Sports

  The Minor Pioneer Ones are still rolling!  They’ve now won six in a row with wins over Winchester, 12-8 and Prescott, 10-7. The Pioneers travelled to Winchester, Tuesday, July 7th for the 12-8 win, […]

  It’s hard to believe it’s been 40 years, but it has. And this weekend players who were members of the former Ottawa District Junior B Hockey league’s championship Morrisburg Lions teams of the mid-1970’s […]

  Smith Falls golfer, Adam Miller led a field of 46 golfers with an even par 72, here Saturday, to win the Iroquois Golf Club’s annual Men’s Open Tournament. “It was a great day,” said […]

 

The Wednesday night, ladies action on June 24 was sponsored by Morrisburg Home Hardware, and the game was an alternate shot with select drive. Fifty-two golfers got a bit wet in a five-minute rain, but they shook it off and proceeded to complete their games. 

The winning twosome was the pairing of Barb Sheridan and Charlene Baker with a 47, while the winning threesome included Lori Anne Davies, Shannon Casselman and Judy Laurin with a 47.

The high score winners were Alice McNairn, Lydia Eamon, Linda Henderson and Helen Youmelle with a 63.

This week, the ladies are taking a break from their weekly play because of the Canada Day holiday. They will be back on July 8 when the evening will be sponsored by Brister Group Insurance.

In men’s night action on Thursday, June 25, Kirk Barkley led the field with a 35 for the low gross win in A flight. Doug McNairn shot a 40 for the B flight win, and Mitch Cassell won C flight with a 44. Net winners were Bob Mann in A flight, Bo Gale in B and Danny Youmelle in C.

Rob Darling won for closest to the hole on the par three second hole, and Danny Youmelle dropped the closest shot on the par three 8th.

Coming up this weekend is the annual Giant Tiger Mixed two-ball competition on Saturday, July 4.

[…]

 

It was a big night on the course for Bruce Kerr. Men’s night last Thursday, June 25, was highlighted by Kerr’s eagle two on the 340 yard par four second hole, a score that had little trouble holding up in the skins game.

Once again it was Kurtis Barkley leading the men’s night field, this week with a two under par, 32. Second spot in A flight field went to Brandon Cousineau with a 37, while James Morrell and Kevin Whitteker got the nods for the low net wins.

Bill Collins shot a 39 for the B flight win, while Bruce Kerr was right on his heels with a 40 in second place. Net winners in B flight were Francis Barkley and Garry Whitteker.

In C flight, it Peter Elliot stepping into the winners circle with a 44, while Steve Summers was next with a 46. The D flight win went to Winston Muir with a 49. The C flight net winner was John Wrinn.

Bill Dejong struck the long drive of the evening, and Francis Barkley and Brandon Cousineau produced the closest to the hole shots on the par three, sixth and ninth holes respectively.

In ladies night action on Wednesday, June 24, Muriel Whitteker led the field with a 43. Mary Whittaker won B flight with a 49, Great McGann C flight with a 54 and Sue Alexander D flight with a 70.

Net winners were Sheila Bush in A flight, Joan Findlay in B and Cyndie Summers in C. Closest to the hole winners were Pat Reaney on six and Sheila Bush on the ninth hole.

James Morrell and Bill Dejong kicked off the week’s action at the Tuesday night Scramble with the low net win. Two teams, Christena Yelle and Kurtis Barkley and Brandon Cousineau and Bryden Van Kessell, finished tied for the low gross win with 33s.

[…]

It’s those well-known words, “Let’s Play Ball” that Austin Marcellus hopes he will hear this fall to herald in one more season of U.S. University NCAA level 2 baseball.

The Pigeon Island Road, 22 year old has been south of the border for the last four years, attending school on partial baseball scholarships. 

He first completed the two year college program at Lochawanna Collge and one year of ball (he was injured the first year),  at Scranton, Pennsylvania, and then transferred to Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina. He graduated from Limestone this spring and completed his second year of college ball for the Saints.

Austin, who was team captain at both schools, is back home for the summer but is hoping to return to Limestone for one more season.

“I was injured in my freshman year at Lochawanna, which means I have another year eligibility to play ball.”

