East Elgin Eagles' Skye Martineau (5) and Lauren Orlebar (15) and Mother Teresa Spartan Megan DeNijs battle along the floor for the ball, during the WOSSAA AA senior girls' basketball gold medal match, at South Collegiate. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Wednesday, November 13, 2019
LONDON, ON. - In the end the East Elgin Eagles ran in to a more experienced team that had speed to burn.
The Mother Teresa Spartans, out of London, downed the Eagles, 43-24, at the Western Ontario SSAA AA senior girls’ basketball gold medal game, at South Collegiate.
Wingham Madill sunk the only basket in overtime to edge the East Elgin Eagles, 33-32, in the WOSSAA AA junior girls’ bronze medal game.

Alyssa Voros (32) leads the celebration after the East Elgin Eagles defeated the Woodstock Huron Park Huskies, in the TVRA South-East AA senior girls' basketball final, at East Elgin Secondary School. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Thursday, November 7, 2019
AYLMER, ON. - Sisters Alyssa and Kayla Voros have never been to WOSSAA basketball together and neither have played at the senior level.
That is about to change after the East Elgin Eagles defeated the Woodstock Huron Park Huskies, 57-37, in the Thames Valley Regional Athletics South-East AA senior girls’ final, at East Elgin Secondary School.
Kayla Voros scored a game high 16 points and Jos Henderson had 14 points.

The junior Eagles also won a South-East title, downing Woodstock Collegiate, 44-32, with Maddie Obar pouring in 18 points.

St. Thomas Hawk Kris Vigers sets to catch the ball during the London Minor Football peewee final against the Bulldogs, held at City Wide Fields. St. Thomas won 26-19. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Sunday, November 3, 2019
LONDON, ON. - The St. Thomas Hawks have regained the title.
For the second time in three seasons, the Hawks are the London Minor Football peewee champions, after defeating the Bulldogs, 26-19, at City Wide Fields.
St. Thomas goes undefeated in 2019.
The Bulldogs found the end zone first, but the Hawks replied with 19 points, for a 19-6 advantage.
Gage Hamilton with two, Jovan Chase and Nathan Bush, scored touchdowns for the Hawks. Aidan Sweeney with two and Garin Roles had the Bulldogs' majors.

St. Joseph's Ram Aiden Coles (1654), during the junior boys' race, at the OFSAA cross country championships, at Kivi Park, in Sudbury. Coles finished eighth. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Saturday, November 2, 2019
SUDBURY, ON. - The St. Joseph's Rams are on top of the provincial cross country mountain.
Rams' Aiden Coles, Tristan Coles, Brent Haggerty, Aiden Holder and Harrison Belanger, captured the junior boys' team title, at the OFSAA cross country championships, here at Kivi Park.
Not only was St. Joe's the only school to score under 100 points, the Rams won by 57 points over second place St. Francis Xavier, from Mississauga. It's the first OFSAA gold in cross country for the school.
Aiden Coles finished eighth in the race with 256 runners.
Hannah McIntyre led the Dorchester Beavers, finishing 44th in the novice girls' race, featuring 255 runners. The team with McIntyre, Jenna Wideman, Devin Dance, Nicola Hammond and Allie Humphries, placed 13th.
St. Joseph's Ram Cerena Aitken-Guignard finished 46th, in the junior girls' race, while Ram Will Mantel was 94th, in the novice boys race.
East Elgin Eagle Hallee Knelsen was 63rd, in the senior girls' race.
Parkside Stampeders' Mason Basson and Vincent Moore were 41st and 179th, respectively, in the junior boys' race.
In the overall para race, Rams' Diego Alban-Gasca and Gabriel Dala finished 27th and 37th, respectively.
Former Mitchell Hepburn Mustang, now attending London Oakridge, Sydney Murdock, finished 28th, in the novice girls' race.
Next year OFSAA cross country is in London, at the Fanshawe Golf Club.

St. Thomas Hawk Kaden Leonardes bolts pass a Red Storm defender before running down the field for an 82-yard touchdown run, during the London Minor Football atom semifinal, held at City Wide Fields. St. Thomas won 54-0. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Sunday, October 27, 2019
LONDON, ON. - The St. Thomas Hawks made quick of their opponents in both the atom and peewee semifinals, to advance to their respective London Minor Football final, Sunday, November 3rd.
In peewee action, Kris Vigers had four touchdowns as the Hawks cooked the Cobras, 53-0.
In the atom semifinal, Kaden Leonardes had three TDs, while Kolten Bergeron and Eoin DesRosiers, each had two TDs in the Hawks' 54-0 blowout of the Red Storm.
The atom final kicks off at 12:15 pm next Sunday, followed by the peewee final at 2:30 p.m.

