Kushner captures SOSSA crown
Adele Kushner made the most of her first appearance at the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association meet at Christie Lake Conservation Area in Dundas.
Unable to compete last year because of a stomach bug, the Grade 10 student at Denis Morris finished first in the junior girls division at Wednesday’s race, narrowly edging out teammate and defending SOSSA champion Candelaria Gras at the finish line.
The 14-year-old Thorold resident was third overall at last week’s Zone 3/4 meet heading into SOSSA.
“In my race at zone, I actually tripped and fell so it set me back a little bit but it is nice to have a little bit of a comeback this week.”
She was thrilled to be crowned SOSSA junior girls champion.
“It feels amazing. This was my No. 1 goal that I have had since I started running. It was ‘OK, this is the goal we are going to be working towards this season.’ Even if didn’t get it I was going to be happy with what I got.”
Her result took the sting out of missing a chance to quality for OFSAA last year.
“I had a stomach bug and I think that I had food poisoning or something. It was not a fun experience.”
It was a tough pill to swallow for Kushner.
“I was so, so upset. We had a team that was going to try and qualify for OFSAA and since I wasn’t able to compete, we didn’t get a shot at making it as a team. I was really sad that I let down my team but hopefully this year we qualify as a team.”
The Thorold Elite Track Club member is looking forward to competing at Ontario Federation of School Atheltic Associations meet Nov. 4 in Ottawa.
“My goal is to run the best I can and hopefully the girls beside me push me to a new PB because I haven’t run 5k too many times. My goal is to PB at OFSAA and hopefully be top 30.”
Sir Winston Churchill won the junior girls team title.
Niagara teams advancing to OFSAA: 1. Sir Winston Churchill (4. Helena Lindley; 9. Meena Van Grieken; 10. Amara Van Grieken; 11. Ines De La Fuente; 25. Vivian Jiang); 2. Denis Morris (1. Kushner; 2. Gras; 13. Taylor Pirri; 34. Maggie Bell).
Niagara runners qualifying for OFSAA as individuals (top five not on teams): 3. Sydney Ray, Notre Dame; 5. Violet Crowe, Governor Simcoe; 6. Alivia Nickason, Eden.
SENIOR GIRLS
Madison Eaton of Laura Secord is heading back to the OFSAA cross country championships.
The Grade 12 student was the top Niagara runner in the senior girls division, placing fourth overall to punch her ticket to OFSAA.
After qualifying for OFSAA in Grade 10, she finished two spots away from advancing to the provincial championships at last year’s SOSSA meet.
“It was very devastating to miss it by two so this year I decided to train extra hard and push myself because it is a goal of mind.”
That goal was front and centre in the thoughts of the Thorold Elite Track Club member.
“I have a paper on my wall that says OFSAA. I have inspirational quotes and the main thing for me is staying positive and staying out of my head because once you get in your head it is game over,” she said. “Mental blocks are going to happen and you have to really push through them and be like ‘No, I can do this.’ You have to believe in yourself and your training and work hard. That is going to pay off.”
Eaton placed 44th in OFSAA in Grade 10 and is thrilled to finish her high school career with a bang.
“I am so excited because I didn’t believe I was going to make it. I had to have positive thoughts and push through that little block I had.”
Her strategy for Thursday’s race was simple.
“I was sticking with the front two girls and I knew Julia (Tremeer) from Notre Dame. We always compete back and forth and I stuck with her because she is a good person to stick with and we are close. It was stick with them, stay open-minded, trust your training and you will be good.”
It was a big moment when she crossed the finish line knowing she had qualified for OFSAA.
“Oh my God. I couldn’t believe it. I had finally met my goal and all my hard work had paid off.”
Her goal at OFSAA is to place in the top 40 or 50.
“I am going to keep training until then and really stick with it. I know the hills are going to be rough but they are going to be rough for everybody. Everyone has to go through the same conditions as me.”
Next fall, Eaton will head to NCAA Division 2 Charleston in West Virginia on a track and cross country scholarship. She also visited the University of New Brunswick before deciding to go to Charleston.
“It was the overall environment of Charleston. It was so amazing. The coach is very thoughtful and helps everyone out and I met the team. Everyone is so supportive of each other and everyone has the same goal to win and work together as a team. I really like that and I like the determination that they all have.”
Placing second in the women’s para event was Hunter Hornby of St. Catharines Collegiate.
Niagara runners qualifying for OFSAA as individuals (top five not on teams): 4. Eaton; 5. Julia Tremeer, Notre Dame.
NOVICE GIRLS
Sir Winston Churchill’s Mazie Quinn punched her ticket for OFSAA Wednesday at the SOSSA meet.
Quinn was the top Niagara runner in the race finishing second overall.
“It was really good. I just tried to follow her (winner Aaliyah Field) lead. It was pretty close but my legs were dead and I couldn’t go any faster.”
The Edge Sports member described her first SOSSA race as nerve-racking
“I had never raced here before and I didn’t know the course but I got more comfortable as the race went on. As the gap with the other girls behind me got bigger, I got more comfortable and was less nervous.”
She is delighted to be heading to OFSAA.
“It is a really good feeling because this was my goal for the cross country season. I am really glad that I was able to achieve it,” she said.“I just want to do my best, top 50ish. I don’t know what the competition will be like there but I am really excited for the experience.”
Niagara teams advancing to OFSAA: 2. Blessed Trinity (21. Ava Bays; 24. Giselle Karaban; 27. Quinn Wilson; 34. Brooklyn Bays; 44. Ashley De Silva Piques).
Niagara runners qualifying for OFSAA as individuals (top five not on teams): 1. Quinn; 3. Aaliyah Henry, A.N. Myer; 4. Violet MacDonald, Laura Secord; 5. Michaela Gugliemi, Notre Dame.