Having graduated from Lochawanna this spring with “my Bachelor degree in Sports and my Bachelor degree in Business, if I go back this year, I would get my Bachelor degree in Marketing and a Coaching Minor.” 

Austin began playing ball when he was six or seven years old. “I didn’t play when I was really young, and when I did start it was because my mom forced me.” He is the son of Bert and Sandi Marcellus.

“I started playing here (Morrisburg) and played on some Upper Canada All Star teams. I played with the Bunnies (Brockville) for about five years.”

It wasn’t until he was a young teenager that Austin, who plays the infield moving around between second, third and shortstop, began to lean heavily towards baseball. 

“I was always excited about playing hockey when I was growing up. I actually thought I was better at hockey. Guess I just wanted to be different,” he says of his success on the ball diamond.

It was while he is was in grade 12 at Seaway District High School, that Austin began looking around for a U.S. baseball scholarship. He went to work sending a number of applications out and the result was the partial scholarship at Lochawanna.

“At Lochawanna, we won our conference both years, and we won the North East Region both years.” That put the team in the Jucco Division 2 World Series, both years in Enid Oklahoma.

Although Austin was injured his first year out, he recalls his first experience at intense training. “My  junior college, the only way to describe it is if you’ve ever seen military training, that is what it was like. They are there to win, and you are there to play baseball. At the Junior College level there are no rules, so we would practise 10 hours a day around our studies.  We would start at 6 a.m., go to class until noon and then practice until 8 at night.” The college baseball season runs from early February to the end of May.

In contrast, once he transferred to Limestone, there were some time guidelines that restricted practise to five to six hours per day.

This spring, Marcellus had a solid season with the Saints who play in the 12-school Carolinas Conference. At five foot 10 and 175 pounds, he had a .331 batting average and was named the Limestone College Saints, Best Offensive Player. He also led the team in stolen bases and was second in RBIs. As a team, “we didn’t do that good.”

Marcellus would like nothing more than to return to Limestone for one more year. Down the road he says he would like to be coaching at the college level, but right now, he just wants to play ball.

 “I am kind of hoping baseball takes me somewhere. I am too old to get drafted, but I’d like to play some independent ball, or I might try to go to Australia. There’s lots of ball to play, now it’s finding a spot.”

Marcellus does have a spot with the Saints again this year, but again on a partial scholarship. So it is the remaining tuition money that is his consideration.

He is working the summer in interlocking landscaping, which helps to keep him in shape and is playing ball with the Capital City Reds in Ottawa which offers ball to college eligible “amateur” players. The Reds have games against teams in the Elite U-18 Summer Baseball program, college summer teams and with semi-pro and professional level teams.

Coming off a good college season with the Saints and playing well with the Reds, Marcellus is hoping he has himself positioned for the opportunity to play ball next season.

[…]

The Seaway Kickers Soccer Club is busy ironing out some final details as the club prepares to host the South Side Soccer League’s annual June Festival which will bring several hundred soccer players and parents to Iroquois the weekend of June 27-28.

The Festival is a big and fun event for the South Side Soccer League and Kickers club president, Phillip Blancher says, “we are expecting between 32 and 36 teams from six different clubs across the age groups. All five of our fields will be in use during the two days.”

The two days of action will begin with the all-girls teams playing on Saturday, June 27, beginning at 11 a.m. (immediately following the regular South Dundas Saturday morning program) and will run until approximately 6 p.m.  

Then on Sunday, all of the league’s mixed teams will take to the fields beginning at 9 a.m. and wrapping up at about 5 p.m.

The June Festival is not a tournament as all games are scheduled South Side league games. It started three years ago when the league wanted to expand the schedule and time was a factor. 

“It was problematic so they came up with the Festival,” says Blancher. “Every team is guaranteed a minimum of three games and each is a regular season game.”

“The festival has traditionally been held in Ottawa, and it has always been held the last weekend of June when the kids maybe haven’t started their summer jobs yet and families haven’t started summer travel.” 

It has also been held at Kemptville Agricultural College, which is no longer available and due to growth in the league a previously used three-field venue is not big enough.

“Five fields made us and South Gower the only potential sites.”

Blancher says the Kickers are expecting well over 500 people including parents and players over the two days, so it will be busy.  “Local business and restaurants will likely be very busy.”