Lorelai Phinnemore, of Arva Medway, left, Paige Marchant, of London CCH, Sydney Murdock, of London Oakridge and Dorchester Beaver Hannah McIntyre, attack the big hill on the course, during the novice girls' race, at the WOSSAA cross country championships, held at the Fanshawe Golf Club. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Thursday, October 24, 2019
LONDON, ON. - Two teams and four individuals will represent St. Thomas - Elgin County and Dorchester at the OFSAA cross country championships.
The Dorchester Beavers' novice girls won the team title, held at the WOSSAA championships, at Fanshawe Golf Club.
Hannah McIntyre led the way finishing fourth, Jenna Wideman was 14th, Devin Dance, 20th, and Tegan Ceccanese, 23rd.
The St. Joseph's Rams ran away with the junior boys title, placing five runners in the top 10. Aiden Coles was second, followed by Tristan Coles, third, Brent Haggerty, fourth, Harrison Belanger, eighth and Aiden Holder, ninth.
East Elgin Eagle Hallee Knelsen was fourth, in the senior girls' race.
Ram Cerena Aitken-Guignard placed second, in the junior girls' race.
Parkside Stampeders' Mason Basson and Vincent Moore, were fifth and 11th, respectively, in the junior boys' race.
Ram Will Mantel placed seventh, in the novice boys' race, grabbing fifth individual spot to qualify for OFSAA.
Former Mitchell Hepburn Mustang, now attending London Oakridge, Sydney Murdock, finished third, in the novice girls' race.
The top two teams and top five individuals not on those two teams, advance to OFSAA, November 2, in Sudbury.

Parkside Stampeder Amber Safadi, right, knocks the ball away from Medway Cowboy Maddie Arts, during the TVRA field hockey final, at City Wide Field. Parkside won 1-0. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Tuesday, October 22, 2019
LONDON, ON. - One may call it a six pack or sixer.
In bowling it sometimes refers to throwing six consecutive strikes.
For the Parkside Stampeders’ field hockey team, it could be for winning a Thames Valley Regional Athletics (TVRA) title for a sixth consective season and advancing to the Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association final.
The Stampeders repeated as TVRA champions for a fourth consecutive year, blanking the Medway Cowboys, 1-0, in the final, at City Wide Fields.
It’s the third time in four years Parkside has defeated Medway in the final and second time by a 1-0 count.
The Stampeders travel to Goderich to take on the Goderich Vikings, in the WOSSAA final, Thursday.

Alexis McMurray drives the ball from the 18th fairway, on her way to a silver medal the open division, at the OFSAA girls' golf festival, at Pine Knot Golf and Country Club in Dorchester. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Thursday, October 17, 2019
DORCHESTER, ON. - Sarah Gallagher missed qualifying for OFSAA girls' golf during her Grade nine year at F.J. Hayden Secondary School, in Burlington.
A year later Gallagher made up for it, firing off her career best round helping the 15-year capture the OFSAA open division championship, today at Pine Knot Golf and Country Club.
Gallagher, four under for both days combined, won by five strokes (65-73-138), over silver medalist Alexis McMurray (69-74-143), out of Oakville Iroquois Ridge.
It was a sweep of the medals, by Greater Horseshoe Athletic Conference (GHAC) golfers, with Nicole Gal, from Oakville Holy Trinity finishing third (70-74-144).
Julia Alexander-Carew, another golfer from the GHAC, won the high school division, by five strokes (74-82-156), over Grace Holijak, of Barrie Eastview (83-78-161).
Mikayla Bourgeois, from Mississauga St. Marcellinus, placed third (83-80-163), winning in a playoff hole over Woodstock C.I.'s Madeline Choi (85-78-163).

Caisey VanDen Oetelaar, of Whitby Donald Wilson Secondary school, chips the ball from the bunker, on day one of the OFSAA girls' golf festival, at Pine Knot Golf and Country Club in Dorchester. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Wednesday, October 16, 2019
DORCHESTER, ON. - Sarah Gallagher is the first round leader, in the open division at the OFSAA girls' golf festival.
The 15-year old from F.J. Hayden Secondary School, in Burlington, shot a six-under 65 on day one, of the two day provincial event, at the Pine Knot Golf and Country Club.
Gallagher leads Alexis McMurray, of Oakville Iroquois Ridge, by four strokes. McMurray won a bronze medal a year ago.
Nicole Gal, of Oakville Holy Trinity Catholic high school, carded a one-under 70, to sit in third place.
Julia Alexander-Carew, out of Iroquois Ridge, shot a 74, and leads Annie Anghelescu, from Kingston Regiopolis Notre Dame, by seven strokes, for the high school division lead. Bryden Dilley, of Peterborough St. Peter’s, is third, with an 82.

