Islanders at OFSAA!
Congratulations to all the Manitoulin athletes who competed against the top qualifiers in Ontario at last week’s OFSAA track and field meet in London. What a way to end a season to put all that preparation to the test against the best.
Results are spotty here at best, but I know Mya Balfe was 8th in discus with a 29.27m hurl, although not her PB, 14th in long jump with a new PB of 4.66m and 14th in triple, also a PB of 10.53. Her sister Annie was an amazing fifth in triple jump and just a few centimetres shy of 3rd with her PB of 11.45 m. Hopefully, I will be able to track down more for next week. Hats off as well to Brooke Gibeault, Brodie Pennie, Jack Bridgeman, Sadie Bridgeman, Greyson Case, Andrew Cooper, Fia Flanagan, TJ Green, Maren Kasunich, Colin Lindner, Brodie Pennie, Alan Wilkin and Wyatt Williamson-Wright.
MTB team hosts and races!
The Manitoulin Mountain Bike Team had two MTB events this week and even played host to one of them. The first was in Walden on June 3 for the Walden for the Bush Pig Open! Congratulations to the team! Here are their individual results: Rachel Quackenbush was 2nd in her 5km race for U16 girls. In the 10km race – U16 boys, brothers Nathan Quackenbush was 1st and Isaac Quackenbush was 5th. Ripping through the 16-plus men on his new ride was Dane Gibeault, taking first place, teammate Xavier Coleman was 6th. In the 10km race 16+ women division, Caroline Black was 5th. Up in the 20km race 16+ men, Alex Anstice was third overall while Brad Slaght was 22nd overall and 3rd of the 16-19 year olds who raced it!
Then the team, along with Breakaway Sports, hosted the Manitoulin MTB Challenge Sunday, June 9 at the fabulous McLean’s Park mountain bike trail. This was their second Manitoulin MTB Challenge Event in partnership with the Township of Assiginack and offered events for the whole family. There was a short 1km kids race and the youth and adult events consisted of multiple laps of a 4km loop. Younger and recreational riders completed two laps and the older and more experienced riders completed 4 laps. Coach Ben Quackenbush extends thanks to the Township of Assiginack for hosting this event with them.
Congratulations to all the participants of the four-lapper: Alex Anstice, Dane Gibeault, Matt Hansford, Bradley Slaght, Nathan Quackenbush, Mitch Trottier, Riley Breton, Nishin Meawasige, Bill Slaght, Sebastian Mara, Eric Durie, Sarah Quackenbush and Hannah Brown.
Taking in the two-lap tour were: Blake Trottier, Rachel Quackenbush, Rex Meawasige, Grayson Gilchrist, Harrison Wright, Olivia Moffatt, Bonnie Steele and Rodney Steele.
The kids event featured: Grayson Gilchrist, Harrison Wright, Emily Anstice and Chloe Anstice!
Next weekend, there is a race in the provincial O-cup series in Sault Ste. Marie next weekend that three of the MMBT guys will attend and then there’s another Bush Pig race at Walden the first week of July. Of course, team members will likely be poached to anchor the bike leg of this year’s Mindemoya Classic on June 30!
Where are they now?
It is great to hear when active kids become active adults. I was recently able to discover that Rachel Hoffman, now in her mid 20s, is more than just active in her spare time. She is at work as well! Rachel is a certified fitness trainer now out in Alberta who has started competing in power lifting competitions. This past weekend, she achieved what anyone would hope for, beating all her PBs! A power lifter competes in three disciplines: bench press, deadlift and squats for an aggregate result. How about these for new personal records: squats – 203.5 lbs, deadlifts – 280.5 lbs and bench press she admits is not her strongest lift but still beat her PB with a 121 pounder! Her goal is to break 300 lbs on her deadlifts in the next competition. Best of luck, Rachel!
Mike will be missed
It was with great sadness we learned of the passing of Mike Meeker last week. Mike was an accomplished hockey player with several teams from the Peterborough Petes, the University of Wisconsin Wolverines and even a few games with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins before injuries sidelined him.
Hockey never left him after retirement, however, and his positive imprint on scores of local hockey players through his coaching is obvious. Mike had an admirable team concept that he instilled in his teams.
I constantly hounded him for players’ names from the scoresheets of his Manitoulin Mustang teams over the years. Although he was very generous with thoughts on the team and their prospects, he was reticent to just celebrate goal-scorers. He, rightly so, didn’t want to damage morale and his vision for the team. He understood the vital importance of every player feeling that they had a positive contribution to add even if it never showed on the scoresheet.
What a great legacy to give someone who is a player and also a person. You will be missed, Mike.
Thank you.
