Five strike regional track and field gold

   Elgin County - Dorchester send 14 athletes to OFSAA championships

  June 3, 2024

By Rob J. Ross 

WINDSOR, Ont.  - Will Downing, Taylor Kana, Matt Piekny, Henry Scott and Andrew Urquhart are heading to OFSAA track and field as regional champions.

The five athletes won events at the OFSAA West Region track and field championships, May 31-June 1 at Windsor University.

Top four in each event at regionals move on to OFSAA, the high school provincial championships, June 6-8, at Western University in London.

Downing and Urquhart are part of a Dorchester Beavers team of five going to OFSAA, including Kirk Hallman in two events and Evan Stevens and Aisha Medina, both for pole vault.

Piekny leads a team of five St. Joseph's Rams, with fellow pole vaulters, Libby McCurdy and the sister - brother combo of Promise and Ethan Atkinson, along with junior Flourish Nmor in the 800 metre run.

Kana and Scott will represent the East Elgin Eagles, while Lexi Stanat will be the lone Parkside Stampeder, but in two events.

Winners high five

Piekny, the 2023 OFSAA senior men's silver medalist, won pole vault needing to clear only 4.20 metres.

Capable of reaching 4.60 metres, Piekny who missed a week of practice due to a strained hip flexor, came into the senior event aiming to simply qualify for OFSAA, but was good enough to win.

Kana threw a personal best (PB) distance of 43.63 metres to win senior women's javelin.

"I started off really strong and felt really good. I started off with a 41 and that got me going. I stayed consistent with all 39s and the got the 43, said the Grade 11 East Elgin Eagle. "Everything just felt really smooth, quick. My run-up can be a little bit faster, but all the work I put in for the past week, everything is clicking now."

                     Kana

Her 41.31-metre throw in the first round put Kana in first, a measurement no other competitor could reach. Kaitlyn Pepper from Tecumseh finished second with a best effort of 41.02 metres.

"I could tell that she was going to do somethign good today. When she ripped that last run through, I knew right away. It was like a foot and half PB," said coach Kyle Rolph. "She worked really hard this week (at practice). The last couple meets she struggled to get 37. We worked on a couple of things that we isolated. Basically her release and did tons of drill, and incorparated those drills into her warm-up today."

It's a third consecutive trip to OFSAA, where Kana won bronze both as a junior and novice competitor.

"It feel goods since I don't do club track. I'm happy with my progress this year," said Kana, who has been dealing with soreness in her shoulder all season. "It's been a challenge to overcome, but I've been trying to practice through it and still have good throws and not keep hurting my shoulder."

Her shoulder is active as Kana is also a catcher for the UTM 2k7 U17 women's fastball team from the Guelph area. The Grade 11 student has committed to attend St Clair College in Windsor and play fastball with the Saints in 2025.

"She's a good kid. She takes it really seriously. She really enjoys it," added Rolph. "She brought a couple of friends along with her and they did really well this year."

Eagles' teammate Darah Farrow placed 13th with a throw of 28.00 metres. Reece Laidlaw didn't advance to regionals, but had a PB at WOSSAA.

Urquhart set a meet record of 17.80 metres winning junior men's shot put and that wasn't even his personal best throw.

"I threw OK, but I still feel I could have thrown so much better. I think I have a lot more in me for OFSAA," said Urquhart, who had a PB of 18.06 metres. "I wasn't using my legs as much as I could have and I was arming it more than I should have, so if I can use my legs more I'll be throwing a lot further."

Five of his throws were over 17 metres, after a foul in round one.

Urquhart placed fourth at OFSAA a year ago in novice.

"The goal is top three," Urquhart said. "I'll be more relaxed. Last year I was really intense. I think that will help me throw further. It's not as imitidating."

Urquhart placed eighth in discus, with a best effort of 43.23 metres.

Downing heads to his first OFSAA in both the novice men's 100 and 300 metre hurdles.

"It's awesome. A honour. I'll serve Dorchester some pride and I'll do my best and give it all I got," said Downing, who holds school records in both events.

