Matt McCooeye named Minor Hockey Coach of the Year

In the five years it’s been up and running at Morrisburg Public School, speed/sport stacking has become extremely popular among the students. As a result when the annual tournament at Nationview Public School rolled around two weeks ago, 54 students helped to pack up the cups and off they went. Leading this year’s results for MPS were Bryce Bradford who scored a third place finish overall at the grade 6 level and Gabriel Baker who scored a third place finish overall at the grade 4 level. Stackers from local schools made for a great and very exciting day at Nationview, with generally 100 plus kids stacking at a time. “It’s crazy loud,” says Nancy Beavers who is the coordinator of the MPS Speed Stacking Club.  “It’s the one sport we take as many students that want to go,” says Nancy Beavers. Stackers at MPS work on their stacking skills at recess during the winter months. “Sometimes there are so many, we don’t have enough cups…and we have 400 cups,” says Beavers. Speed stacking involves the up-stacking and down-stacking of specially designed cups in pre-determined sequences. “It’s great for working the left and right sides of the brain and for hand and eye coordination,” explained Beavers. “It also helps with other activities and sports. It’s for the athlete as well as the non-athlete, and it’s great for kids with disabilities.” The basic patterns are 3-3-3, 3-6-3, and the cycle, all including the up-stacking and down-stacking of the cups. “It’s all on speed,” says Beavers. “If they stumble they have to go back and fix it. It’s all timed, it’s all electronic.” Pictured above, with their ribbons won at the Nationview Speed Stacking tournament, front left to right, are Austin Gonclaves, Sam Connors, Tyler Shields, Manraj Cheema and Oakley Beavers. Back, l-r, are Gabriel Baker, Katie Perry, Sheetal Sahota (front), Kristyn Van Hoof, coach Nancy Beavers, Abby Smith and Bryce Bradford. Cameryn Broad was absent.

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Following an exceptionally good summer season, and several weeks to settle in to her school requirements at that University of Ottawa, local equestrian, Rayanna Marcellus will be back in the saddle on her horse “Keepsake” to prepare to ride at the prestigious Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and Horse Show in Toronto, November 7-16.

Marcellus has been riding competitively for about six years. This will be her second trip to the Royal, having experienced it in at the age of  13 years when she rode the pony, Skip the Frosty.

However, while Marcellus herself has experienced the thrill and excitement of riding at the Royal, this will be a whole new experience for Keepsake (stable name) Louis.

Keepsake is an off the track thoroughbred horse, explains, mom Sandi who operates the Sarabeau Stable on Pigeon Island Road east of Morrisburg, where Rayanna rides. Three years ago, he was enjoying success on the track. “Last year was his first year to show,” explains Sandi. “From race track to the Royal in three years is amazing, and he is only seven years old.” 

Keepsake ran six races during his race career and had one win, two seconds and three thirds when purchased by the Marcellus family. “He is actually a really lazy horse, but he is absolutely beautiful to watch,” says Sandi. “And he is like a sponge, he soaks everything up, and he is just going to keep getting better and better.”

During the summer riding season, Rayanna and Keepsake competed in both the AERSO A and B circuits which meant two schedules and a very busy season. It is the A circuit that has the opportunity to qualify for the Royal, and Rayanna and Keepsake finished the season fourth overall for a qualifying spot.

In the AERSO B Curcuit, Keepsake finished the season, second overall in Children’s Hunter, third overall in Sandridge Medal and third overall in A Equitation. 

At the AERSO B championship September 19-21, he and Rayanna won gold medals for firsts in Children’s Hunter and A Equitation.

“All summer Louis has done really well,” says Rayanna. “I have competed in Toronto before, so I think I should do well. But it is so scary up there for the horse. It’s indoors, and they have been riding outdoors all summer. There is so much going on, the noise and the music. I think he will be okay, and I am really looking forward to the trip.” 

Cheryl Levere, who has been coaching Rayanna since she began riding competitively, is extremely proud of her student and also impressed with Keepsake.

“This was Keepsake’s first real year of showing,” says Levere. “He showed last year, but he was still learning. He is much less experienced than the horses he shows against, but you would never know it by watching him in the ring.”

Levere explained that in trying to earn a spot at the Royal, Rayanna also rode Keepsake in some Ontario shows in the Toronto area this past summer. “Showing there is tough with the best of the best showing, and Rayanna proved she belonged by winning a class and always bringing home some ribbons. She also did all this while getting ready for her first year in University. Rayanna is a very talented and dedicated rider which shows in everything she did over the summer. She proved that hard work pays off.”

