May 15 area sports: Brock fencing; Panthers win D1 bronze; Spears football: Beechwood golf; Spartans edge Gens
BRONZE FOR PANTHERS
A complete team effort was exactly what the Pelham Panther Under 16 boys basketball team needed heading into the Ontario Basketball Association championship weekend in Ottawa — and that’s what they got.
All 11 players contributed as the Panthers captured the bronze medal in Division 1 with a 56-53 victory over MUMBA (Markham).
“We kind of limped our way in here having lost three of our last four games so we knew we needed everyone to step up, and to their credit, they did,” assistant coach Randy Conlon said. “There wasn’t one kid who didn’t make a key play at a crucial moment — be it a rebound, a steal, or much-needed bucket.”
After an opening-round loss the silver medalist Mississauga Monarchs, the Panthers rebounded with two victories over Ottawa Elite and IEM Elite to advance to the bronze medal game.
Team members include: Cole Arnold, Josh Ens, Jimmy Hillyard and Noah Monteforte from Blessed Trinity; Max Grant and Michael Conlon from Denis Morris; Quinton Duemo and Grady Vandersloot from St. Francis; Ryan Fitzgerald and Brandon Markowski from Notre Dame; and Aiden Belding and Jason Carter from E.L. Crossley.
Coaches were head coach Jeff Carter and assistants Aaron Belding and Conlon.
FENCING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
More than 1,000 athletes will be at Brock University this long weekend competing in the Canadian Fencing National Championships.
Hosted by Brock Fencing in Niagara for the first time, the event runs Friday to Monday and will crown champions in 48 categories, ranging in age to 40-plus from under-15. National teams are selected at this event.
Following the tournament, a two-day coaching clinic will be held Tuesday and Wednesday.
“This event is a huge win from the perspective of all the university units working together to facilitate this hosting experience,” Brock fencing coach Tim Stang said.
More than half of the athletes competing are considering their post-secondary education options.
“This event will serve as a great tool to show what Niagara and Brock have to offer and what our varsity and club fencing teams can do. It’s a fantastic recruiting tool,” Stang said. “Our target is to get kids to come to Brock. It’s not just the individuals who want to come here for fencing, but it’s their brothers and sisters and extended family members. As beautiful as the campus is, they come here and fall in love with it.”
In addition to a variety of age and gender divisions, athletes will compete in the three fencing disciplines, foil, epee and sabre.
Each day will see preliminary rounds start at 8 a.m and finals start at 1 p.m.
On Monday, the university championships will be held and Brock’s medal hopefuls include Beamsville’s Malcolm McLeod and Aaron Olmstead. Brock has 14 athletes taking part and another seven from the Brock Academy club team. That team boasts top-ranked Canadian under-15 sabre athlete Pranav Parakh and top-ranked under-15 foil athlete Darren Dong.
Admission is free. For more information, visit fencing.ca.
SPEARS TAKE TWO OF THREE
The Niagara Spears senior varsity team opened the regular season with a 35-28 loss to the Essex Ravens.
Justin Succar, Dante McNamara, Dallas Bone and Josh Ferguson scored majors for Niagara and Cole Mackinnon kicked all four converts.
In other action, the Niagara Junior Varsity Tier 1 team beat Essex 57-50 in overtime and the Bantam Spears edged the Essex Ravens 15-15.
Spears photo courtesy of Ed Telenko.
BEECHWOOD GOLF
Tuesday Ladies
Draw winners: Fran Primeau, Carolyn Gear, Sharon Hiscoe, Alana McGregor, Darlene Smith, Connie Mack, Stacey Krumins, Kim Cowan, Kathy Kowalski,Carrie Zeffiro, Sara Fragnito, Laure Lafergola.
Competition winners
Low putts: Darlene Smith, Angie Morocco, Angie McDermott.
Best Poker Hand: Ev Willms, Stacey Krumins, Carrie Zeffiro, Carolyn Gear, Sue Dupelle, Jean Ann Zurbrigg, Phyllis Edwardson, Beatty Sokoloski.
