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.

Being Healthy - With Concern For Others

It was more than one month ago, Sept. 23 to be exact, that I wrote a blog on H1N1 and high school sports. Lots of people saw it. I know because many people actually wrote to me thinking I was nuts and that this was only a cold blown out of proportion.

I made a mistake in the blog. I assumed that many coaches and athletes were thinking twice about shaking hands - in the best interest of others. That was my error. It's still happening. So is sharing of water bottles, towels, even the ones that athletes cough and spit in. Surely the world won't end and people will understand, if the traditional act of sportsmanship is put on hold until we get over this flu situation.

Well, not so - and I saw it myself many times this week. No matter how much has been said about proper health care, sanitization, warnings and more - people just don't get it.

Maybe school coaches and athletes figure they're immune from this nasty thing. They shouldn't be. Just talk to some of the athletes - and the ones who have worked hours and hours, months and months to get to finals and are now in sick bay.

Let's see, there is a high school hockey player in Whitby, who is recovering and was in isolation of some sort. There is another in York Region who wasn't playing football this week. In  Mississauga, I was out at a school and learned of a basketball player sent home.

And at the cross-country finals in Durham Region, a heavy favorite to finish in the top five, didn't do well at all. Flu? Some say no. It wasn't because the weather was so-so. And classes have lots of empty seats. Many teachers are absent too.

This is high school sports. That's all it is. Whether you believe H1N1 is a pandemic or not, think and play it smart. Don't put other people at risk. I see that finally, my friends at OFSAA posted a message on the website. Same stuff that the public health departments have had out for months.

I scratch my head wondering why this provincial athletic association took so long to communicate this national health concern. Maybe because it's because it had to post information about field hockey and cross country finals first.

Sports Recruiting - At Elementary School?

Mention the word "recruiting" in the same sentence as high school sports and people tend to offer up a strange look and some commentary — sometimes quite colourful — with accusations and name-calling.

Is there something wrong with school sports recruiting?

Schools brag about their academic achievements and the benefits of choosing their place, be it for music or something else, so why not sports?

If you're of the opinion that recruiting students for sports doesn't already happen in Greater Toronto Area schools, think again. What is interesting is the slick approach being taken by an increasing number of teachers, coaches and even current school players at not just promoting their schools, but with a heavy emphasis on sports programs. Getting the right athletes to their school is the objective.

Going to elementary schools and seeking out talented athletes about to finish Grade 8, seems fair - or is it?

No rules are broken. No tampering of regulations. Even Toronto District School Board Director Chris Spence, who I think is a good guy for the job, wants to hire a marketing person to go hunting for students to fill empty classes. Could they also be looking for good athletes?

I've heard people question the morals and ethics of recruiting a good basketball player, or a fabulous running back or a great goalie for a school team. By the way, all of them have happened. It makes one wonder does sports come before education?

OFSAA, that's the provincial sports association continues to struggle with maintaining a transfer rule, one they claim is fair, but it prevents students from switching high schools for sports. It's also a rule that frequently is blown up by loopholes, legal action and other factors.

Could recruiting impressive young athletes from Grade 8 be a way of getting to talented athletes before they figure it's time to switch schools and challenge OFSAA?

There are books on the market dealing with sports recruiting to high schools. Some are interesting, others depressing. Also worth noting is that earlier this year, the NCAA offically declared that Grade 7 students were classified as "prospects". For now, this only pertains to basketball as the association found college coaches working at elite and summer camps, creating college interest with kids who were ages 12 and 13.

When In Doubt, Sit The Player Out

Maybe I have spent far too much time recently watching games, both pro and amateur, that left me aching after seeing some rather severe physical blows to the body of players.

I know football and hockey require contact. And just maybe I'm among the small numbers noticing that no matter how many rules, or even the quality of good and safe equipment, players are taking some punishing jolts to the most important part of the body: the head.

It got me thinking about long term effects from concussions suffered in high school football or hockey. And, by the way, girls also get concussions from sports - like a rough hit in a flag football game or having that hard ball from a field hockey stick accidentally hit a player.

