High School Performances Of The Week

One thing I have learned, I can't satisfy everyone. Shucks.

Lots of people took time to offer their opinions last week, and wow - the flood gates opened this week again. Thanks for the info to everyone. Lots to read, including my notes, and here are the ones, I believe, worth singling out this week.

Connor Anderson, Huron Hts. There are some who claim he just might be the best all-purpose running back in the Greater Toronto Area. Five touchdowns (and he could have had more) for the Toronto Star all-star in a 63-0 whipping of Woodbridge in a York Region senior football playoff.

George Daniel, Villanova. Here’s another football player who can pick his university. He scored three touchdowns – two on receptions – but also piled up close to 300 yards of net offence in a late fourth quarter loss to Trinity in a private school senior game. No fluke, he’s been solid all season.

Ryan Dixon, Donald Wilson. Take him out of the game and, likely, his team gets blown away. A very good athlete, and only in grade 10, he knows what to do with a football. Scored five touchdowns in a 36-27 win over Ajax in a Durham region junior football game. That’s 14 majors in his past four games.

Leanne Fernandes, Pope John Paul II. In track, she’s competed in the National Scholastic Indoor Championships in New York. Also at the Ontario high school finals. Off to the provincial cross country finals after winning the TDCAA senior girls’ 5,000 metres easily in a time of 20 minutes, 10 seconds.

Travis Jennings, Don Bosco. The Eagles keep winning, now at 8-0, and this guy is a big reason. He scored two majors, converted four, had a single and a two-point convert in a 37-0 victory over Forest Hill.  Off to the North Division final against Chaminade, who forfeited the previous game.

Paige Johnson, Nelson. Field hockey is her sport. She scored the winning goal, on a penalty stroke, to defeat the six-time former champs from Notre Dame in the Halton Region final. Then does it again - the winner, this time in OT - in a 1-0 Golden Horseshoe win to get her team to the Ontario playoffs.

Grace Kay, Pearson. Only 15 years old, she scored 35 points in a four-point basketball league loss to St. Thomas Aquinas of Oakville. Points come easy for this guard, she’s had 30 or more in six games for her Halton region school and is a two-time tournament MVP. She also coaches – yup, basketball.

Pat Kelley, Trinity. I know. It’s pressure, but if he keeps up the fabulous performance pace, his senior football team could be in for a CISAA league title. Three majors and the winner in the final minute on a 60-yard pass-and-run. He had a total of 280 net yards against a good Villanova team.

Shanice McKoy, Pope John Paul II. Couldn’t keep her off the list. Chosen MVP of the Applewood Invitational, which her basketball team won. She had 28 points in a 66-53 win over Etobicoke in that tournament, but also led her team in scoring in the first two games of the Centennial Colts Classic.

Chrissie White, Applewood Hts. Yes, the sports team nickname for this school is the “Axemen”. Swinging her stick, she scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Lorne Park for the Peel Region field hockey title. Undefeated in nine games this year, the school is six-time league champs.

Comments

[ty]

Off to the "West" Division final against Chaminade.

It's the north, otherwise, great :)

[KM]

Very interesting reading. Keep it up!

[Julia]

I am rather curious on why you only list athletes in football and basketball because there are other sports that should be considered.

[Mrs. Kennedy]

Thank you to the Toronto Star and Mr. Grossman for recognizing these athletes. You don't have to go far to see that tthe media in this city like to yak about the professional losing teams over and over and over. Only the Toronto Star newspaper cares about high school sports and we appreciate that very much. God bless.

[Adrian Gauthier]

KM: He listed a Field Hockey athlete, Chrissie White.

Also, with all due respect to coaches, there isn't much information out there in other sports going on at the moment.

There's volleyball for the boys, but stats aren't tracked too well. There's field hockey, which was listed. Flag football, but how many coaches report from there?

David does the best he can.

Adrian Gauthier
http://www.adriangauthier.com

[Big Fan]

Shanice McKoy is the real deal. A great choice. She was MVP of a basketball tournament on the weekend and you did a great story about her last month.

[RogerT]

I just spent the past hour reading lots of information on this blog and the high school website and I have to wonder what's wrong with our coaches these days. They have a great chance to help kids and give them some inspiration and instead don't seem to bother unless they come up with a victory. I am a transplanted American who lived in Ohio and now Toronto is my home. There is so much emphasis on school sports in the U.S. and the Toronto Star appears to be the only paper that cares about school sports. It's a real shame that the administrations of most schools, and I don't include all of them, up here care more about their pay cheques than looking for ways to recognize their students. Not everything is better south of the border, but in school sports the people up here can learn a great deal.

[Morris]

I really enjoy reading this weekly list and would recommend that you increase it to 20.

[Trinity Parent]

I have had enough of St. Mike's can do everything all the time. Mr. Grossman, please, it's time to say something nice about Trinity College. They are the top team in the independent schools league and play in the final against St. Mike's. You picked a great student in Pat Kelley but I would match player for player and Trinity comes out by far over St. Mike's.

[cissaleague]

so i read these every week and it seems as though to be on the top 10 you must one of the guys who scores alot... linemen never get enough cred..working day in and day out to pancake kids for the runners but are never on the top 10...dissapointed in these top 10's

[Paul]

I was one who agreed but then I changed my mind. The Star told me they can only list athletes that either they know about or who coaches submit to them. So, it becomes incumbent on us to get off our ass and plug these linemen rather than be bitter and complain. I see someone from Mount Carmel was listed a few weeks ago.