Longest Putt: Hole #3: Leanne Cummings; #8: Fran Primeau; #12: Chris Maleta; #14 Janice Rowe.
Wednesday Ladies
Draw winners: Andrea Bergen, Marge Viele, Shirley Bartolini Janie Griffiths, Debbie Hamilton, Jane Rutherford, Mona Hinsperger.
Competition winners
Best Poker Hand: Wanda Allison, Colleen Evans.
Longest Putt: Hole #3: Diane Graham; #8: Sue McVey.
Derby Day Scramble Winners
Men: 1. Eddie Kenny, Kevin Gregoire, Jason Gagnon, Ryan Venne 62; 2. Don Reid, Jim McCann, Bernie MacAdam 63; 3. Joel Cienik, Tim Summers, Bill McGarrigle and Ryan Thomas 64.
Mixed: Wilf Soulsby, Juliette Soulsby, John Freeman, Luke Karner 67; 2. John Rodwell, Carol Cort, James Wimmer, Susan Wimmer 68; 3. Rick Dupuis, Carol Dupuis, John Bennoch, Judith Bennoch 69.
Friday-Ben’s Bright Spot Boys-Net Best Ball: 1. John Sciamonte, Ken Cripps, Jim Decaire, Attila Becsy 20 under; 2 Kenny Cameron, Mike Redfern, Frank Sentance, Wilf Soulsby 17 under.
Low Putting Team: John Sciamonte, Ken Cripps Kenny Cameron, Don Reid 116.
Sunday Gals-Net Skins: Suzanne Meginnis #2; Debbie Parks #4; Barb Klassen #11; Linda MacKay #14; Cherie Race #16.
Sunday-Ben’s Group-Net Best Ball: 1. Ed Stangret, Sam Linwood, Bill Urquhart, Wayne Meginnis 19 under; 2. Ron Reece, Pat Money, Rick Linwood, Duncan Allan 17 under; 3. Gerry Maney, Dieter Klassen, Larry Lavelle, Karl Palmquist 14 under; 4. Wilf Soulsby, Bill Urquhart, Bob Fuller, Tony Crocco, George Allan; Rick Dupuis, Ralph Carmichael, Bill Urquhart 11 under; 6. Sam Lucenti, Butch Ciancio, Steve Romanin,Tim Howe 7 under; 7. Tony DeRose,Kevin Cowling, Ange Persia, Bill Urquhart 5 under.
Closest to Hole: #2 Tony DeRose; #13 Ron Reece,
Low Net Winner: Pat Loney 86-21=65.
Hole in One scored by Jason Julien on Hole #17, 125 yards with a pitching wedge. Witnessed by Wray Barrett.
Hole in One scored by Mitch Sawatsky on Hole #13,144 pards with a gap wedge. Playing partners Chris Sawatsky, Peter Sawatsky, John Sawatsky.
LUCKY SEVEN FOR SPARTANS
The St. Catharines Spartans finally got into the win column with an 11-10 victory over the Welland Generals in Ontario Lacrosse Association junior B action Tuesday night at the Merritton Arena.
The Spartans had lost their first six games of the season.
Mario Caito paced St. Catharines with five goals while Tyler Kolodka added four. Sam LeClair and Blake Halliday also scored while Connor Aquanno chipped in with five assists.
Talon Badawey led the Generals with four goals and five assists while Bailey Fournier-Higgins and Peter Hryniuk netted two each. Mitchell Geoffroy and Gavin McGregor rounded out the scoring.
The Generals were assessed 103 minutes in penalties while the Spartans spent 82 minutes in the box.
The Spartans fell to 0-6 with a 13-5 loss at Windsor Saturday.
Aquanno scored twice while Jacob McMillan, LeClair and Caito also scored for the Spartans. Adam Kirchmayer added three assists.
The Spartans are home to Guelph Friday at 8 p.m. and Port Edward Sunday at 7 p.m.
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