Thompson lifts Medway to OFSAA gold

   Thorndale natives Thompson and Goris provincial high school field hockey champs

   with Thompson scoring lone goal against Saltfleet in gold medal final

  November 9, 2025

By Rob J. Ross

LONDON, Ont. - Olivia Thompson still could not believe it.

Even with the medals handed out and celebrating with teammates holding the championship banner, Thompson was in disbelief she was an OFSAA field hockey champion.

The Thorndale resident scored the only goal in the gold medal game, a 1-0 Medway Cowboys win over the Saltfleet Storm from Stoney Creek, November 8 at City Wide Sports park in London.

"It's not real. It's actually crazy. I think we're all in disbelief, but we worked hard all season for this," Thompson said. "We came together as a family. We knew that if we were going to get this done, we had to work together and we had to use everybody out on that field."

Medway carried the play in the first half and had several quality scoring opportunities and at least eight direct shots at the Saltfleet goalie.

Only Thompson could put one in, leaving the score 1-0 at half time.

The field was more balanced over the second half with fifth seeded Saltfleet having their chances, but Medway kept the clean sheet, back stopped by goalie Helaena MacDonald.

"We had a couple secret words to keep us calm and make sure we didn't get too stressed out," said Emma Goris, also from Thorndale. "I feel it was just staying calm and working together and that's what brought us the win."

Thompson with two goals, Goris and Hildi Thauer, scored in the semifinals, a 4-0 shutout of Bishop Reding from Milton, with MacDonald in net. Thompson had the game's lone goal in a 1-0 shutout of second ranked Kingston Holy Cross in the quarterfinals.

Medway went undefeated over the three day high school provincial championship, with five wins and a tie, against top seeded Waterloo St. David. Coming into the tournament, Medway was seeded eighth out of 16 teams.

"It's really exciting because (coach Dana) Kajan and all of them put in all the work and time to help us get to where we are today," Goris said. "We work really well as a team because we're all connected, on and off the field and that showed, especially today in our final."

St. David captured the bronze medal, defeating Bishop Reding.

A year ago at OFSAA, Medway failed to advance from pool play, leaving the team disappointed in their result. There was a hunger coming in to this season, when they knew as hosts of OFSAA, the team had a shot at a medal.

"We knew from the beginning. We had such as large Grade 12 group and we knew it was unfinished business last year," Thompson said. "(Hunger) was definitely still there coming into this season. It was taking it one game at a time. We knew we couldn't look ahead past any game."

Medway cruised through the Thames Valley Region season undefeated.

"I didn't know if we were going to or not (win OFSAA gold), but I was really hoping," said Goris. "In my grade nine year, we got antique bronze and we were all disappointed about that. Last year we didn't make it past our pool play, which was really disappointing."

It is the first OFSAA gold ever for Medway in field hockey and first medal since a silver in 1998.

"Absolutely this is the greatest accomplishment I've had so far," Thompson said of her sports career. "It's an unreal experience and as my Grade 12 season, I think I went out pretty well."

Goderich, the only team to beat Medway, in the WOSSAA final, played on grass, lost in the OFSAA quarterfinals, played on turf.

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