Circuit Pro snowmobile tour at Cornwall Speedway, Jan. 30-Feb. 1

The Morrisburg Lions Junior hockey club is pleased to announce that former National Hockey League player Dan Frawley has joined the organization as the new head coach.

Frawley fills the gap created when Thom Raccine announced that he would not be returning at the end of last season.

Lions general manager Kevin Casselman, points out that the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League as a whole has developed from a smaller league to a much more dynamic league with larger visions, and with that, comes bigger challenges. 

“We have worked hard to bring our organization to the next level, and nurtured it to make it a success,” says Casselman.

Case in point, starting this season the Champions of the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey league will compete in the “Eastern Canadian Junior Championship” against teams from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland The league has also joined in the formation of a committee which will works toward the formation of a Canadian National Junior B Championship in the future.

“The hiring of Dan comes at a great time for our organization,” says Casselman. “We are excited and confident with Dan’s leadership that we are taking that next step. It just reinforces the strategic plan for us to meet the new challenges that are ahead. We are proud that junior hockey will continue here in South Dundas.”

Casselman explains that the essential question after last season was  “what must we do” in fact “what must we become” if we are to continue in successfully navigating this organization into the future, and continuing to provide junior hockey here in South Dundas.”

Dan Frawley played for the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey Association and the Cornwall Royals of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, where he was member of the Memorial Cup Championship team. 

He was drafted by the Chicago Black Hawks, 204th overall in the 1980 NHL Draft and he played with the Black Hawks during the 1984–85 season (his NHL rookie season). 

On the October 7, 1985, Frawley was picked up by the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team he spent the next four years with.

His leadership on the Penguins, was recognized with his appointment as team captain in October 1987, a role he would hand over to Mario Lemieux two months later, because of an injury that kept him out of the lineup.

In 1989, Frawley returned to the American Hockey League. He retired in 1993, but came out of retirement in 1995, and played two more years with the 1996 Calder Cup winning Rochester Americans of the AHL. He retired from professional hockey a second time in 1998, after the 1997–98 season.

In 2003, Dan was selected to the Rochester Americans hall of fame. His contributions as a long time player, and his work ethic earned him this honor.

Frawley, lives locally, and has a son who played in the South Dundas Minor Hockey Association.

The Lions 2012/2013 camp will be held at the Benson Centre in Cornwall on Saturday, August 25 (1-3 p.m.) and Sunday, August 26 (2-4 p.m.).

Four exhibition games have been lined up at the Benson Centre over Labour Day Weekend, with games at 7 p.m. against the Akwesasne Wolves on August 31 and September 1. South Grenville will play on September 2 at 3:30 p.m. and Char-Lan will play on September 3 at 3:30.

[…]

A team of nine skaters had a good day as they represented Seaway District High School and their local figure skating club at the annual Skate Canada Eastern Ontario High School Championship in Smiths Falls, on Tuesday, March 27.

The nine skaters, all of whom skate with the Morrisburg and District Figure Skating club, were coached at the Skate Canada sanctioned competition by Sharon Last.

They represented Seaway in all of the four events at their particular skating level determined by their figure skate test passes. 

The events included: Individual freestyle; Pairs; Team skating (2-4 skaters) in elements and spins; Triathalon (2-3 skaters) in skills, interpretive and freestyle.

Posting a gold medal result for Seaway was the Pairs II entry of Allison Lee and Alyssa MacMillan who skated a two minute program.

Next up, to finish second overall, was the Triathlon II team of Jessica Thompson, Ali VanHoof and Katherine Lee.

Thompson posted a first in Interpretive, VanHoof a third in Freestyle and Lee a fifth in Skills for an overall second place finish.

Also solid in the Triathalon (Level I) were Jessica Bass, Alyssa MacMillan and Logan Patterson. MacMillan skated to a second in Freestyle, Patterson a third in Skills and Bass a fourth in Interpretive for their third place finish overall.

