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.
That quarterback at Markham sounds like he's the real package but let's see what he does against good teams and the playoffs.
Posted by: Jimmy | October 16, 2009 at 11:32 PM
Nice description for each player but there are some more great performances that go un-noticed because schools just sit on their butts.
Posted by: P. Edwards | October 16, 2009 at 11:43 PM
Four of 10 are girls. Getting better and likely because all those guys who coach girls are finally waking up. Maybe we need more women coaching girls sports too.
Posted by: Wendy B. | October 16, 2009 at 11:47 PM
Liang is a great choice. Well deserved too and I am not her parents or coach.
Posted by: KP | October 17, 2009 at 09:40 AM
Come on, of the four football players here all are offensive players. lets give the defence some love!
Posted by: informant | October 17, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Why is it that only players whos teams do well are the only one's that get reconition, i believe even if a team loses and theirs a player that say in basketball scores all but one basket for their team or something especially if its a tight game should get reconition! not just people that their teams do well!
Posted by: Bob | October 17, 2009 at 09:00 PM
Some on, get serious, who cares about the defence anyway and maybe if some of those guys did anything exciting or there coaches took notice and started going after the media your concerns would be answered. I think all the action is on offence.
Posted by: Birdseye | October 17, 2009 at 10:08 PM
I often wonder why the Toronto Star doesn't get more names given to them by schools. I'm retired but go and see as many games as I can. Seems to me like there are lots of very good efforts and they fly by like the wind. Where is the problem people. Is it the media or the schools that need to pull their pants up.
Posted by: Mr. Jones | October 17, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Alright defensive buddies, how about that kid Winner at Holy Trinity who is a linebacker who scored a touchdown in the game against St. Mary and that guy Bent also a linebacker at Pickering.
Posted by: Jerome | October 17, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Bob, you out to lunch or what. Maybe the Star should list five thousand names of kids just because it looks nice. From what I have been told, they list 10 kids who had a good game or two during thwe week. I am sure they would have a tougher time if people provided them with more scores and names, right Bob.
Posted by: Jimmy | October 18, 2009 at 01:03 PM
I am a teacher and also a coach. After reading the kind of comments from people on this site, I realize that I wouldn't want the job of David Grossman or anyone else that helps him. There are some naive people out there. This is no good and that is no good. Make up your minds people. Give the Star information or back off. It looks like they are doing the best job they can and remain the only newspaper still providing space for school sports. So either call them with scores and information or find something else to do with your time rather than voice some dumb ass comments. I don't always agree with their choice of stories but have come to realize that they have jobs to do and the stories are factual.
Posted by: Disgruntled Tim | October 18, 2009 at 01:09 PM
Very interesting reading. Keep it up and thanks.
Posted by: Mrs. Rayburn | October 18, 2009 at 08:46 PM
This list is very well descripted but may be missing some key athletes. I have written a blog for student athletes who are currently struggling to balance their sports and school lives. Says URL autonatically linked, but to make sure, here it is.
http://scholarathleticismtheperfectbalance.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Hunter St. Peter | March 28, 2011 at 05:40 PM