Hearing the crack of a head during a game can send a chill up your spine. There are sports that don't require protective head gear - like rugby and soccer - and blows to the head should light up some signals to youngsters, parents and even coaches.

I am not suggesting banning school sports or having everyone wear concrete helmets. This is just an opinion about what appears to be increasing worries, long term concerns and maybe memory impairment after someone has taken a severe knock to the head. There are plenty of research papers and documents on this topic.

I have been trying to get some fresh Canadian statistics on sports-related concussions in high school sports. No luck, so far. In the United States, they call concussions an epidemic with an estimated number of between two and just over 3.5 million. That's a scary number.

I know in the Greater Toronto Area, that not every high school has a licensed athletic trainer or medical personnel at every game. On many occasions, there isn't even a first aid box beside the official scorer. I even question whether many coaches and teachers know what to do in an emergency or is it dialing three numbers - 911.

At a football game I was at recently, standing on the sideline I witnessed two players collide - helmet to helmet. Play stopped, one player got up quickly. The other needed about 10 minutes, and he left the field likely hearing lots of birds chirping. It got me thinking: who has the final say on whether the player returns to the game?

Alarming statistics in the U.S., and as recent as 2008, claim 41 per cent of high school athletes who suffered concussions returned to play far too soon. Coaches play a huge role in helping to prevent serious injury and in managing it properly if a concussion occurs.

Montreal researchers, in a study of former university athletes now in their 50s and 60s who suffered concussions, found a noticeable decline in the their mental processes. This was compared to former athletes who didn`t have an injury to the head.

Many of us have heard the phrase "when in doubt, sit the player out".

But, does it always happen?

Ten players who had a good week

It's that time, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.

Ten performances worth mentioning — and there was lots to consider. Again in alphabetical order. And again, the majority of information coming to us from coaches, fans and players —- but in boys' sports. Yes, equity is important. But, it's very difficult to tell you highlights when far too many schools and coaches are not interested in sharing the efforts of their student athletes.

So, we recognize:

Hayden Armstrong, Huron Heights. He’s not related to astronaut Neil, hockey player George or cyclist Lance. This provincially ranked soccer player, in his rookie year playing senior football, was 11-for-11 in converts and has only missed twice this year. His team thumped Newmarket 77-0.

Maddie Benjamin, Richview. She could have stopped for a coffee at the Toronto West cross-country run-offs in Etobicoke.  Finishing the Junior girls 3,600 metre-race in 15 minutes, 53.58 seconds, one minute and 18 seconds quicker than the runner-up. City finals are in a few days.

Dillon Campbell, St. Mary. He sat out last year recovering from knee surgery. In five plays, he piled up 268 yards and scored five touchdowns as the Pickering-area school crunched Paul Dwyer of Oshawa 48-14 for a fourth victory in five Durham Region senior games.

Megan Cayley, Michael Power/St. Joseph. She’s the team captain for the Trojans senior girls’ basketball team and, well, a leader. The Grade 12 forward, who also leads Power in scoring, had an easy 13 points in a 46-16 win over Dante Alighieri. Team is 8-0 in the TDCAA league.

Kayla Grossett, Thomson. A former two-time athlete of the year at her school, this talented 5-foot-9 guard for the Titans senior basketball team has scored 20 or more points in nine games this year. Highest was 29 points in a 75-31 win over Leacock the other day in a league game.

Erin Houle, Assumption. She scored all three goals in a 3-2 win over fourth-place Abbey Park of Oakville in a Halton Region senior girls field hockey game. It might have been the biggest win of the year for the fifth place team, finishing the season with a 4-4 record.
 
Dennis Kaczmarczyk, St. Francis Xavier. Defensive tackle for the junior football team, he made six tackles (two chasing down sweeps), had a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery – and nearly intercepted a pass. His team won 20-10 over Turner/Fenton in a Peel Region game.
 