Individual freestyle skaters for Seaway included Alice Cameron (preliminary), Alyssa MacMillan (senior bronze), Logan Patterson (junior bronze) and Ali VanHoof (open women).

In team skating, Seaway’s top finish was put together by Gillian Beatson, Ali VanHoof, Katherine Lee and Jessica Thompson who placed first in the semi-final skate and finished third overall in Elements II.

Elements two included double toe or Salchow jumps, double loop or flip jumps and a jump combination.

Seaway iced two teams in the Spin event, one in each of the I and II levels. 

Jessica Bass, Logan Patterson, Alice Cameron and Alyssa MacMillan finished first in the semi-final I level, but were not among the top finishers in the final.

Gillian Beatson, Ali VanHoof, Katherine Lee and Jessica Thompson were third in their flight in Spin II.

The Spin I event involved spins of three rotations while the II level were spins of four plus rotations and combination spins.

“It was a long and exhausting day for skaters, parents and coach, but the results were well worth the effort,” said coach Last. “The Seaway team once again demonstrated the character that has long made Seaway the talk in the athletics of Eastern Ontario.”

“All of our skaters demonstrated respect for the sport and others.”

[…]

The curling leagues are in full swing again at the Morrisburg Club. 

But first, the results of the last draw for the day men. After some tight matches, the champions were declared: Sid Morrell, Ron Beaupre, Bud Perry and Gerry Thompson won out, followed close behind in the 10-team league by Wally McDonald, Raymond Benoit, Sam Locke and Paul Dobry, and the third place team of John Wilson, Rick MacKenzie, Glenn Cougler and Bob Bechard. The men’s current draw, for the Kincaid Trophy, began on January 3. 

Dec. 30 saw another two-person spiel, coordinated by Susan McIntosh. There was a full slate of 24 teams, and after six hours of curling, the winners were declared and the prize money handed out. 

The champions in the “A” division were Pete Zeran and Bud Perry, who defeated Sam Locke and Darryl McDonnell. In the “B” division, Paul St. Pierre and Ron Beaupre were victorious over Steve and Alice Thompson, while the “C” division winners were Jim and Wendy Casselman, over Keith Robinson and “Bad Bob” Youmelle. 

It was a fine event, as always –pot luck this time, with the proceeds of the day going to a few club launchers for those of us who can no longer get back up after getting into the hack to deliver rocks. The new measuring stick, a previous project, is already on order. Thanks again to Susan, and to those volunteers who made things work in the event.

In the Friday night mixed league, the winners in the first draw were Larry Cooper, Keith Robinson, Anita Cooper and Darryl McDonnell.

Over the holidays, the Best Western Intermediate Men’s Zone playdowns were held at our club. The teams advancing to the regional playdowns at the Ottawa Hunt Club this month are Kevin Baker from Cornwall and Dwayne Lowe from Huntley. The winners there will play in Peterborough in March for the provincial championship. 

By all accounts, the New Year’s Eve bonspiel and the following party went well, and will once again be an annual event. 

The curling “A” winners were Wally Baker, Jim Casselman, Claire Locke and Rachel Eaves, while the “B” winners were Mahlon Locke, Gretta McGann, Gary Beckstead and Dianne Gallinger. With creative rules in the curling and midnight kisses and tempting refreshments afterwards, everyone enjoyed the evening.

In the Cornwall leg of the senior men’s Parnell bonspiel, our two teams did well, but split their games. 

Peter Zeran, Jack Barkley, Earl Jeacle and Bud Perry lost on their last rock to Cornwall in the morning, but defeated Prescott in the afternoon. Our other foursome, Sid Morrell, Raymond Benoit, Neil Williams and George Rutley lost to Cornwall, but defeated Prescott. Congratulations to Lancaster, even though they were the smallest club, for taking the win on the day.

The Broder, the four-club women’s competition, will be held in Russell on January 19th. Good luck to our two teams.

And finally, on Tuesday, January 15, three Scottish men’s teams will be playing here, challenging our club champions. Please feel free to come out and enjoy this international event. The games will be held at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

     Good curling to all!

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