Snow Cross-Country Experience!
The Island Elementary Cross Country meet took place last Thursday in Gore Bay and as you remember that morning, especially on the north side of the Island, it was a winter wonderland! The annual event (well normally) is hosted by C. C. McLean and Bruce Lindsay and many volunteers always do a great job, come snow or shine.
The schools’ teams all ran with a lot of pride as always but in the end, Little Current Coyotes got to howl the loudest as they easily won the overall aggregate trophy easily with 21 points! C.C. McLean was second with 11 and CMPS third with 10 points.
Congratulations to all the runners who have the mental and physical strength for this sport, not only in the competitions, but the unhailed work in preparation. Alas I can only give you the top three in each of the eight age-group races.
Eight and under girls: Addison Page, APS; Aryanna Allison, CCM; and Celina Harris, LCPS. Eight and under boys: Tate Abbotosaway, LCPS; Hunter Inglis, LCPS; and Alex Woods, CCM.
Nine-10 girls: Sydney Cunningham, CCM; Kailyn Inglis, LCPS; and Breeze Osawmick, Wasse Abin. Nine-10 boys: Boston Abbotosoway, LCPS; Graham Becks, CMPS; and Simon Fessenden, LCPS.
Eleven-12 girls: Rowyn Kasunich, Lakeview; Lily Simon, LCPS; and Lily Beaudry, Wasse Abin. Eleven-12 boys: Roen Deschenes, LCPS; Ryan Carter, LCPS; and David Joyce, CCM.
Thirteen+ girls: Charmaine Webkamigad, Wasse Abin; Kayla Lockeyer, LCPS; and Corie Brown, CMPS. Thirteen+ boys: Jack Bridgeman, CMPS; Aaron Townsend, LCPS; and Jonah Balfe, CMPS.
NOSSA Bound!
The secondary school North Shore cross country championships took place under markedly different conditions, with warm but windy skies, 24 hours later. Manitoulin Secondary were the hosts, defending champions and favourites to repeat, and they did, eclipsing second place Central Algoma!
Some highlights on the day included Mustang novice girls who finished first with Fia Flanagan winning it all, followed by teammates Mya Balfe, Ava Corbiere and Emery Watson counting for the victory! The novice boys did not have a full team but Wyatt Williamson–Wright was third and Gage Patterson was ninth!
In the junior division, Autumn Davy was the lone MSS runner, taking sixth. On the guys side there were just two home-side athletes but they were strong with Xavi Mara breaking the tape and Matthew Wilkin in fourth.
The veterans on the day included elite Mustang Maren Kasunich who won the senior girls’ by nearly two and a half minutes! Her teammates, to their credit, are not slouches by any means and finished in third, fourth, fifth and seventh! Congrats to: Mackenzie Green, Delaney Bridgeman, Morgan Green and Willow Cooper. The senior boys event was topped by Bidwell’s Brodie Pennie and Little Current’s Alan Wilkin 1-2 and Orland Carter-O’Hearn, ninth!
The team is off to North Bay today the 26th to compete against the best of Northern Ontario at the NOSSA Championship. Good luck, Mustangs!
Off their Rock Hockey!
The U15 and U13 Manitoulin Panthers were off to Timmins for the Porcupine Icebreaker tournament on the weekend. For the U15s, a 1-1-1 record in round robin saw them facing the Temiskaming-Hearst Regional Express in the quarter final. Jack Bridgeman got the Panthers up 1-0 in the 1st, then the Express potted one in the 2nd to even it. Tied 1-1 in the third Jack notched 2 more for the hat trick and a 3-1 lead. When the Express drew within one, Jack countered with his 4th 23 seconds later putting the U15s through to the semis 4-2. On Sunday, in the semi against the hometown Porcupine Jr. Gold Kings, the Panthers came out a little flat and found themselves down 2-0 after 2 minutes, down 3-0 at the end of the 1st. After a goalie change the Panthers fought back, Jack deflecting in a Chase Taylor point shot to get them on the board, then JC Paquette scored to make it 3-2. The flat start proved too much to overcome though, and the Jr. Gold Kings added an empty netter and the Panthers fell 4-2.
For the U13s, a 3-0-1 record in round robin set a Sunday semi-final date against the West Nipissing Sting. Up 4-3 in the 3rd, the Panthers gave up the tying goal while on the power play. Tied 4-4 after 3, OT was on the plate, but this resilient bunch didn’t let the shorty get them down. Max King scored from a Cohen Rajotte feed, ending it 4 minutes in, a 5-4 win that had the U13s off to the final against the Cochrane Cubs. The final turned into a goaltender battle, with Panther goalie Brynn Best holding her own, the end of regulation saw the teams knotted at 1-1. OT was required again! Leading scorer Cohen Rajotte potted the ‘golden’ goal, adding his second of the game, and the U13 Panthers rode overtime success to be Champions of the first tournament of the season! A championship and Sunday hockey for both teams is a great start to the season, Panthers!
Delaney Bridgeman, recently minted captain of the Sudbury Lady Wolves U18 A team, was off to Toronto for a three-game set of regular season games on the weekend as well. On Saturday afternoon her SLW side faced the Leaside Wildcats. A tight game was broken open in the second when Delaney won an offensive zone faceoff straight back to winger and Spanish national U18 team player Claudia Castellenos, who ripped a wrister high glove to put the SLWs up 1-0. Danika Gray scored in the 3rd and the Lady Wolves were off to a positive start with a 2-0 win. Saturday night the girls faced the Markham-Stouffville Stars. Danika opened the scoring in this game, with Delaney setting up Claudia for #2 and #4, and the girls skated to a 4-0 win.
On Sunday afternoon a tight battle against the Central York Panthers saw the Lady Wolves up against an excellent goalie. Despite a dominant performance, the game was winding down 0-0 when Danika finally broke through in the 3rd, tucking a flip shot under the goaltender’s arm for a 1-0 lead. A late penalty and an extra attacker had CYP all over the SLWs in the last 1:38, but SLW goaltender Farrah Farstad was an absolute wall in net, and the girls hung on for a 1-0 win to cap a great 3-0 road trip. Way to go girls!
Central Curling Call!
The Mindemoya Curling Club is once again open for business and looking forward to a great 2022-2023 curling season. They are planning to have their ice in by mid-November and members (new and returning) starting to curl shortly thereafter.
The club has a Facebook page (Mindemoya Curling Club) and all are welcome to join and will keep folks up to date in terms of any events we may be hosting. If anyone is interested in finding out more information about the Mindemoya Curling Club please send an email to: mindemoyacurlingclub@gmail.com.
A good sport is good for sports—chipstoquips@gmail.com
