Stampeders leave their mark at OFSAA

   Parkside brings home silver from OFSAA field hockey, as St. John's Kilmarnock

   wins gold with a 2-1 win in the championship game

    Saturday, November 3, 2018

By Rob J. Ross 

BURLINGTON, ON. - It is silver for the Parkside Stampeders.

The St. Thomas school has their first ever medal in OFSAA field hockey, finishing second at this year's provincial tournament.

Breslau St. John's Kilmarnock Eagles won the OFSAA championship, edging Parkside, 2-1, in the gold medal St. John's Kilmarnock game, at Nelson Athletic Park.

"Today we exceeded our expectations. I'm not sure it sunk it for a lot of people but we're second in the province. We played phenomenal," Parkside coach Rachel Vojin said. "We had a couple of injuries, but we held together and competed and a 2-1 loss we can not be upset. We have a talented, all-around athletic team. It's still surreal that we're second in the province, to an incredible team in SJK."

The Stampeders lost defender Taylor Snyder to an ankle injury in the semifinals while Taylor Goodhue suffered a nasty gash to her forehead, but returned to play. Petra Salin, an aggressive forward, missed the entire tournament, out with a concussion.

St. John's Kilmarnock, an annual field hockey power, dominated the late 2000's with three consecutive OFSAA titles.

"They (SJK) have an extremely talented team," said Vojin. "Passing, receiving and they play that field so well. They did a little bit better of a job controlling the field with their passing."

Kendra Hulst gave Parkside a 1-0 lead, in the opening minute, but the Eagles struck back with two goals, all in the first half.

"It's nice coming in as an underdog team and actually getting a medal at OFSAA. Nobody even knows St. Thomas," Stampeder Gracie Clinton said. "I didn't expect this. My sister (Maddie) came to OFSAA four years and they got creamed every game. So I thought teams were going to be strong, that we would be weaker than other teams, but we pulled it off."

In the semifinals Saturday morning, the Stampeders upended previously undefeated Bill Crothers Colts, with a 2-1 victory. The Colts were 24-0 entering the game and struck first with the opening goal by Megan Couthino.

But Halle Szabo and Aviva Fournie turned the game around, giving Parkside a 2-1 lead by half-time.

"For me it's really cool because none of us play club and that makes it special to get a medal. None of us had played before (high school)," said Safadi. "We have no weak spots when we're working together."

The Stampeders leave OFSAA with a record of four wins, one loss and a tie. Their season also includes the Thames Valley (TVRA) and Western Ontario (WOSSAA) titles.

"We thought this would be a little bit of a rebuilding year because we had lost a few key players," said Vojin. "We didn't until the middle of the season figure out those key positions."

Key moves included moving Braelyn Dennis to middle "to help control the field", sliding Clinton back and then late in the season, shifting Marin Williams to right defence.

"Moving Marin back made us stronger," defender Amber Safadi said. "She's really fast and strong and she knows where to cover. If someone gets past me she always cuts across and covers me."

Of course, the Stampeders were back-stopped by their vocal leader, goaltender Maggie Gordon.

"Last year she had a rough season with an injury. She came back like she never missed a season," said Vojin on Gordon. "She stood on her head the entire tournament. To hear her say, it's my fault we let those two (goals) in (during the final). No. There are some goals you're never going to stop. She rose to the occasion."

The Stampeders only allowed five goals over their six games at OFSAA.

"For them (players), they knew how to handle this kind of pressure," said Vojin. "They've been to a lot of OFSAAs before with soccer."

Clinton, Dennis, Williams, Kendra Hulst and Taylor Goodhue, have been to OFSAA, four consecutive years, winning gold twice, including this past June.

"It's quite an experience. It's nice to have three medals now," Clinton said.

Safadi added, "For me it's cool because none of us play club and that makes it special to get a medal. None of us had played before (high school) and we play a team that has been playing since Grade three."

Parkside's previous best result for at OFSAA field hockey was in 2008, when the Stampeders lost a quarterfinal on penalty shots.

Vojin has guided the Stampeders to OFSAA three times, something she couldn't achieve as a player at Parkside. Her best result was a silver medal at WOSSAA, losing 3-2 to Exeter South Huron in the final. Vojin's co-coaches Julie Cumberland, Jessica Sutherland and Melinda Watson, are also Stampeders' alumni.

South Huron is the last team from WOSSAA to win provincial gold and that was back in 1994. During this decade, the Goderich Vikings have brought back silver and bronze medals from OFSAA.

Bill Crothers took the OFSAA bronze medal, with a 2-1 victory over the tournament's top seed Kitchener St. Mary's. Bill Crothers also were the only team to beat JLK at the 2018 event, with a 1-0 squeaker in pool play.