The Kickers have applied to the municipality for road closures in and around the soccer fields.

Specifically they have asked to close Lakeview Drive between Elizabeth Drive and College Streets both days from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and to prohibit parking on the east side of Elizabeth Drive between Seaway District High School and the Beach Road.

Blancher says the local Kickers are delighted to be hosting the June Festival.

“The league itself provides some volunteer support, and we have added some volunteers at the snack bar.”

The Iroquois Scout Troop will provide a barbecue on both days.

“It’s a great opportunity for our club, and it is also a great opportunity for the South Dundas community to showcase ourselves as a sporting community.”

[…]

To be in the top 15 in any event at the OFSAA championship “is spectacular” says Seaway District high School Track and Field Coach, Mark Lewis.

And Seaway had two, doing just that in three events at the provincial championship in Toronto last week.

David Swerdfeger and Sid Sideratos, did an “awesome” job said Lewis who co-coaches the high school’s track and field team with Lindsay Waddell.

Swerdfeger put his best performance together in the midget boys 300m hurdles to place eighth in the Province of Ontario, and added a 12th place finish in triple jump.

Sideratos registered a 13th place finish in midget shot put.

“David was 12th in triple jump, and was second overall of the athletes representing our East Region,” said Lewis. “His jump wasn’t the best of the year (11.96m), but it is pretty intimidating to jump in front of that many people in a large stadium like Varsity Stadium at the University of Toronto. I was pleased that he kept it together.”

“The next morning, he ran a personal best in the 300m hurdles, and qualified in his heat for the final. That is awesome in itself.”

“David finished eighth in the 300m hurdles and was disappointed in his place and time. But to be in the top eight in Ontario is a great honour. Lindsay and I are very proud of him.”

Sid came 13th in shot put which is also great. He didn’t have his best throw, but finished in the same spot that he finished at Eastern Region.”

“The fact of the matter is, this is the largest high school track and field meet in North America, and to even make it there is quite an accomplishment. To be in the top 15 in any event is spectacular.”

In the midget triple jump, Swerdfeger’s results show jumps of 11.64, 11.77 and 11.96m, the 11.96m jump putting him 12th in Ontario. The win in the event went in 13.74m.

He qualified in the 300m hurdles with a time of 42.76 seconds, and ran the final in 43.44 to finish eighth in Ontario.

The race was won in a record setting 39.99 seconds (40.01 seconds the previous record).

Sideratos registered shot put throws of 12.14m, 11.67m and 11.40m with the 12.14 placing him 13th in Ontario.

The event was won with a 15.20m throw, well back of the record 16.95m.

Lewis says he looks forward to working with and coaching all the kids next year, “as I think we can have even more success with the athletes we have.”

Swerdfeger and Sideratos were two of eight Seaway athletes who qualified to compete in 13 events at the Eastern Region meet in Brockville, May 28-29. This year’s Seaway track and field team consisted mainly of young athletes at the midget and junior levels. 

[…]

 

BROCKVILLE– “I think nerves got the best of some of our young team members, but they will learn from this experience and it will only make them stronger and hungrier for next year,” said Seaway High Track and Field coach Mark Lewis, following the East Regional Track and Field Championship hosted by Thousand Islands Secondary in Brockville last, Thursday and Friday, May 28-29.

Lewis, who co-coaches the Seaway team with Lindsay Waddell, credited the young Seaway athletes and is delighted that two will be getting a taste at the tough All-Ontario meet later this week.

“Remembering that they are very young, all midgets and juniors, this is a great building block for the program and hopefully will prepare them for bigger things to come. Lindsay and I are really pleased with the results this year, and look forward to one more big week at OFSAA to see how David and Sid do.”

Qualifying for the All-Ontario championships were two Seaway athletes, David Swerdfeger in two events, midget triple jump and 300 hurdles and Sid Sideratos in midget shot put.

“David did qualify for triple jump and 300 hurdles,” said Lewis. “I think he was disappointed by the results, but he is young and it was the first time he had come up against that level of competition. It is eye opening when you have always been the best, and then there are people as good or better. It was good to happen at this meet as it will prepare him better for this week.”

