is still with the Greater Sudbury Cubs and the cagey veteran is once again showing his offensive prowess. In this early part of the season, he has helped the Cubs to the top of the NOJHL West division with a 3-1-1 record for seven points. He sits in seventh spot in league scoring with seven points in five games! Also, Billy had a great experience at the OHL Barrie Colts main camp. Although he had a great camp, he wasn’t selected. Their loss, Billy as the Sudbury Cubs breathe a sigh of relief!
Meanwhile. Mindemoya’s Liam Bridgeman is back in Espanola with the newly minted, Espanola Paper Kings. He scored the first official goal for the new team that is back in the NOJHL and has added a couple of assists to make him a point-a-game guy, having just played three. However, the Paper Kings find themselves just behind the Cubs with six points with only four games played.
Good luck both and try to check out when they meet up in Espanola, although not until October 21st!
Off their Rock hockey
Also, playing at an elite level are the following players who need to cross the bridge just for their home games!
Little Current’s Kohyn Eshkawkogan and his Rep Hockey Club U15 AAA team are busy in exhibition play and are currently 1-1-1. His team was previously known as the Mississauga Reps but are now simply the Reps Hockey Club. They practice out of York Canlan Arena and play home games out of the Westwood Arenas.
Manitowaning’s William McComb is playing for the U18 AAA Sudbury Nickel Caps.
Aundek Omni Kaning’s Samuel Assinewai is back in the “O” (Ontario Hockey League) the Flint Firebirds down in Flint Michigan.
Active Assiginack!
Youth and senior dance is free in Assiginack thanks to an Ontario Trillium grant that starts next week!
There is a Senior drop in on Wednesdays from 10 am to 12 pm. Drop by for exercise, games, chatting, snacks and coffee. This is free and located at the Assiginack arena. Jackie White reminds everyone of hockey registration in Assiginack and everywhere on the Island.
She also reiterates that Manitoulin is in desperate need of referees! As an incentive, new officials can get a free whistle, pants, top and course fees to encourage them to come out and give it a try for youth 14 years and up. “No refs: No game!”
Thankfully, NOHA (Northern Ontario Hockey Association is minor hockey’s governing body) is cracking down and wants to bring the fun back into the game. There is a unique green armband policy for new officials and a fresh maltreatment rule- anyone caught abusing a new official gets a hefty, 10 game suspension.
A good sport is good for sports
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