The Royal Agricultural Horse Fair is the number one ranked horse show in North America. Over 900 entries will compete in their respective divisions. 

In addition to preparing horse and rider, Sarabeau stables is lining up sponsorships to assist with the many cost which comes with being part of the show including horse transport costs, stabling, entry fee, etc.

“People are certainly welcome to sponsor,” says Sandi. “We have the McIntosh Inn and some friends. Any little bit helps as it’s very expensive. This is just such an amazing opportunity for a young rider. Just to get Keepsake there is absolutely amazing.”

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The South Dundas “Howitzer” Novice B Lions eliminated the Brockville #2 Braves here last week advancing them to the Upper Canada Minor Hockey League(UCMHL) championships. 

The Lions, who have been on a roll since sweeping there first two series, continued their hot streak downing the Brockville #2 Braves in back to back games to advance to the UCMHL championship final against Brockville #1 Braves. 

The Lions posted a 5-3 victory in Game #1 in Brockville, and then here, on home ice last Tuesday (March 6), the Lions won 6-1 in Game #2.

With the game one victory, the Lions expected the Braves to adjust and on the opening face-off with Reilly Greer at centre and Rhys Gibbons on the right wing, the puck went to the left wing boards where Joshua Broad battled the puck away from Gibbons and made a bank pass to Kayne McCadden. 

McCadden knocked it by the defenceman and then out skated everyone to the Braves net where he wristed a shot into the top corner for a 1-0 Lions’ lead 26 seconds into the game.

Late in the first period, with the Lion’s killing a penalty, Ben Lapier intercepted a puck in the neutral zone and drove the Braves net to beat the Brockville goalie for a 2-0 Lions advantage.

In the second period, the Lions scored on three consecutive shifts. 

The first goal was scored by Nolan Henry who knocked in the puck by deflecting it off the Braves goaltender. Kolby Latulippe and Spencer Barclay picked up the assists on the play by keeping the puck alive on the right wing boards before getting it to Henry. 

Kayne McCadden counted his second goal with a shot on the ice inside the right corner that fooled the Braves goalie. Owen Fetterly picked up the assist passing the puck to McCadden from the centre ice face off. 

Henry added his second counter and Barclay picked up his second assist on a broken play at the blue line that the Lions were able to convert. With the goal the Lions had a 5-0 lead and were only one period away from advancing to the finals.

The Lion’s knew the Braves would press and they did. 

Lion’s goalie Brendan Shaver had already stopped three break-aways in the first two periods and was up to the challenge in the third. 

On one occasion the Lions gave up the puck in the slot and Shaver made an incredible pad save. Then, minutes later, his glove went to work. Even with the push, the defense held with Trent Rae and Cassidy Bilmer making life tough on Braves attackers. 

The teams exchanged goals late in the third to make the final score, Lions 6 – Braves 1.

In Game #1 in Brockville, with the game tied 3-3 and under four minutes left on the clock, Lions defenceman Emytt Fetterly moved the puck up the left wing boards to Nolan Henry,.

Henry made a quick move and passed it to centre man Ben Lapier who went wide on the Braves defense and beat their goalie with a wrist shot. 

Moments later Joshua Broad gave the Lions a two-goal lead when Owen Fetterly made a right wing pass to Kayne McCadden who shot low on the Braves goalie. The rebound went right to Broad who netted the Lions goal giving the Lions the 5-3 game one win.

The Lions for the third consecutive game fell behind 2-1 and rallied to out score the Braves 4-1 in the second and third periods. 

The Lions opened the scoring when Kayne McCadden took a pass from Joshua Broad and went into the Braves zone and netted the game’s opening goal. 

The Braves responded with two quick goals as the first period expired. 

At 1:31 Marcus Ola banged home a Rhys Gibbons shot that Lions goalie Brendan Shaver had made a great toe save on. However, the rebound wasn’t cleared when Ola jumped on the puck to slide it home. 

Forty seconds later Reilly Greer scored on a loose puck in front of Lions net.

The South Dundas “Howitzer” Novice B Lions will now face the Brockville #1 Braves in the UCMHL finals. 

Game #1 is set for Wednesday, March 25th in Morrisburg  at 7 p.m. Game 2 goes to Brockville on Friday, March 23 at 6 p.m.

Game #3 of the five point series will be back in Morrisburg on Saturday, March 24th at 4 p.m. 

Each of the Novice Lions home games will provide local hockey fans a double header as the Bantam B Rep Lions are scheduled for their UCMHL championship series on the same home dates.

The community is invited to come out and support  the local Lions!

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