After qualifying for the final with the third fastest heat time of 14.95 seconds, Downing dropped his time to 14.49 seconds to win gold.

"I wasn't expecting that time, but I knew I could do it," said Downing. "I had a bad start in the (prelims). I was floating a little too high, so I corrected myself. I got out ahead and felt pressure to keep going forward and it helped me move faster."

Simply trying a new event captured Downing's interest in hurdles earlier this year, guided along by Dorchester coach Will Potter.

"He really focused in and helped me a lot with my technique, my stamina and encouraging me," said Downing. "Everything he did got me to where I am today."

Downing grabbed the fourth and final qualifying spot in the 300 hurdles finishing in 44.12 seconds.

Henry Scott won junior men's 200-metre dash in time of 22.153 seconds, in a photo finish with Kitchener Resurrection's Noah Horspool (22.158 sec.). Scott just missed qualifying in the 100, finishing fifth in 11.07 seconds.

Last year at OFSAA, Scott finished sixth in the novice men's 200 final.

 

Stanat's big comeback

Lexi Stanat moves on in both of her events, setting PBs placing second in senior women's discus (42.84m) and fourth in shot put (10.93m).

"I threw really well. I am really proud of discus. A three metre PB, so a big deal," said Stanat. "I've been practising quite a bit and I'm feeling good in practice. I was feeling good today."

A thrower since elementary school, this is the first season competing in high school for the Grade 12 student at Parkside.

"My first year in Grade nine was COVID and Grade 10 I was injured and last year I wasn't able to do it," Stanat said. "I'm really excited. It's been three years since I've thrown, so I just started up. It's been a long time, but it's like riding a bike, you still remember everything."

Back in 2018, Stanat was a silver medalist in both U14 girls discus and javelin, competing up one level, at the Athletics Ontario championships.

What kept Stanat throwing after missing three years of her high school career?

"Mainly the support from my family. My older brother AJ comes out to practice and gives really good points after I throw. I look up to him a lot because he's done so well," Stanat said. "My dad as well. He comes out for all of the practices and puts in a lot of time and effort for me. It's my success but it's for them as well."

AJ won gold in both shot put and hammer throw at the Ontario Universities Athletics indoor championships earlier this year and brought home silver for shot put from the Canadian university championships (U-Sports) and placed fourth in hammer. Dad, Alex, represented Canada back in the '90s throwing discus at the Pan Am and Commonwealth games.

Lexi wasn't thinking OFSAA coming into this season, but her results quickly put the championship on her radar.

"My first competition I was throwing like 34, so I definitely improved a lot since then," Stanat said. "I thought I could make it to OFSAA. I continued practicing and getting better and seeing my results getting better every competition."

Throughout this season, Stanat has been up against Julia Tunks, the number one high school thrower in Canada, who has smashing records at every meet.

"It's nice seeing someone do so well at such a high level," said Stanat. "I've known Julia for half of my life competing against her. It's nice having someone to talk to between throws and laughing stuff off, if something doesn't go right."

Tunks won discus with a Canadian high school record of 60.61 metres and shot put with a meet record of 14.52m.

Hallman moves on twice

Kirk Hallman moves on in two races, finishing second in the junior men's 3000 (9:00.13) and third in the 1500.

"My two races went well. There is always something that could have been done better. In the 1500, I could have had a better start, and in the 3000, I could have run it a little bit smarter to avoid the wind. Overall, I'm very happy with the second and third"

A year ago at OFSAA, Hallman finished fifth in both the novice men's 3000 and 1500.

"It's more exciting to return to OFSAA the next year since you start to become familiar with your competition, and make new goals," said Hallman. "I'm always aiming for a podium finish, but since there is such strong competition in my age, I try my best to focus on my own race, run my own times and don't measure my success too much on how others do."

Libby McCurdy set a PB clearing the bar at 3.50 metres finishing second in senior women's pole vault, behind winner Sophia Bryenton, of London Oakridge, at 3.65m.