Connor Lumsden, Nelson. He’s 15 years old and playing senior football. A wide receiver, the kid scored a touchdown in a 27-0 thumping of Assumption in a Halton Region game. He`s also the cousin of Jesse, now with the CFL Eskimos. Uncle Neil was also a fairly good football player.

Akeel Lynch, St. Michael`s. Rushed for a phenomenal 390 yards and four majors in a 36-21 win over Upper Canada in a CISAA league game. A Grade 10 running back, he has nine of the team's 10 touchdowns. Last year, he was outstanding, leading his junior team to the Ontario title.

Llevi Noel, Silverthorn. Spent the off-season working on strength and speed.  Sure helped in the Spartans' 49-0 spanking of Western Tech in a senior football game. Noel had five touchdowns for the 3-1 Spartans. Western Tech has just six points and given up 183 in four losses.
 

Is it Halloween Yet?

Excuse me, it's been a rather strange night being on the receiving end of dozens of high school results and I had to check to see if there was a full moon in the sky. I also started to hum the Black Eyed Peas song "I've Got a Feeling." That's the one that has the lyrics"Tonight's Going To be A Good Night...." hoping to cheer me up.

First came the telephone call from a woman wondering why we don't publish front page stories on high school girls' field hockey? Not long after, the call from a high school teacher who told me the score of his football game. But he didn't want any names in the paper because he was afraid it might break up the "healthy team configuration" — whatever that means.

It gets better. A veteran coach, a good guy whom I have known for a long time, called and was frustrated. He went to get his copy of the scoring sheet, once the girls' basketball game had ended, and the scorers — students with about as much interest in doing the job as I have for watching a turtle race — forgot to mark down who scored points. Yup, a list of names. No record of scorers.

Then, a bunch of e-mails from people: some missing first names of players, others with strange names (I found out they were inaccurate), people calling to say games were forfeited - and there have been several. Must be nice to forfeit a game, likely because players didn't behave or attend practice. And then, there was a dandy - a partial score. Maybe, the person forgot to include it. And there was also the teacher, he's not the only one, who only calls us when his team wins. As if losing is a sin.

In fairness, we have dozens of people who know what they're doing - and you see their sincere efforts daily in the paper and on the Star's website. Coaches and teachers, players and parents, officials and even fans catching a game, who take a few minutes to recognize young athletes and promote high school sports. Kudos to them.

Here are some from tonight who are gung-ho about highlighting young people:

• Lesley Gage went out of her way to get the accurate names for both her teams at Malvern which won field hockey divisional titles.
• Al Humphrey has made it a religion bragging about his athletes in various sports, first at Mowat and now at Bethune.
• Tim Lagace, a parent, gets honours grades with football results at Notre Dame in Burlington
• Ted Thornes has been a huge bonus for Durham Region football e-mailing and calling football scores, and the list goes on and on.

Have to go. Need to try to prepare for the people who call tomorrow asking why Pope John Paul II beat Blessed Mother Teresa and how much of a political fall-out it is because Stephen Lewis knocked off Pierre Trudeau.

 

 

Girls' Basketball - A Concern or Not?

Learning never stops and even your dedicated scribe added to his knowledge after reading the lowest scoring high school basketball game was, apparently, in the United States. Yes, and reported to be back on Feb. 1, 1997 in the town of Roxboro, N.C.

A boys' team won by a final score of 2-0. The only points came right after the tip-off and, apparently, the heating system in the school wasn't working on a chilly night, which seems to be some excuse for the final score. Hmm.

What is also interesting is that it was around this time last year when a regularly scheduled York Region high school senior girls' basketball game ended, 32-0. That's right, no points. St. Joan of Arc from Maple beat Stephen Lewis of Richmond Hill. The Principal of the losing team didn't like the fact that I wrote a story about her school team failing to score a point in the 32-minute game. I explained the game occurred, the players may have been learning, but a game is a game and there is no arguing with the outcome. Try talking with some senior administrators.

