CECI South-East badminton champs

  Titans capture TVRA senior conference title advancing eight to WOSSAA

  while Dorchester's Heng repeats as girls' singles champ

 April 21, 2023

Central Elgin Titans' mixed doubles teams Lexi Baker, far left, with Brody Johnston and Mac Ferguson with Emma Westbrook, at TVRA South-East senior badminton April 20 at Parkside Collegiate. (photo / courtesy CECI)

By Rob J. Ross 

ST. THOMAS - The Central Elgin Titans are South-East senior badminton champions.

The Titans capture the Thames Valley Regional Athletics conference team title, by winning boys doubles and mixed doubles, finishing second in ladies singles and third in boys singles, April 20, at Parkside Collegiate.

Top four in each of the five disciplines advance to the Western Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (WOSSAA) tournament, May 4 in London.

"Winning the over all team title speaks to the great coaches and players we have at CECI," said Mac Ferguson, who with Emma Westbrook won mixed doubles. "Good communication and team work has allowed me and Emma to do well. Feels great to be heading to WOSSAA as it will be my first time going for any sport."

Ferguson and Westbrook defeated teammates Brody Johnston and Lexi Baker in the mixed doubles final.

"It feels great to be heading to WOSSAA," Westbrook said. "Mac and I felt pretty good after playing at Glencoe (TVRA South), so we were feeling pretty confident heading into (South-East)."

A year ago, Westbrook advanced to WOSSAA in ladies singles, winning one of three matches.

Titans' Kalan Gillard and Liam Miskelly won boys doubles beating Dorchester's David Johnston and Ben Steyaert. Miskelly returns to WOSSAA, having played three games last year at the tournament with Marcus Sao.

Dorchester's Samantha Heng defeated Titans' Rebecca Nurton in the girls singles final, to repeat as South-East champion.

"It feels amazing to have won again. I would have been really disappointed in myself if I didn't," said Heng. "Like last year, though I might not have been as strong as some of my opponents, I was able to "outmaneuver" them on the court and keep them running back and forth."

A year ago at WOSSAA, Heng placed eighth.

"My WOSSAA goal this year is to rank (finish) better than last year," said Heng. "Last year I rarely did net shots, so now I've realized that they (opponents) play really far back because they know that. I have been working on playing closer to the net which should help me gain a few points and save my energy in the long run."

Titans Carter Lawrence was third in boys singles, with Ingersoll's Nathan Law winning gold.

Dorchester's Jocelyn Pollard and Emily Devine, in girls' doubles and West Elgin Wildcats' Josh Mosher and Karter Rowsom, in boys doubles, both placed fourth.

Woodstock College Avenue's Chloe Jones and Taylor Allcock beat Glencoe's Emma Foley and Bella Eckert, in the girls' doubles final.

West Elgin's Jordan Timmermans took fourth spot in boys singles.

From WOSSAA, the top two in each of the five disciplines, advance to OFSAA May 11-13, in Port Hope.

 

 

Central Elgin Titans Liam Miskelly, Carter Lawrence, Callum Gillard and Becca Nurton, at TVRA South-East senior badminton April 20 at Parkside Collegiate. The four Titans are all heading to WOSSAA.   (photo / courtesy CECI)

 

 

   

    TVRA South-East WOSSAA qualifiers

Girls Singles

1. Samantha Heng (Dorchester)
2. Rebecca Nurton (Central Elgin)
3. Avery Prangley (Woodstock College Ave)
4. Priya Hayre (Woodstock Huron Park)

Girls Doubles

1. Chloe Jones & Taylor Allcock (College Ave)
2. Emma Foley & Bella Eckert (Glencoe)
3. Brooke Readman & Claire Arnott (Huron Park)
4. Jocelyn Pollard & Emily Deane (Dorchester)

Mixed Doubles

1. Mac Ferguson & Emma Westbrook (Central Elgin)
2. Brody Johnston & Lexi Baker (Central Elgin)
3. Caydence Ferguson & Spencer Hooper (College Ave)
4. Juaniqua Tan & Camden Chin (Ingersoll)

Boys Singles

1. Nathan Law (Ingersoll)
2. Emmett Gedies (Ingersoll)
3. Carter Lawrence (Central Elgin)
4. Cohen Belore (Ingersoll) Jordan Timmermans (West Elgin) to advance

Boys Doubles

1. Kalan Gillard & Liam Miskelly (Central Elgin)
2. David Johnston & Ben Steyaert (Dorchester)
3. Ty Friesen & Noah Paulsen (College Ave)
4. Josh Mosher & Karter Rowsom (West Elgin)