High School Notebook

So, I went out to watch a high school boys' rugby game, not because I had a pile of time to waste, but it was a nice day and I wanted to watch a good game and try change my record of seeing anything but a kid helped off the field with some kind of nasty injury.

I was impressed with flyhalf Conor McCann, a member of the traditionally strong Malvern Collegiate program and a key player on Canada's under-17 team. He scored four tries (could have had more) and kicked five converts in a 52-7 win over Riverdale. The Black Knights are two-time defending Toronto District School Board champs and head coach Doug Underwood is one of the better coaches in this city.

As for injuries, one Malvern player left with his shoulder wrapped in so many ways that I was aching just watching him. A Riverdale player also had a bloody nose - just gushing too. I am told that the Toronto EMS know Brichmount Stadium in Scarborough very well, showing up to frequently help female rugby players  with head injuries and broken ankles.

Having enough rugby, I went back to the office to listen to a pile of calls from people all bragging about their athletes being the best in what they do - and all the time. Throughout all this, I tried to clean up my desk and see what was around that might be of interest to you.

 Andre Ford-Azonwanne, a grade 9 sprinter from Cardinal McGuigan is putting up some impressive numbers and setting meet records. How about 10.89 in the 100 metres? Yes, faster than any junior or senior-age athlete at the Cardinal Carter Classic.

Sticking to the track, Eric Dillon is leaving the country. I mean, he's accepted a full scholarship to the University of Missouri. It will be quite a difference from his hometown of Oshawa and running at McLaughlin Collegiate. Dillon had the fastest time over 1,500 metres in Canada for his age group last year and finished 11th at the World Youth track and field finals in Italy.

In lacrosse, how about Victoria Powers from Denis O'Connor High in Ajax? Win or lose, she can score goals. She had six in a Durham Region league win - 10-2 over Paul Dwyer. After a breather, she scored six more but Holy Trinity beat her team 13-10.

One more thing about rugby, our Halton Region correspondents tell me that teams called a halt to a girls' game at halftime. Oakville Trafalgar was winning, 57-0 over Burlington Central - a team that started with 15 players but left with less on the field because of injuries and having to forfeit.

 

Comments

[Jonathan]

So Dillon joined the kid from Birchmount Park, Merid Seleshi, and now both are going to Missouri and a good university.

[Mr. T. Harrison]

Enough of the rugby. Time to focus more on baseball, please. No smashed heads, broken noses and that nonsense that goes in rugby.

[The Truth]

Oh wow, you were at that rugby game too! I was watching for a bit and would have liked to introduce/re-introduce myself.

Despite the 'blowout,' Kudos to Riverdale's coach for making Malvern work in the beginning for the try.

[Albert]

That kid from McGuigan is quite the sprinter. I hope he stays at the school he is at now and not get sucked in to moving to some of those track and field schools.

[Coaches Waiting ForAction]

Mr. Grossman. I am wondering if you would you be kind enough to update us on the saga of the misfits at OFFSAA who only know raising awareness of school sports as raising awareness of their own incompetence. Does it take that group five years to provide student and coaching participation numbers or will they just fudge the numbers again or blame schools for not giving them information. What about that rule about going to tournaments in the United States that you wrote about in past. They went after one school but made up a bunch of excuses to protect another school. Can anyone fire them or do we get stuck with their incomptence.

[L. Williamson]

As if we don't have enough concerns with the boys rugby going on, so I read about all the injuries with girls. I can see why those scores are not in your paper. Either the coaches want to protect the injuries some how or the games never get finished because of the injuries.

[Fair Play Guy]

It appears as if some school coaches either got the message or were told to keep scores within reason rather than shoving it down the throat of another team. Then again, the people at Oakville Trafalgar will one day have another team beat them badly in rugby and they'll like complain about being humiliated.

[chris starkey]

Because there are 2 divisions in ROPSSAA that are untiered, the rugby league rules state that you cannot report a score with more than a 50 point differential. For example, if the score was 58-0, it would be reported as 50-0. 69-15 would appear as 65-15.

Personally, I prefer that the coaches and players find a way to keep the scores reasonable.

[Mark S.]

I was just reading what Chris Starkey had to say about scores and controlling what is reported to the league and others.
What a sick mentality and a stupid rule!!
Kick the daylights out of a school rugby team and maybe one that is not as good.
But, shh, hide the score. Disguise it. Falsify the result just so it doesn't look bad. If this is the rule in ROPSSAA, I would eliminate the entire group behind this ridiculous stuff.
Where is the Peel Board of Education - hiding in meetings?
No wonder this sport gets a bad rap.
Education. Wow, what education.

[Jimmy Gulens]

the kid from Riverdale suffered a cut lip from a cleat and not a nose injury
the Rugby program at Riverdale is new with first year players which caused the lopsided scores

[Mr. Sanderson]

It appears as if someone goofed. Riverdale should be another Tier.
Why would a coach enter a first year team with others like Malvern who have kicked butt for years?
Keep that up and there might not be a team next year.

[Jerry Adams]

It would be nice if you could provide us with more names of students who have chosen to go to the United States for sports rather than find a university in Canada. Some make the right move while I really believe the majority get sucked in to the "U.S. Syndrome".