St. Thomas Hawk Cole Surmacz crushes the Cobra ball carrier along with his Hawks' teammate, Joshua Laning, during London Minor Football atom action at 1Password Park. The Hawks won 29-7. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Monday, October 14, 2019
ST. THOMAS - It was a pair of first place showdowns between the St. Thomas Hawks and the Cobras.
Now with one week remaining in the London Minor Football regular season, the Hawks are in the driver's seat and still undefeated, for both the atom and peewee divisions.
The peewee Hawks won 34-18 and the atoms were victorious, 29-7. The tykes fell 21-7.

Dorchester Beavers' Devin Dance (884) and Tegan Ceccanese (883) attack the steepest hill during the novice girls' race, at the Fanshawe Invitational cross country meet, October 10, at the Fanshawe Golf Club. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Saturday, October 12, 2019
LONDON, ON. - Every new season can bring the unexpected.
Heading into the high school cross country season, Dorchester Beavers' coach James Tennant knew the talent he had returning to the school, including a junior boys' team that advanced to OFSAA a year ago, now running at the senior level.  
The unexpected during the first week of cross country practices and first meet on the schedule, included a group of Grade nine girls from various elementary schools, including Northdale Central and West Nissouri.
Six weeks into the season the Dorchester novice girls are well known out on the trails, thanks to two team titles and two silvers, from four invitational meets.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019
FINGAL, ON. - Ben Hodgins made short work of the Appin A's.
The St. Thomas Storm pitcher faced only 14 batters, in an 8-0 five inning silencing of the A's, to clinch the South Middlesex Men's Fastball championship in four games.
Only a pair of intentional walks to Jeff Lyons kept Hodgins from a perfect game, although shortened due to the mercy rule.
St. Thomas scored two runs in the first inning, two more in the second and broke out with four runs in the fourth, to put the mercy in to effect.
The Storm were dominate at home, outscoring the A's 17-1, in the two games played in Fingal.
Chris Wismer, known as Wiz, had his magic, batting two for two, driving in two runs, drew a walk and scored a pair of runs.
Mike Unwin went two for three, while both Aaron Gould and Jeff Wilcox, had two run singles.

Monday, October 7, 2019
APPIN, ON. - Each time Jeff Lyons reached base in games one and two, the Appin A’s scored. That trend continued in game three against the St. Thomas Storm with one big difference.
Appin held on to win, 4-3, extending the best of five game South Middlesex Men’s Fastball League final to a fourth night, in Fingal, Tuesday, at 8 p.m.
Lyons hit a monster two out first inning solo home run and then in the third inning ripped a double off the outfield fence. Lyons received an intentional walk in his third plate appearance.
Josh Tetreau delivered a pair of doubles and drew a walk, in three plate appearances for St. Thomas. Mark Coleman finished with a single and two walks and Brady Stafford had two walks, in four plate appearances each.

St. Thomas Hawk Blake McClenaghan (33) finds some open space carrying the ball against the Wolverines, during London Minor Football tyke action at 1Password Park. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Sunday, October 6, 2019
ST. THOMAS - The St. Thomas Hawks will be an answer for a trivia question.
Who was the first team to play at 1Password Park in St. Thomas?
The tyke Hawks were first to run out on to the Canadian Football League (CFL) sized artificial turf field, part of the 26 hectare park located along Burwell Road.
More than two years in development, the park with a $10.7 million price tag, features the CFL field with lights, 36 different sized soccer fields, basketball courts and a multi use trail.
The field house does remain unfinished and use of the splash pad and grass fields will have to wait until spring.
Both the peewee and atom Hawks won their London Minor Football games, while the tykes had a rough debut at the new park.

Friday, October 4, 2019
APPIN, ON. - Brady Stafford does it again, this time with two out, top of the seventh inning.
The St. Thomas Storm catcher hit a three-run bomb lifting the Storm over the Appin A's, 6-4, in a come back effort in game two of the South Middlesex men's fastball league final.
Stafford finished with five RBIs, while Mark Coleman went three for three, with one walk, a RBI and two runs scored.
The Storm now lead the best of five game series, two games to none.
In game one, Stafford launched a grand slam helping the Storm mercy the A's, 9-1.