To qualify in the triple jump, Swerdfeger registered an 11.73m jump for a fourth place finish. This was well down from his winning 12.05m jumped at EOSSA. It was also well back of the winning 12.39 winning jump on Friday.

His second qualification was in the 300m hurdles in which he slightly lowered his winning EOSSA time of 43.78 seconds, with a fourth place 43.44 time.

Sid Sideratos qualified in the midget boys shot put with a second place throw of 12.09m.  He threw 12.61m for his second place EOSSA finish. The East Region win was collected on a 12.91m throw.

“Sid did very well, albeit certainly not his best throw,” said Lewis. “One has to bear in mind that East Region is a qualifying meet, and they both qualified which is what we were trying to do here.”

One of the biggest disappointments for the Seaway team and for the individual athlete going into the East Regional competition was the absence of Maggie Wells who had qualified in junior girls discus and shot put. Due to an injury, Wells was forced to scratch.

“Maggie was really disappointing as looking at the results, she would have easily qualified in both events. But accidents and injuries happen and there is nothing we can do about them,” said Lewis.

Jumper Kaitlyn Stewart had solid results at the  Regional, but came up just short of qualifying in either of her events. Although disappointed with her 10.91m triple jump which landed her in sixth place, she was happy with her sixth place finish in long jump. Stewart registered four personal best jumps in long jump, and finished sixth with a 4.84m PB. This was a big increase from her 4.55m fifth place jump at EOSSA.

Also having a good day was Jaycie Maville, who produced a 9.79m throw for a sixth place finish in midget shot put. This was up from her 9.69m sixth place throw at EOSSA.

“Jaycie threw really well and finished great,” said Lewis. “We are very pleased with her efforts this season.”

On the track, distance runner Grant Wells, failed to qualify but ran personal bests in each of his events, the 1500m and the 3000m. Wells placed eighth in both, running the 1500m in 4:33.79 (4:36.68 at EOSSA) and the 3000m in 9:57.23 (EOSSA fourth  at 10:00.39).

“Grant trained very hard and was rewarded for his hard work. He placed better than he expected, and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.”

The remaining two Seaway athletes at the Regional, Juleana Barnhartd and Cassie Hummel, had disappointing finishes to their season when they scratched in their respective events, Barnhartd in midget triple jump, and Hummel in junior javelin. Never-the-less both had a good seasons as they worked their way to the tough Regional meet.

[…]

Much to the delight of the hometown fans, the Williamsburg Cigars lit up the diamonds at J.C. Whitteker park in Williasmburg over the weekend, playing their way into the Casey at Bat Memorial Fastball tournament finals Sunday afternoon.

“I knew we had a pretty good squad going into the tournament, but I didn’t expect us to have three shutout games,” said Lyle Schell, tournament organizer, and captain of the Williamsburg Cigars. “It was the first time on the diamond for us, so I was very happy with the outcome.”

In the opening game of the weekend-long tournament, the Cigars shut out the Lyn team 8-0. The winning pitcher was Cory Alkerton with relief pitcher Trevor Lahey.

In their second game of the tournament the Cigars played to another shutout, this time winning 10-0 over Eastons Corners. Trevor Lahey was the winning pitcher.

The Cigars third game of the tournament was their closest game, playing to a 7-6 win over Peterborough. Again, Trevor Lahey was the winning pitcher.

The Cigars three wins put them into the semi finals against the Napanee Juniors where they again shut out their competition, this time 6-0. Winning pitcher was Jason Smith with Cory Alkerton in relief.

In the finals, the Cigars chances at the title were snuffed out by Donnacoa handing them their only tournament loss, 6-1. 

The Williamsburg roster included Dan Loney, Kevin Williams, Christian Knapp, Cory Alkerton, Matt Alkerton, Bobby Jack Hart, Jamie Smith, Jason Smith, Jeff Hannah, Trevor Lahey, Lindsay Medynski and Lyle Schell.

Christian Knapp was named tournament MVP.

The tournament opened with a ceremonial first pitch by former Williamsburg councillor and South Dundas mayor Robert ‘Rowdy’ Gillard, who started his political career in the 1970s being mentored by tournament namesake Casey Schell.

After the ceremonial first pitch, the host Williamsburg Cigars gathered to present a donation of $1,200 to the Dundas County Hospice.

[…]