This year, the same school that couldn't score a year ago, certainly can now. How about a 5-1 record - the best among the 28 school teams in the York Region Tier Two league? But Stephen Lewis and its same female Principal, for whatever reason, have not called me to talk about the turn-around, the success, the athletes and lots more. Guess she's busy.

While it seems that basketball is prospering at Stephen Lewis, the general state of the girls' game in the Greater Toronto Area is not looking very healthy. Maybe I have it all wrong and teams have just been playing some outstanding defence. Glancing through the results of high school senior games in various leagues, and even checking out various games this year, the scores have been low and sometimes embarrassing. I know, they're trying.

In Mississauga, a Peel Region game had Heart Lake beating Central Peel 40-9 while Westview defeated York Mills 50-8 in a Toronto game. There are many more like this - scores in single digits - but schools tend to keep things mum and draw little public attention. Shh, even though those scores still occur.

Could it be that girls' are lacking the skills and interest in basketball or maybe the number of qualified coaches has diminished? And, I am told, many teenage girls are also dealing with part time jobs, other sports, community work, club basketball only and, yes, even focusing on school work?

For the record, only two schools in the Greater Toronto Area (and that includes many schools) have won a provincial gold medal. Eastern Commerce and Albert Campbell, and they each won twice. That's it since the these finals have been held, and even with OFSAA watering down the game to four levels.

I enjoy watching the game. Played a bit back when I was in school but maybe Basketball Ontario might need to start coming up with some creative ways to promote the sport in schools. They say that's the job for OFSAA and this provincial school sport group also needs to get more visible and vocal emphasizing the need for participation and more certified coaches. One more possible suggestion, there's also a pro team in town, that many people believe should consider focussing more community promotion time to the girls' game - while it's still around.

Chaminade Football Team Got Off Lucky

One thing I have learned, and not just because I had one back in grade school, but it's true - all black eyes do heal.

Even the one at Toronto's Chaminade College, caused because two students (both football players) went beyond childish activities and put excrement - not sure if it was human, animal or alien - in a microwave as a prank.

A very good school, impressive football program and great work by volunteer coaches and players to build a team. All that, set back because of immaturity.

Let's see, the school Principal, the head football,coach, the Director of Education and likely others have had a say in dealing with the matter. The school Trustee, Sal Piccinnini, still hasn't returned my call. Hopefully, also parents and players have learned a few things.

Kind of interesting that some people, including Chaminade parents, are upset at me and the Star for writing about this episode, which occurred while the team was in Michigan for an exhibition game. Hmm, guess we're at fault for reporting the truth?

Few things worth mentioning. According to Toronto police, putting crap in a microwave at a hotel is defined as a mischievous thing and a Criminal offence - in Canada. People can be charged in this country for damage to property too. Too many, it also says something about what goes on in the mind of some young people.

And the football team, whose administration chose to forfeit a league game as a penalty for what happened, doesn't really lose much - other than some embarrassment. The team is still in contention for a playoff spot. The players are still on the team, unless they were removed and the school has chosen to keep that to themselves.

Furthermore, since Chaminade plays in the Toronto District Secondary Schools Athletic Association, it also plays by rules and regulations governed by that organization - and that's where they're lucky. Football convenor Brian Gaw tells me there are no further disciplinary sanctions. If it was in the Toronto District Colleges Athletic Association, where Chaminade plays - other than football - then consequences would have been more severe. League rep Brian Riddell said any team that forfeits a TDCAA game results in an automatic dismissal from playoffs.

How's that for a penalty?

Top Ten School Athletes of The Week

Another week, and here are my picks for 10 of the better performances in the past seven days from athletes at schools across the Greater Toronto Area.

Judging from previous correspondence, some people will agree my picks are worthy. Others won't. Fair game. Keep in mind, we like equity, but performance is No. 1. For the record, we also get more people informing us about boys' sports and plugging the efforts of guys.

Have fun reading.

Melvin Abankwah, Michael Power/St. Joseph. Four games, four wins. Not bad for the Trojans senior football team and this running back has had something to do with all of them. He had four touchdowns in a 63-6 demolishing of Western Tech in a league game the other day.

