Back to Sports!
With another school season or year upon us once again, I encourage everyone to go out and give it a try. Whether it is for a school team, intramurals or just a game of catch at recess. Any activity will help you with your general health but it has also been proven to help academically!
You don’t have to worry if you think you are not very good at something, the point is participation and improving yourself! Set your own personal goals and try to beat them. Don’t compare yourself to the best athlete in the school. Compare you to yourself yesterday!
As a teacher, every year I see a student who has had a great work ethic and a positive attitude improve slowly over the years and “seems” to come-out-of-nowhere and become a star athlete. That could be you. If not you will have worked at improving yourself and that is the real goal of sports. Have fun everyone.
Island Men’s Fastball enters the finals!
A summer’s worth of fastball is now down to just the two finalists. Gore Bay, who finished first in the regular season standings this year, defeated Kaboni 9-2 in game four, last Monday to take their best three-of-five, semi-final series in four games.
In the other semi-final series, it was Mindemoya edging the Wiikwemkoong Lumberjacks 3 games to 2. Mindemoya won game 5, 2 – 1 at home in a real defensive game. The winning pitcher, Ryan Prior had an amazing game as did Lumberjacks’ hurler, Brent Assiniwe who took the loss.
The championship finals will have started last night in Gore Bay in the best of five series. Game two is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday (tonight) in Mindemoya and game three will go next week.
Low Island, Slo-Pitch League
In the Low Island Slo-Pitch League there was lots of great competition as well although with pitches considerably slower! Winning the A Division were the Gore Babes! Congratulations to Deana Riching, Emily Hudson, Laney Campbell, Maxime Gervais, Marilee Wright, Carly Newlands, Susie Balogh, Sherry Toner, Shanna Harrington, Sean Riching, Ricky Toner, Zach Rolston, Brenden Pheasant, Chris King, Jake Bond, Cole Dummond, Harrison Noble, Lucas Gonu, Yonas Gebrekristose, Joe Toner, Colin Hicks and Joe Portelance.
Hats off as well to the runners up in “A”, the Eastside Greasers. Winners of the “B” was team, Hit ‘er Done and runners up were the Inglorious Batters.
Island boys in the NOJHL!
One again this year, Manitoulin hockey players will make a strong contingent in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. Playing close to home for the Espanola Express will be Cole King from Mindemoya, Jace Pitawanakwat from Wiikwemkoong and the old veteran on the team is once again Mitchell Payette who hails from M’Chigeeng.
Youngster Braeden Case from Little Current will suit up for the Blind River Beavers while Wiiki’s Ronson Odjig will be on the Rayside Balfour Canadiens’ side. Finally, young scoring phenom Gregory Trudeau-Paquet will be with the French River Rapids again this year.
Good luck to everyone!
Panther Points
The Atom Panthers have hit the ice with an exhibition game this past Monday and will have had dryland training on Tuesday and then an on-ice practice on Thursday in Espanola.
The Peewees have started their dryland over at the AOK Complex as are the Bantams and they are on their way to Espanola for on-ice workouts tonight. Have a great season, Panthers!
Manitoulin Minor Hockey Association meeting soon
Manitoulin Minor Hockey’s first scheduled meeting of the 2017/18 hockey season is on September 12th. The meeting will take place at the Lakeview School in M’Chigeeng at 7:00.
Congratulations to former Manitoulin Panther player, RJ Panton who was married in a beautiful lakeside wedding to Lindsay Rodrigues on Saturday. Some of those standing with RJ were former Panther teammates, Best Man Devin Lockeyer, Justin Lockeyer and Davis Case. Also standing were hockey players, all: Tyler Karn, Chase Chatwell, Barry Barnes and former Islander teammate Michael Schiavone.
A good sport is good for sports.
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