Local athletes shine at South Regionals

The recently crowned South Regional track and field champion in the novice girls 80- and 300-metre hurdles nearly decided not to compete at the high school level this spring because of intentions to switch schools.

Franco-Niagara student Maeva Scipio didn’t want to lose a year of eligibility under Ontario Federation of School Athletics Association’s transfer policy but the 14-year-old had her mind changed by Thorold Elite coach Steven Fife.

“I knew that Grade 9 would be her best opportunity because the other girls in Grade 9 would not be as well-trained in hurdles and wouldn’t have the same experience as she does, whereas within another year some of them may catch up, so I wanted her to run this year and if she has to miss out on her Grade 10 season then she can still train and compete through the club,” he said. “Getting these early races in was important for her confidence and development as a hurdler.”

It quickly became apparent it was the right choice. Scipio spoke to her high school track coach, was able to still join the team and made an immediate impact. She broke the previous Zone 3 record in the 300-metre hurdles in a time of 49.87 seconds and then won the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association meet with a PB of 48.88 and the South Regionals with another personal best time of 47.87. Her 80-metre time of 12.3 seconds at regionals was also a PB.

“A star was born in Hamilton and right now she is increasing her confidence with every race and it is just amazing to see her getting better and better every week,” Fife said, “Maeva is truly one of those athletes that is a joy to work with. She is absolutely humble about her accomplishments and so deserving of the results she is seeing right now.”

Other multiple winners at South Regionals were: Sydney Ray of Notre Dame in the novice girls 800 and 1,500 metres; Kristina Etezadi of A.N. Myer in the senior girls 800 and 1,500 metres; Coco Van Nynatten of West Niagara in the senior girls discus and javelin; Samacki Thomas of Saint Paul in the novice boys 100 metres, 200 metres and long jump; TJ Woods of Denis Morris in the novice boys 800 and 1,500 metres; Adam Freure of E.L. Crossley in the junior boys pole vault and javelin; Braeden Brouwer of West Niagara in the senior boys 200 metres and 110-metre hurdles; Owen Robins of Port Colborne in the senior boys shot put and discus; and, Aiden Mayer of Saint Michael in the ambulatory 100 metres and shot put.

Below are all the Niagara athletes who qualified for the OFSAA championships June 6-8 in London by placing in the top four.

NOVICE GIRLS:

100 metres: 3. Amairah Gayle, Collegiate.

800 metres: 1. Sydney Ray, Notre Dame (2:20.89); 2. Adele Kushner, Denis Morris.

1,500 metres: 1. Sydney Ray, Notre Dame (4:55.98); 2. Adele Kushner, Denis Morris; 3.

3,000 metres: 1. Candeloria Gras, Denis Morris (10:55.69).

80 metre hurdles: 1. Maeva Scipio, Franco-Niagara (12.3) 2. Josée Regala, Brebeuf.

300-metre hurdles: 1. Scipio, Franco-Niagara (47.87); 2. Aiyanna Toby-Erwig, West Niagara.

Pole vault: 1. Hallie van Niekerk, Crossley (2.65m); 2. Ava Sider, Crossley.

Long jump: 1. Josée Regala, Brebeuf (5.02m); 2. Amairah Gayle, Collegiate.

Triple jump: 2. Jayen Lapcevich, West Niagara; 4. Parker Van Krimpen, Centennial.

High jump: 1. Amairah Gayle, Collegiate (1.44m); 3, Lydia Brink, Heritage; 4. Parker Van Krimpe, Centennial.

Shot put: 3. Madelyn Goulding, Port Colborne; 4. Helena Siolkowsky, Crossley.

Discus: 3. Jess Dodridge, Centennial; 4. Faith Jacobi, Centennial.

JUNIOR GIRLS:

80-metre hurdles: 1. Riley Kirk, West Niagara (12.25); 3. Kyjiah Slowley, Saint Paul.

300-metre hurdles: 4. Rebekah Sikkema, Heritage.

High jump: 3. Katelyn Jones, West Niagara.

Pole vault: 4. Lydia Jeffery, Crossley.

Long jump: 1. Kyjiah Slowley, Saint Paul (5.2m).

Shot put: 4. Olivia Vandyk, Heritage.

Discus: 3. Serena D’Amico, Saint Michael; 3. Bronwyn Dales, Crossley.

SENIOR GIRLS:

400 metres: 2. Julia Tremeer, Notre Dame; 3. Mikaela Burke, Heritage.

800 metres: 1. Kristina Etezadi, Myer (2:15.79); 2. Julia Tremeer, Notre Dame.

1,500 metres: 1. Kristina Etezadi, Myer (4:39.75).

3,000 metres: 1. Sophia Cino, Blessed Trinity (10:15.97).

100-metre hurdles: 4. Lily Phillips, Eden; 5. Victoria Massoom, Westlane.

400-metre hurdles: 1. Lily Phillips, Eden (1:04.28); 2. Sheridan McCready, Governor Simcoe; 3. Mikaela Burke, Heritage. 

