Tomori, Shuker and Hallett fastest at zones
Graham Tomori completed Step 1 of his sky-high goals Thursday at the Niagara Region High School Athletic Association Zone 3 and 4 cross country meet Thursday at Firemen’s Park in Niagara Falls.
The Grade 12 student was the first senior boy across the finish line by more than one minute and 23 seconds.
“I want to go undefeated this season. I have been training really, really hard this summer and I have had very good workouts,” the 16-year-old said. “I am not going to race a bunch of races and I am only racing Zone (3/4), SOSSA (Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association), OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations), AO (Athletics Ontario) championship and nationals for my age and I want to come across the finish line in all five in first place.”
Clearly Tomori is not messing around.
“I’ve never won a provincial-wide meet or nationals meet. I performed well and competed strong but never won and I credit that to not being super-fit in Grade 10 or not racing any other meets after OFSAA. Last year, we were racing with guys a year older and it’s hard to compete with them when they have that year on you,” the Edge Sports member said. “This year, I feel there is no excuse. I’ve worked really, really hard this summer and I am fitter than I have ever been. I’ve been training a lot and I want to go there and see what I can do.”
His running mileage hasn’t changed dramatically but the effort he is putting forth in training is much different.
“I am really working on pushing myself and giving myself a good self-talk.”
He is not sure where his motivation comes from.
“Something just drives me. I need to do as good as I can and win. I can’t even put a name on it. There is no specific goal or example. It is kind of just there.”
Tomori has not signed with any university yet but he has narrowed down the NCAA offers that he has received to three schools.
“I think I know where I want to go but I am not 100 per cent sure.”
Knowing there are offers on the table takes some of the pressure off of this season.
“It relieves a lot of stress and it also gets rid of an exterior motivation. With the NCAA facilities and competition, I am going to excel as a runner and become a lot better than I have ever been.”
Tomori won Zone 3/4, SOSSA and placed fifth at OFSAA last year. In Grade 10, he won SOSSA and earned a silver medal at OFSAA. Racing an age level up in Grade 9, was second at SOSSA.
Winning the para boys four-kilometre race in a time of 21:08 was William Hussein-Costas of A.N. Myer.
JUNIOR
Rocco Shuker hung on to take top spot in the junior boys race in one of the most competitive finishes of the day.
The 15-year-old, Grade 10 student at West Niagara Secondary School held off Lucas Sacco of Sir Winston Churchill for the win.
“I was nervous because I saw him coming, 20 metres and then 15, and then I really had to turn it on because I was chillin’ through the middle,” the Grimsby resident said.
Shuker, who won the novice race last year, wasn’t sure what to expect this time around.
“I heard the Sir Winston guys were doing some kind of tempo thing so I just decided to go way out front and I guess that plan fell apart and he started chasing me and I had to turn it on,” he said. “I thought I was going to win.”
Shuker raced all through elementary school and then joined Thorold Elite last year.
“It helps a lot training with guys who are better than me and that makes me better,” he said.
Shuker has set the bar high for going forward.
“My goal is to be a top five at OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations), maybe a medal,” said Shukar, who placed ninth at OFSAA last year.
He is well aware the competition will only get more fierce as he gets older.
“I think because everyone is getting better and a lot of guys have realized they are good and picked it up this summer, I feel it’s going to be harder,” he said.
Shuker competes in the 1,500 and 3,000 races in track and field and currently holds the top mark of 4:30 in the steeplechase in his age category.
NOVICE
Deagan Hallett’s first zone race was a huge success.
The 14-year-old, Grade 9 student at Sir Winston Churchill easily won the boys novice division race in a time of 14:01.8.
“I don’t ever like to think I’m going to win, I just try to do my best to get that win,” Hallett said. “I kind of knew it would be happening and I’m very pleased that did happen.”
Hallett made sure to stay on track even though he wasn’t challenged for the win.
“I just try to tell myself I’m still racing,” he said. “Just because there aren’t people near me I still have to keep pushing and do my best even though there is no one around me
“I do like racing in a crowd because it pushes me to go faster and it’s a more fun experience.”