Kingsley Amankwaa, Michael Power/St. Joseph. Like me, you probably had to look twice at the surname and then above too. Nice day on the gridiron for this youngster with five rushing touchdowns in a 38-14 junior football win over Central Tech.

Nekeia Barclay, Central Tech. Haven't heard much of this basketball player, likely because she's playing at a school that is not known as a powerhouse in this sport. Still, 32 points for her in a 56-48 win over Oakwood is worth a tip of the hat. She might have the most points for a junior this season.

Daniel Haber, York Mills. His first soccer goal was enough to win the game. Instead, he went on to get four in a senior match, leading the Titans to an 8-0 whipping of C.W. Jefferys in Toronto District School Board league action.

Marcus Hanson, Gonzaga. He did it again for his junior football team. This time: a touchdown, a field goal, a single, a two-point convert and two kicking converts in a 50-0 win over Mississauga in a Peel league game. And while he might have the same name, he’s not the rising star of country music.

Shannon Labelle, Notre Dame. She won her third consecutive cross-country race of a short season. The latest was a tee-up for the Ontario finals in two weeks. At the Cardinal Carter Classic, she ran 3,800 metres in 15 minutes, 25.78 seconds. It was 12 seconds faster than the runner-up.

Jamie Liang, Bethune. Two-time female athlete of the year at her school. Three-time basketball MVP. She once had a 40-point game, but highest this year so far is 29. Read on. This Grade 12 point guard had the 29 in a 33-26 win over Leacock in a Toronto Divisional league game.

Brandon Ng, Upper Canada. Shot a three-over par 75 on opening day of the Ontario high school boys’ golf championships in Vineland. The next day, with gusty winds and frigid conditions, he did it again – same score - and went home with the overall provincial individual title.

Tyler Pritty, Markham. Putting up a strong case for being the best high school quarterback this season in the Greater Toronto Area. Try five touchdown passes on Friday in a 38-0 blasting of Dr. G.W. Williams (yup, that's a school) in a York Region senior football game.

Ilana Wurman, Community Hebrew. Three goals for her in a 4-0 win over Mary Ward in a Toronto District Colleges Athletic Association varsity girls' field hockey game. She also scored once in a 2-0 victory over Cardinal Newman. In the spring, she plays soccer for her school.

 

Was the Penalty Too Severe?

Very interesting dilemma at Toronto's Chaminade College over the unfortunate incident involving a handful of members of the senior football team.

If you didn't read the Star story, Chaminade forfeited its game set for Thursday against Don Bosco. Bragging rights on the line with both Catholic schools unbeaten.

The reason?

Some of the players were involved in mischievous activity while on a trip to Michigan last weekend. No drugs. No booze. No porn. No foul language. No breaking the law. Turns out, if what we're told by the school is accurate, a microwave oven was broken on the day the team was leaving the hotel.

As a result, the entire team gets penalized by the principal and coach - and it was more than 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. It was forfeiting a game against the rival, which raises the question: Can anyone just decide to throw in the towel for a game - or does the league have to now deliver some sanctions too?

Many people think the penalty is too severe. Boot a few guys out for a game, but not the entire team. The principal, who was upset and likely fearing the larger embarrassment once the story got out, told me he even tinkered with pulling the team for the year as a means of sending a strong message about discipline.

He runs the school. He decides what's best. Maybe there's some politics thrown in as well to make the board, the community, parents and the team take note. I don't know. Lots of people, yes parents too, are blaming me because of the Star story. Just one huge problem with that theory: the story was written after the decision was made.

There are many who believe the school went too far, even if the players agreed with the decision - and were also told to zip up and say nothing. Others claim the team got off easy - especially when the Catholic Board is so strict about discipline. I think the big boss had to send a clear message that there is more to this than a football game. It's representation of a school, a team and individuals. But tarring the entire team with the same brush, and I've heard the comment that players sink and swim as a team, may have been a bit heavy. I can just imagine what the decision will be if something else happens.