High jump: 2. Bailey Forrest, West Niagara; 3. Aalisha Jones, West Niagara; 4. Ava Neumann, Governor Simcoe.

Pole vault: 2. Charlotte Berner, Churchill (3.05m).

Long jump: 1. Journey Coulson, DSBN Academy (5.51m).

Triple jump: 3. Hannah Vyn, Heritage.

Shot put: 2. Coco Van Nynatten, West Niagara; 3. Amelia Siolkowsky, Crossley.

Discus: 1. Coco Van Nynatten, West Niagara (37.32m).

Javelin: 1. Coco Van Nynatten, West Niagara (38.78m); 3. Hannah Vyn, Heritage.

2,000-metre steeplechase:  2. Madison Eaton, Laura Secord.

Shot put (II): 3. Ziyah Gayle, Collegiate; 4. Jade Northeast, Denis Morris.

NOVICE BOYS

100 metres: 1. Samacki Thomas, Saint Paul (11.27); 2. Lemuel Sraku-Antwi, Myer.

200 metres: 1. Samacki Thomas, Saint Paul (22.4).

400 metres: 2. Jase Theodore, Churchill; 4. Evan Blake, Saint Paul.

800 metres: 1. TJ Woods, Denis Morris (2:00.3); 2. Lucas Sacco, Churchill.

1,500 metres: 1. TJ Woods, Denis Morris (4:09.49).

3,000 metres: 2. TJ Woods, Denis Morris; 3. Rocco Shuker, West Niagara; 4. Jose Gras, Denis Morris.

100-metre hurdles: 4. Cameron Jackson, Crossley.

300-metre hurdles: 4. Chase Larsen, West Niagara.

High jump: 1. Xavier Griffith, Churchill (1.75m); 3. Elijah Kpioyo, Crossley.

Pole vault: 1. Calum Moore, Governor Simcoe (2.6m); 2. Owen Shaw, Governor Simcoe; 3. Cameron Coleman, Governor Simcoe.

Triple jump: 3. Xavier Griffith, Churchill.

Long jump: 1. Samacki Thomas, Saint Paul (6.24m).

Shot put: 4. Amr Aljafra, Churchill.

Javelin: 1. Jacob Myers, Crossley (44.94 m).

JUNIOR BOYS:

400 metres: 2. Daniel Ogunlaja, Niagara Christian.

800 metres: 1. Barron Walker, Churchill (2:00.74).

1,500 metres: 3. Andrew Bayne, Eden.

3000 metres: 2. Simon Dobrovoiski, Churchill.

300 metre hurdles: 2. Sadiekie Hayden, Saint Francis; 3. Adam Freure, Crossley.

Pole vault: 1. Adam Freure, Crossley (3.8m); 2. Chase Owen, Centennial; 3. Connor Anderson, Crossley; 4. Logan MacRae, Crossley.

Long jump: 4. Graeme MacDonald, Crossley.

Triple jump: 2. Nico Penich, Blessed Trinity; 3. Sadiekie Hayden, Saint Francis; 4. Graeme MacDonald, Crossley.

Shot put: 2. Mohammad Aljafra, Churchill; 3. Jayden Davis, Centennial.

Discus: 1. Jayden Davis, Centennial (49.82m).

Javelin: 1. Adam Freure, Crossley (46.77m).

SENIOR BOYS

100 metres: 3. Braeden Brouwer, West Niagara.

200 metres: 1. Braeden Brouwer, West Niagara (21.77).

400 metres: 2. TJ Adams, Governor Simcoe.

1500 metres: 4. Elijah Bayne, Eden.

3000 metres: 1. Graham Tomori, Eden (8:40.51); 3. Elijah Bayne, Eden.

110 metre hurdles: 1. Braeden Brouwer, West Niagara (14.07).

400 metre hurdles: 2. TJ Adams, Governor Simcoe.

High jump: 2. Ryan Zucco, Crossley.

Pole vault: 4. Simon Bolhous, Crossley.

Long jump: 3. John Campbell, Saint Paul.

Triple jump: 4. Owen Haywood, Thorold.

Shot put: 1. Owen Robins, Port Colborne (16.88m).

Discus: 1. Owen Robins, Port Colborne (49.47m); 4. Nick Jubenville, Lakeshore.

Javelin: 1. Kaleb Kennedy, West Niagara (56.98m); 2. Carson Gauthier, Saint Michael; 4. James Quinn, Laura Secord.

2000 metre steeplechase: 3. Fenway Breckels, Governor Simcoe (6:34.91); 4. Sebastian Glaser, Governor Simcoe.

4×400 metre relay: 4. Governor Simcoe.

100 metres (A): 1. Aiden Mayer,  Saint Michael (1:07.49).

Shot put (A): 1. Aiden Mayer, Saint Michael (1.66m)

100 metre (II): 2. Stephan Michael, Denis Morris; 3. Braydon Turner, Thorold.

Shot put (II): 2. Braydon Turner, Thorold; 3. Stephan Michael, Denis Morris; 4. Dalton Harrietha, Port Colborne.