Hallett, who is a member of Thorold Elite, is eager to see how he fares going forward.
“I’m looking forward to other races for a little more competition so I can get faster off of that,” he said. “Hopefully a top three at OFSAA. It’s going to be harder but I still think I can do well there.”
Hallett, who has been running since Grade 6, works out three times a week. He runs the 800, 1,500, 2,000 sometimes 3,000 in track.
RESULTS
Novice boys individual top five 4k: 1. Deagan Hallett, Sir Winston 14:01.8; 2. Sam Garbes, West Niagara; 3. Wes Veldhuizen, Smithville Christian; 4. Jacob Millen, Eden; 5. Hayden Rowaan, Eden.
Zone 4 novice teams advancing to SOSSA: 1. Sir Winston (1. Hallett, 8. Nathan Sloetjes, 11. Cameron Zahra, 17. Gareal Wyborn; 23. Evan Savage); 2. Eden (4. Millen, 5. Rowaan, 15. William Stafford, 21. Max Hancock, 27. Cornelius VandenEnden); 3. West Niagara (2. Garbes, 6. Cole Lindley,19. James Troup, 22. Leo Radtke-Harris, 30. Alex Munro).
Zone 3 novice boys team advancing to SOSSA: 1. Centennial (10. Rowan Ganchou; 12. Morgan Nordquist; 14. Evan Caron; 37. Brennan Stade).
Junior boys individual top five 5k: 1. Rocco Shuker, West Niagara 16:15.8; 2. Lucas Sacco, Sir Winston; 3. Christian Sloetjes, Sir Winston; 4. Trent Clark, west Niagara; 5. Keegan Clark, Sir Winston.
Zone 4 junior boys team advancing to SOSSA: 1. (Churchill (2. Sacco; 3; Sloetjes; 5. Clark ; 6. Jack Miller; 14. Aidan Nickolson); 2. Eden (7. Callum McKee; 10. Joshua Bayne; 15. Levi Bayne; 23. Phoenix Yoiubg-Lazo; 24. Ryann Palmer); 3. Laura Secord (41. Holden Powell; 46. Cameron Tiessen; 47. Livingston Stapleford; 52. Grayson Tataryn).
Zone 3 boys team advancing to SOSSA: 1. Port Colborne (8. Aydan Smith; 9. Jackson Tonnies; 25. Caleb McLeod; 36. Kobe Gravelle; 53. Tanner Cadot); 2. Westlane (12. Zakariya Mohamed; 22. Reed Proudlock; 32. Evan Harrold; 37. Mark Chen; 42. Eten Li); 3. Greater Fort Erie (44. Monireol Adesina; 45. John Li; 48. T.J. Maffei; 51. Ryan McCooey).
Senior boys top five individual boys 6k: 1. Graham Tomori, Eden (18:24.6); 2. Oliver Crowe, Simcoe; 3. Jackson Sider, Crossley; 4. Simon Dobrovolski, Churchill; 5. Samuel Dellalian).
Zone 4 senior boys team advancing to SOSSA: 1. Churchill (4. Dobrovolski; 5. Dellalian; 7. Julian Cirasuolo; 11. Jackson Mead; 13. Damien Bertrand); 2. West Niagara (6. Samuel McIntosh; 12. Zach Houston; 17. Kael Watson; 18. Kenton Leech; 31. Matthew Stefanidis); 3. Eden (1. Tomori; 8. Andrew Bayne; 23. Rowaan Pritchard; 38. Steven Necakov-Waller; 48. Deagan Platakis).
Zone 3 senior boys team advancing to SOSSA: 1. E.L. Crossley (3. Sider; 9. Logan MacRae; 16. Griffin Eller ; 21. Adam Freure; 26. Jack Ryan); 2. Centennial (22. Chase Owen; 40. Zachary Snack; 46. Callum Brown;66. Kohen Bergeron; 73. Nathan Perna); 3. Robert Land Academy (39. Emanuel Kopatsis; 42. William Peters; 47. Mathew Gotlieb; 61. Wyatt Kinsella; 62. Luke Ryan).
With files from Bernie Puchalski
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