Tomori tops at SOSSA cross country
Eden’s Graham Tomori made a seamless transition to the senior boys division Thursday at the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association cross country meet at Christie Lake Conservation Area in Dundas.
After winning the SOSSA junior boys title in 2022 by 39.8 seconds, he cruised to first place in the senior boys race, 20.7 seconds ahead of Ian Thomson of Dundas Valley.
“It was fantastic. There were a lot of great guys and I had a lot of friends in the race. It was a lot of fun and I have been really looking forward to running with these guys for a long time because I know they are all the really fast guys,” the 15-year-old St. Catharines resident said. “It was nice to finally compete against them.”
The Grade 11 student wasn’t expecting to win the race.
“I was hoping for a win obviously but I wasn’t sure because there are a lot of really talented guys here, especially Ian Thomson,” the 2022 Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations junior boys silver medalist said. “I was unsure but I worked really hard for this and I hoped my efforts would pay off. I just left it all out there.”
The Edge Triathlon member is quickly developing a reputation as a runner who saves his best for the big races.
“I really want people to get excited over a race,” he said.
Tomori didn’t even look tired after the race.
“It wasn’t a PB and it wasn’t something I haven’t done before but it was definitely a tiring race. The energy of the crowd fuelled me through it and helped me run as fast as I could with it hurting as much as it did.”
Next up for Tomori are the OFSAA championships Nov. 4 at Centennial Park in Etobicoke.
His goal is a podium finish.
“It will take a really good race and I will have to be mentally in the zone for it. I really need to be able to push myself there and I am hoping with more competition I can go to that next level.”
He didn’t compete in the pre-OFSAA race at Centennial Park but he has become familiar with the course.
“This weekend I did a little 5 by 5K workout there to get a feel for the course and it is an interesting course. There is a lot of grass and gravel which is going to be really tough but I am excited.”
There is also one big hill on the course.
“It is horrible and I honestly think it is worse than the junior hills last year,” Tomori said. “It’s a killer.”
The top two teams at SOSSA and the top five individuals not on the top two teams advanced to OFSAA.
Winning the senior boys team was Sir Winston Churchill (6. Rian Wilson; 8. Samuel Dellalian; 11. Owen Lewis; 15. Owen Masterson; 27, Tristan Mallysh).
Qualifying as individuals were: 3. Kaden Shaw, A.N. Myer; 4. Elijah Bayne, Eden; 5. Matt Kleinsmith, E.L. Crossley; and, 9. Sebastian Glaser, Governor Simcoe.
JUNIOR BOYS
Zone 4 champion Simon Dobrovolski placed second in the junior boys division at SOSSA
“It was OK. The team did what it was supposed to do and me individually I didn’t do as well as I wanted to. But I will move on to the next one,” 15-year-old St. Catharines resident said. “The time wasn’t the greatest and I was hoping to be closer to the front guy. It just didn’t go as planned today. The guy in front of me is a really good runner.”
More importantly, the Churchill team came first and will have a chance to improve upon the bronze medal it won at OFSAA last year.
“The team is the most important part and winning OFSAA is what we are trying to do. Individual is just like a bonus,” Dobrovolski said.
Other members of the winning Churchill team were: 6. Julian Cirasuoio; 8. Jackson Mead; 9. Barron Walker; and, 12. Carson Walker.
E.L. Crossley (4.Logan MacRae; 13. Griffin Eller; 14. Adam Freure; 19. Jack Ryan; 41. Grant Letford) placed second to also advance to OFSAA.
Eden’s Andrew Bayne, who placed fifth, was the only individual runner to advance to OFSAA.
NOVICE BOYS
In typical fashion, T.J. Woods lay on his back after placing second in the novice boys race at SOSSA.
“It was pretty good but it was hard,” the Grade 9 student at Denis Morris said. “I had a lot more competition.”
The 13-year-old Thorold resident had a plan in mind for the race.
“I wanted to go out hard like I always do but it didn’t really work too good, I guess.”
Woods led for a portion of the race before he got passed by Jackson Ortwein of Dundas Valley. He regained the lead and then got passed by Ortwein right at the end of the race.
“I learned that maybe that I need to kick earlier and start speeding it up at the end.”
His finish advanced him to OFSAA and he will use the lessons he learned Thursday.
“I will use that strategy at the next one.”
The Thorold Elite Track Club member still has high hopes for OFSAA.
“I am going to do my best and I want to medal. It is going to be hard but I think I can do it.”
Other Niagara runners qualifying for OFSAA were: 4. Jose Gras, Denis Morris; 6. Evan Blake, Saint Paul; 9. Keegan Clark, Churchill; and, 10. Lucas Sacco, Churchill.
West Niagara (7. Rocco Shuker; 13. Chase Larson; 14. Trent Clarke; 19. James Smith; 41. Elias Alas) placed second as a team to advance to OFSAA.
