Sports – September 12th
Fastball Tournament in Elmvale was a Hit
By Linda Belcourt, Editor
Sept. 9, 2024 – Tom McGinnis presents The Gummy Rowat Memorial Trophy to Andrew Priest, coach of the Minesing Blues, that were the champions of the Thursday night fast ball league on September 7, 2024 in Elmvale. Minesing Blues were the champs. The Elmvale Legion A’s were strong runner ups.
Penetang Blazers Win Men’s Gold at OBHA Provincial Championships
Sept. 5, 2024 Submitted by Jamie Robillard
The Penetanguishene Blazers representing the Penetang & District Ball Hockey League won the Men’s ‘A’ Championship in Brampton the weekend of August 16-18 at the Ontario Ball Hockey Association Adult Provincial Championships.
The Blazers opened round-robin play dropping a narrow 2-1 decision to the Kingston Attack but then bounced back with two wins lopsided round-robin wins to secure their position in the ‘A’ Final. On Saturday the Blazers shut out the Brampton Predators 5-0 as Masen Downs recorded the shut-out win and followed up with a strong effort to get past the Barrie Kingsmen by an 8-3 score.
Advancing to the Championship game the Blazers would avenge their opening loss with a 7-3 victory over the Kingston Attack. Penetang started slowly trailing 3-2 after the first period but then the offense kicked into top gear scoring five unanswered second half goals to secure the gold medal. Jack Scanlan led the scoring with four markers, one on the power play, one short handed and two on end-to-end rushes at even strength. Braedan Dorion added two goals while Will Calverley scored once. Ryan Gieseler had three assists, Jacob Robitaille two and single from goaltender Downs, Calverley, Evan Greer and Dorion.
Completing the Men’s roster were Curtis Anderson, Cal Trumpour, Nathan King, Andrew Snowden, Andrew Foley, Josh Cousineau, Caleb Renault, Kylar Watson and Carter Forget.
The win at the highest level of Men’s competition offered by the OBHA marks the first championship by the Penetang League since winning the Men’s B title in 2010.
ELMVALE SPITFIRES WOMEN’S FASTBALL TEAM CELEBRATES 25 YEARS
By Carey Coram
August 28, 2024 – Named after the iconic Spitfire fighter aircraft from WWII, the Elmvale Spitfires Women’s Fastball team, sponsored by the Royal Canadian Legion, Elmvale Branch 262, is celebrating 25 years together this season. Spearheaded by Coach Dan McLean (aka “Get your Game Faces on” Big D), the team came together in 1999 after their 15+ years of minor league play was coming to a close. With no competitive team in the area to play for, Dan’s idea was to have a competitive place for ladies after 19 to keep playing fastball. In the early years, the team traveled to multiple Provincial Women’s Softball tournaments across south western Ontario and continues to play in the Simcoe Ladies Fastball League with five other competitive women’s teams from the surrounding area.
We’re an excellent team, both on and off the field, says one of the teammates, because we have basically grown up with each other. We’ve been together through college/university, many of us have had children, some of us have left, but most come back. We understand that life happens, we share a love of the game, and are a tremendous support system for one another; “If one of us needs something, we pool together for her, it’s just what we do”.
The team has welcomed many new, younger players and are continually re-energized by their spirit and determination. You have to embrace the original Spitfire design to play on this team, and each one of the teammates emanates these characteristics.
The Spitfires have participated in multiple local parades, either by marching or building floats, held fundraising events, and they continue to serve the Remembrance Day dinner to the Veterans at the Legion – all with Big D at the helm.
In recent years, the team is lucky to have gained “Tag on the Fly” Tim McGinnis as assistant Coach and Gwen Tjart as scorekeeper. We couldn’t do it without them, says another teammate. We’ve never had to line a diamond, hire an umpire, make a line up, or keep score. Some of us are rushing to games from work or one of our kids’ events, or rushing out after to put kids to bed or hit a night shift.
It’s no easy task sharing the bench with a team full of women, but Dan has the patience of a saint, and Tim the quick wit to bring us back around. The only thing Dan asks of us is that we show up to each game with our game faces on.
The 2024 season marks the fourteenth year the Spitfires have brought home the trophy, and this year the most coveted of all, the Sportsmanlike Award. The Spitfires would like to sincerely thank the Legion for their continued support over the last 25 years, Gwen and Tim for their assistance on the field, and Dan for his unwavering commitment to our team.