"It was a super good day," McCurdy said. "It's crazy thinking that I'm opening at the height (3.20m) that I was getting as a PB last year."

Joining McCurdy at OFSAA and Promise Atkinson, for senior women's pole vault, Flourish Nmor, junior women's 800-metre run and Ethan Atkinson, novice men's pole vault.

Flourish Nmor returns to OFSAA for the 800 metres, finishing fourth in the junior women's race (2:25.40). Nmor also placed 10th in the 400m dash (1:03.14).

Carter Froggett from Thorndale, who attends Medway high school, placed second in senior men's javelin (53.05m).

With the West region hosting OFSAA, athletes from the West, fill out the field, 20 for each event, if one of the other regions does send four athletes for any event.

That was the case for pole vaulters Promise Atkinson in senior women's, Evan Stevens in senior men's, Aisha Medina for novice women's and Ethan Atkinson in novice men's. Results below.

Local results
 

Evan Stevens, Dorchester Beavers, 5th, senior men's pole vault (PB 3.50m).

Alyssa Gordon, Parkside Stampeders, 5th, senior women's high jump (1.55m).

Ethan Atkinson, St. Joe's Rams, 5th, novice men's 300m hurdles (44.83 sec.), 6th, high jump (1.70m), 9th, pole vault (2.45m).

Promise Atkinson, St. Joe's Rams, 5th, senior women's, pole vault (3.05m), 14th, long jump (4.58m).

Merrick Rollins, Parkside Stampeders, 6th, senior men's javelin (PB 49.19m).

Hayden Craig, Parkside Stampeders, 7th, novice men's 800m (2:11.08), 10th, 400m (55.55 sec.).

Sarah Foley, St. Joe's Rams, 7th, junior women's high jump (1.45m).

Aisha Medina, Dorchester Beavers, 7th, novice women's pole vault (PB 2.30m)

David Anderson, St. Joe's Rams, 7th, senior men's shot put (13.12m), 9th, discus (37.54m).

Brayden Smith, Dorchester Beavers, 7th, senior men's triple jump (12.68m).

Savannah Vannoord, St. Joe's Rams, 8th, novice women's 300m hurdles (50.24 sec.).

Luke Van Gorp, St. Joe's Rams, 8th, novice men's javelin (38.91m)

Emma Westbrook, Central Elgin Titans, 10th, senior women's javelin (31.06m).

Sam Willsie, Dorchester Beavers, 10th, senior men's 400m (51.12 sec.), 10th, 400m hurdles (56.37 sec.).

Ryan Johnson, Dorchester Beavers, 11th, open men's 2000m steeplechase (6:42.95)

Benji Gould, East Elgin Eagles, 11th, novice men's 3000m (10:20.00).

Matt Piekny, St. Joe's Rams, 12th, senior men's 110m hurdles (16.00 sec.)

Shawn Okorhi, St. Joe's Rams, 12th, senior men's high jump (1.55m)

Max Gasper, St. Joe's Rams, 12th, novice men's javelin (35.14m)

Ava Stahle, Dorchester Beavers, 13th, novice women's discus (19.63m)

Darah Farrow, East Elgin Eagles, 13th, senior women's javelin (28.00m).

River Neveu, Dorchester Beavers, 14th, junior men's triple jump (11.30m)

Mara Kemmerling, St. Joe's Rams, 14th, senior women's 100m hurdles (16.75 sec.)

Andrew Monteith, Parkside Stampeders, 16th, senior men's 800 (2:16.93).

Alexis Gray, Parkside Stampeders, 16th, senior women's 400 (1:03.49).

Zachary Dos Santos, Dorchester Beavers, 16th, senior men's 200m (23.35 sec.)

Ryan Pranger, Dorchester Beavers, 16th, junior men's javelin (35.49m)

Clara Steller, Dorchester Beavers, novice women's javelin (NM foul)

Malaki Bascombe, Central Elgin Titans, junior men's high jump (NH)
 

        rob@hometownplay.ca

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