Toronto race weekenders!
Longtime super-runner Evan Bayer of Mindemoya (now a teacher in Calgary) qualified for the Boston Marathon this past weekend in the annual Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Bayer ran a strong 2:38 time to easily fall under the maximum time threshold and finished in 24th place overall in a field of 4516! Also completing the full marathon were the father-daughter pair of Marilee and Alan Wright as well as Steve Fessenden. Marilee had a great time of 3:55:07 and was 264 of 1,650 women to run the marathon and 19th in her age category.
Running the half-marathon were Caitlynn McCaig (L.C.), Nancy Curtis (Manitowaning), Dena Burton (L.C.), Heide Poenn (L.C.), Bethany Scott (formerly of L.C.), Emma Mohns (formerly of L.C.) and Sarah and Ben Quackenbush (L.C.).
Congratulations as well to Jess Elliott (Manitowaning) and Lauren Goddard (L.C.) who ran the 5 km. In total, 23752 took in some great weather over the race weekend on the waterfront.
44th Wiky Road Race
Congratulations to all the participants of this past Sunday’s Wiky Road Race. Although I do not have all the age group winners there were a few notable efforts. Winning the Manitoulin Expositor trophy as the first overall winner was Sebastian Diebel who was clocked in at 37:35, Neil Phipps took second and Big Lake’s, Grade 11 phenom, James Scott took third in a fantastic 38:17!
The top three women runners featured the Wikwemikong Board of Education trophy winner, Sara McIlraith, in second Michelle Kennedy and Mary Strain 3rd. Without, addition info I can only add one additional amazing run. Xavier Mara of Manitowaning, who is just 9, won the 12 and under division in a shade over 50 minutes!
Ice Chips
Hats off to Noah Case, son of former Manitoulin Panther power-forward Matt Case and Leanne Maguire-Case, who contributed to his Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Rep team in a weekend, rep-tournament championship down in Traverse City, Michigan.
Gregory Trudeau-Paquet picked up another game star nod in a 4 – 2 loss to the Iroquois Falls Eskies on the weekend.
Wikwemikong’s Ronson Odjig, a former members of the Hawks, Panthers and Blind River Beavers, has joined the NOJHL’s Rayside-Balfour, Jr. A Canadians. Good luck, Ronson.
Panther Points
The Atom Panthers made it to the finals in the Porcupine Ice-Breaker but were defeated by the Nickel City Crushers in the final. Go Panthers, go!
Island Lady Wolf hoists first tournament cup
Congratulations to Mindemoya’s Hailey McGillis-Prior who helped her bantam Sudbury Lady Wolves capture their first title of their young season in the Pink the Rink Tournament in Etobicoke. The team went 2-1 in round robin play and had to play a semi-final on Sunday morning to get to the finals. The team they drew were previously undefeated but the Wolves beat them 3-1 to move on. Against an undefeated Whitby Wolves in the finals, Sudbury were pitted against the only team to have defeated them in the preliminaries! Hailey and her Wolves teammates were undeterred and fought hard in regulation and five minutes of overtime to a 0-0 tie. In the shoot-out however the Sudbury Lady Wolves edged Whitby, 2-1 to bring the Bantam B title north! Keep up the hard work, Hailey.
Colours of Hope Runners!
It was amazing to see such a huge contingent of Manitoulin runners who competed in different Canadian Cancer Society fundraisers called the Colours of Hope 5Ks over the weekend. At the risk of missing many I think it is important to recognize as many as I can for such an important cause. Tamey McAllister took her kids, Easton and Ava Assinewai, to the Sudbury event. Congratulations to 5-year-old Easton for finishing his first 5K!
Espanola was inundated with Islanders who also raised big money for the common good. The top-two individual fundraisers were both from Manitoulin. Hats off to Paula Fields and Denise Graham who alone raised over $800 to fight Cancer.
Our thanks to these following and any I may have missed: Ava Fields, Bill Fields, Brett Gauthier, Garret Gauthier, Nathan Hovingh, Leanne Bentley, Mackensie Graham, Karissa Merrylees, Eden Beaudin, Rachel Gulyas, Laura Orford, Autumn Davy, Alison Orford, Cori Davy, Heather Wilson, Rhyis Arthurs, Hope Gulyas and Alina Arthurs. Please let me know if you have been missed.
Island son big on field presence at L.U.
Laurentian Athletics is proud to announce that Voyageurs soccer player Nick Franke (Little Current!) has been named the Perkins Male Athlete of the Week. Franke, a fifth year Biochemistry student, continued his strong season anchoring the Voyageurs’ back line. L.U. reports that Franke (son of Mary Mitchell) against both Trent and UOIT this past weekend helped to quell numerous attacks and was a major reason the Voyageurs salvaged a point in each of the games.
A good sport is good for sports
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