Oakridge's Calvin Norris lifts the ball on to the 18th green, during the WOSSAA boys' golf championship, at the St. Thomas Golf and Country Club. Norris finished third overall and helped the Oakridge Oaks win the team title. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Thursday, October 4, 2019
UNION, ON. - Ben Landers wasted no time securing his spot, while Peter MacDougall needed a few extra holes.
Both golfers, along with the London Oakridge Oaks team, are heading to OFSAA, the high school provincial boys’ golf championship after qualifying at the Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association (WOSSAA) tournament.
Landers captured the individual title, winning by six strokes, with a round of 69, over the 18-hole course, at the St. Thomas Golf and Country Club.
McDougall needed a third playoff hole to break a tie with Central Huron’s Devin Durand, after both shot rounds of 81, to represent WOSSAA in the high school division.

Tuesday, October 1, 2019
FINGAL, ON. - The St. Thomas Storm wasted no time taking the opener of the South Middlesex Men's Fastball League final.
Starting with a first inning Mark Coleman two run bomb and capped by a Brady Stafford grand slam, the Storm needed only about one hour, for a 9-1 five inning mercy of the Appin A's.
Games two and three are at Appin, Friday, October 4th and Monday, October 7th.

Parkside Stampeder Madison Telford chips the ball on to the green, during WOSSAA girls' golf, at the Thames Valley Golf Club, in London. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Monday, September 30, 2019
LONDON, ON. - Madison Telford will have to wait for a call to return to OFSAA.
The Parkside Stampeder golfer just missed qualifying for the provincial high school championships, placing ninth, in the A flight division, at Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association (WOSSAA) girls’ golf, at the Thames Valley Golf Club.
Jillian Friyia, of London Oakridge, won by 13 strokes, carding a 78 over the 18-hole event.
The top six individuals and winning team, the London Aquinas Flames, advance to OFSAA, hosted by the Pine Knot Golf and Country Club, in Dorchester, October 16-17th.
Also qualifying for OFSAA are Gabby Harrison, of Arva Medway, Madeline Choi, of Woodstock C.I., Kira Turner, London Central, Shreya Dalal, London Lucas and Karolyn Rombouts, Strathroy Holy Cross.
Since WOSSAA is the host region for OFSAA, a few additional spots may open up, allowing an invite for Telford.

Monday, September 30, 2019
ST. THOMAS - It is a cleansing of past memories that haunted the St. Thomas Storm.
For the first time in seven years, the Storm eliminated the Alvinston Aces in the playoffs, clinching their semifinal series in the fifth and deciding game, with a 13-6 win at Alvinston, on Friday.
St. Thomas faces the Appin A’s, in the South Middlesex Men’s Fastball League final, starting Tuesday night, 8 p.m. in Fingal.

Parkside Stampeder Madison Telford fires the ball on to the green, during the TVRA girls' golf championship, at Westminster Trails. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Wednesday, September 25, 2019
LONDON, ON. - Madison Telford is aiming for a return to OFSAA.
The Parkside Stampeder golfer made step one, finishing sixth, in the A flight division, carding a 95 over 18 holes, at the Thames Valley Regional Athletics (TVRA) girls’ golf championships, at Westminster Trails.
Telford advances to the Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association (WOSSAA) tournament, at the Thames Valley Golf and Country Club in London, Monday, September 30th.
Madeline Choi, from Woodstock Collegiate, is the TVRA A flight champion with a round of 83.
St. Joe's won the TVRA Tri-County B flight team title.
This year, Pine Knot Golf and Country Club, in Dorchester, hosts OFSAA, October 16-17th.

St. Thomas Panther Jocelyn Shelton battles Farmington Hills Little Caesars' Keara Duffany (8) and Sandreea Cueva (22) for position, in front of the Farmington Hills net, during the midget A final, at the Big Cat Preseason Showcase, Sunday, at the Joe. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Sunday, September 22, 2019
ST. THOMAS - It was a solid way to start the new girls' hockey season.
The St. Thomas Panthers won the midget and bantam A and BB finals, at their Big Cat Preseason Showcase hockey tournament this weekend.
Over the past three days, 40 teams from as far as Ottawa, Buffalo, Detroit and Syracuse, New York, competed in the atom, peewee, bantam and midget divisions.
Host teams made four finals and won each of them.
The midget A Panthers blanked Farmington Hills Little Caesers, 1-0, on a goal from Jamie Giles. The BB midgets shutout the North Durham Blades, 2-0.
The host won a battle of two Panthers bantam A teams, 3-1, over Central York. In the bantam BB final, St. Thomas scored twice late to edge the Haldimand River Cats, 2-1.

