Woodhouse finishes with OFSAA silver

PCI's Gregory, St. Joe's Miller, both place fourth, CECI's Johnson, fifth

By Rob J. Ross

Friday, March 3, 2017

BRAMPTON, ON. - Meredith Woodhouse finishes her high school career with a medal of each colour from OFSAA.

Of course the Grade 12 St. Joseph's wanted another of the gold variety, at the OFSAA wrestling championships, March 2-3, at the Powerade Center.

OFSAA top 6 results OFSAA division brackets

Woodhouse advanced to her second consecutive OFSAA gold medal final in the girls' 64-kg class, but was out-matched by Nyla Burgess of Pickering High.

"It's my last high school match so it's definitely emotional. I wish I could have gone out on a win, but at least I wrestled a good match," said a tearful Woodhouse. "I feel my wrestling was on par with her. I would say I'm upset but not disappointed. It's been a great tournament, but sucks I can't go home on a win."

Woodhouse, with a gold medal from a year ago and a bronze from 2015, felt a crucial mistake on her part gave Burgess an early lead.

"My plan was to stay low and try to get the bread and butter moves that I know," Woodhouse explained. "The first four points she got was definitely my error. I tried to throw her but I just threw myself on to my back. That was a sad four points to lose."

Woodhouse, St. Joe's most decorated female wrestler, hadn't competed as much this season, felt that was factor as well.

Burgess is a tough customer. The Ajax native won the Ontario Juvenile weight class title just last month.

Woodhouse led a St. Joseph's team of six to the provincial high school tournament, held at the Powerade Centre.

The Lady Rams placed seventh in overall team points, out of 40 schools.

Mackenzie Miller finished fourth in the girls 130-kg division. After an opening match loss, Miller won five in a row to advance to the bronze medal final. Rachal El-Darai, from Sudbury Confederation, pinned Miller to place third.

"I wanted to win but I wasn't disappointed that I lost. I stopped concentrating and lost focus for a second," said Miller, who gave her overall OFSAA experience a 10 rating. "Last year I didn't make it to day two."

Sydney Woodhouse was fifth in the girls 54-kg class, winning her final match against Sadie Hickson, of Lindsay CVI.

The top six for each weight division earns a spot on the awards podium.

Nikky Laframboise just missed a podium appearance, placing seventh in the 47.5K class, losing to Tecumseh Vista's Brooke Fletcher, the eventual bronze medalist and a friend of Nikky's.

"I wrestled the best that I good. It just came down to the points," said Laframboise. I'm happy with what I did overall. I'm proud of myself so I'm good. My first (match on day two) was probably one of my best matches all season, because I knew exactly what was happening while it was happening."

Alex Cooper (2-2, girls' 83K) and Kailey Meehan (1-2 , girls' 51K) completed the St. Joseph's OFSAA team.

PCI's Gregory places fourth

Colbie Gregory led the Parkside Stampeders with a fourth place in the girls 44-kg class. Gregory, 4-2 overall, was pinned by Israel Rain Roberts of Guelph Our Lady of Lourdes, in the bronze medal match.

"l was so drained of energy I wasn't wrestling my strongest and I feel I was taking just sloppy shots. I did a back gut wrench but I didn't have enough power and then she got on top of me and I couldn't get out of the pin," Gregory said. "I've never placed at OFSAA before. I'm proud of myself for getting fourth."

In the match that gave Gregory a shot at bronze, she had an impressive turn around. Trailing 9-7 in the dying seconds, Gregory made a quick move to pin Kaleigh Prieur, of Windsor Riverside.

That avenged Gregory's OFSAA opening match loss to Prieur and a possible route towards gold.

"She's really good getting out of pins. I had her pinned three times and she got out every single time," said Gregory recalling her first match. "The last 30 seconds she threw me for four (and) she beat me on points."

But I came back and got her the second time."

Gregory had five Parkside team-mates on the mats at OFSAA.

Ryan Asher (boys' 57.5K) and Gavin Eldridge (boys' 54K), both went 2-2.

Winning their opening matches at OFSAA, before dropping a pair of fights, were Maddie King (girls' 44K) and Duncan Murray (boys' 72K). Payton Grubb-Brodie lost both of her girls' 61K matches.

CECI's Delaney wins final match

A fifth place result by Delaney Johnson, in the girls' 67.5K class, led a trio of Central Elgin Titans.

"Its' been a long time. My third year here (OFSAA), first time on the podium. I couldn't have done it without my coach, Adam Dale, and my team," said Johnson, who also thanked her mom, Kelli and brother, Brady.

"It's the best I wrestled. I was thinking this is my last match wearing a Central Elgin singlet. I just wanted to leave it all out there."

Johnson kept medal hopes alive with a 9-2 victory to improve to 3-1, before dropping a decision to Leigha Smith, of Midland St Teresa. Johnson's first loss was to Ellise Daynes, the 67.5 silver medalist from Hamilton Bishop Ryan.

Ryan Barney won his first two matches of day two, improving to 4-1 in the boys' 83-kg division, but fell to Guelph's Ben Jones, denying him a podium position. Barney's first loss was to the eventual champion, Pickering's Jalen Kato.

Barney had a stellar comeback for his fourth win, down 13-9 in points with 30 seconds left on the clock.

Rod Gutmanis finished at 2-2, in the boys' 95K division.

Arthur Voaden's Cadence MacLeod went 1-2, in the girls' 83K class.

Including St. Thomas schools, the Western Ontario Secondary School Association (WOSSAA) had 14 athletes with top six performances.

Brayden Todd won a third consecutive OFSAA gold, taking the boys' 57.5-kg title. Todd represented Ingersoll DCI, but with no school team there, the Grade 11 athlete trains at Lord Dorchester with coach Jack Gunnell.

For Todd's story, see Gold in 60 seconds.

Other WOSSAA results: Joel Swarath, London Saunders, gold, 44K; Jamie Steckly, Stratford Northwestern, silver, 83K; Jeremiah Swarath, Saunders, third, 41K; Anthony Parker, London Central, third, 130K; Hunter Tandy, Tillsonburg Glendale, fourth, 77K; Patrick Salvador, London Mother Teresa, fourth, 61K; Paige Baynham, London Beal, fifth, girls' 61K; Sarah DeJong, London Lucas, sixth, girls' 51K.