Dorchester Beavers' Devin Dance (884) and Hannah McIntyre (888), Central Elgin Titan Jillian Woolsey (14) and Parkside Stampeder Lynsey Last, far right, at the start of the Novice girls' race for the Dorchester Invitational cross-country meet, at the Dorchester Fairgrounds. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Thursday, September 19, 2019
DORCHESTER, ON. - The St. Joseph's Rams have continued what the team started as novice boys last season.
Aiden Coles won the four kilometre junior boys' race at the Dorchester Invitational, the first Thames Valley Regional Athletics (TVRA) cross country meet of the season.
Coles finished the route in 13:52, followed by his brother Tristan and teammates Brent Hagerty and Aiden Holder, in second, third and eighth place, respectively. The Rams handily won the junior boys' team title.
Last November, St. Joe's placed eighth as a team in novice boys, formerly titled midget boys, at OFSAA, the high school provincial championships.
St. Joe's Ram Diego Alban-Gasca won the para race, followed by teammate Gabriel Dala.
The host school had three top 10 results. Hannah McIntyre was fourth, in the novice girls' race, Connor Erb, fifth, senior boys and Ashley Legg, ninth, junior girls.
Parkside Stampeder Mason Basson placed sixth, in the junior boys' race.
Former Mitchell Hepburn Mustang Sydney Murdock, now at London Oakridge, finished second in novice girls.

Dorchester Beaver Leaha Johnston (11) drives towards the East Elgin Eagles' hoop, during TVRA senior girls' basketball, at Lord Dorchester Secondary School. The Eagles won 62-33. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Tuesday, September 17, 2019
DORCHESTER, ON. - It is a new look for the Thames Valley Region Association (TVRA) South-East division.
For the first time at the senior level for girls' basketball and boys' volleyball, there is a combined regular season schedule for the 1A and AA schools.
The Parkside Stampeders, the lone 3A school in the South-East region, have moved to the Central Division.
Senior girls' basketball in the South-East has 10 teams, including the Arthur Voaden Vikings, Central Elgin Titans, Dorchester Beavers, East Elgin Eagles and West Elgin Wildcats.
The same local schools have senior boys volleyball teams.

St. Thomas Star Sean Aitken watches the puck hit the water bottle behind Leamington Flyers' goalie Matthew Waite, scoring the Stars' fourth goal and setting a come back in motion, for a 7-6 overtime win, Friday, at the Joe. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Friday, September 13, 2019
ST. THOMAS - The Leamington Flyers had already scored 12 goals in five periods over two games.
The St. Thomas Stars just wanted to win the third period of their home opener at the Joe.
Led by Jake Robinson and Brock Trichilo, the Stars did more, responding with five unanswered goals, coming back to take the game, 7-6, in overtime.

Courtney Gilbert, left, shows Ella Judson proper positioning for infielders, during the Springfield Brewers' clinic for U10 girls. (photo/ Rob J. Ross)

Tuesday, September 10, 2019
SPRINGFIELD, ON. - Courtney Gilbert remembers her early days learning how to play fast pitch.
Now the career for the former Team Canada member and recent NCAA graduate has come full circle.
Gilbert was out teaching Under-10 girls various aspects of the game, including pitching, base running and fielding ground balls, at a clinic for the Springfield Brewers on Saturday.

Zach Copeland, of St. Thomas, kicks for Team Ontario during the Canada Cup, a week long football showcase tournament held in Kingston over the summer.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019
ST. THOMAS - Down the road Zach Copeland may one day be wearing the colours of a Canadian Football League (CFL) team and the kicker/punter will have the opportunity to look towards the stands and nod.
Living out a dream, Copeland will be able to acknowledge the people who helped him to that day.
For now, Copeland, a Grade 12 student at Parkside Collegiate Institute, will be leading the senior football team during the upcoming TVRA season.
Over the summer, Copeland participated in two major football events.

Three decades later, Rob Coutts returns to the St. Thomas Stars, now as head coach of the GOJHL club. As a player, Coutts helped the Stars win the Sutherland Cup in 1987.

Monday, August 26, 2019
ST. THOMAS - Head coach Rob Coutts would love to lead the St. Thomas Stars back to the glory days of his playing career.
A week into training camp of his first year behind the bench of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League club, Coutts brings experience of winning a Sutherland Cup, something he and Stars' new assistant coach, Mike Teeple, did as players with the Stars in 1987.