New in 2023-24, OFSAA has partnered with Worldplay to deliver live streaming for our indoor team championships.
Managed using the Vidflex™ video platform, the service enables pay-per-view content (stream & download) on mobile devices, tablets, and desktops beginning the week of November 20th. It’s a flexible pay-per-view subscription model that ensures a shared revenue venture for both parties.
ÉSJS – École St Joseph School (Yellowknife); SPHS – École St Patrick High School (Yellowknife); DG – Deh Gáh Elementary & Secondary School (Fort Providence); WMS – École William McDonald Middle School (Yellowknife)
A big thank you to École St Patrick High School facebook page for the awesome photographs and story
École William McDonald Middle School
École St. Patrick High School
The great thing about school sports is the connections that are made. Take a peek at these two absolute gems – Raine and Gabriel, from École St. Patrick High School, who have been table tennis partners since they were at St. Joes! Is it any wonder that they won the Senior High Doubles and were smiling as they did it?
Oh, and École St. Patrick High School also won the Senior High Banner!
Thanks to @tabletennisnorth for organizing and running the tournament with such passion and love for the game. You inspire us to be better!
The NWT Table Tennis Tournament’s first day is done. Doubles are in the book and École St. Patrick High School have some results… they won both divisions they were in!
Owen and Najib won the Grade 8 doubles!
Raine and Gabriel won the Grade 9-12 doubles division (with Aiden + Kingston coming in 2nd and Jacee + Paul coming in 3rd). WE SWEPT THE PODIUM!!!
Singles will be tomorrow! Come on out to the SP gym and cheer the competitors on!
École William McDonald Middle School
Future stars hold court at NWT School Table Tennis Championships
Georgia Debogorski, left, Otja Riruako, Yakob Tesfazghi and Uriel Parugao were some of the participants from Ecole St. Joseph School. Kaicheng Xin/NNSL photo
Table Tennis North hosted its NWT School Championships at St. Pat’s Gymnasium this past weekend, attracting more than 120 students from eight schools across the territory.
The school tournament, which has been running since 2016. “It is a fun and competitive way to introduce students to table tennis,” said Thorsten Gohl, executive director of Table Tennis North.
The tournament included doubles and singles matches, as well as a team competition.
Gohl said that this year was especially exciting because they had students from Fort Good Hope and Fort Providence, who traveled to Yellowknife for the first time to join the event.
“They were very enthusiastic, they were very happy to be here, they were very curious about the sport, and they were very eager to learn,” he said.
Gohl said he hopes the tournament will inspire more people to play and enjoy table tennis, and to promote the sport in the NWT.
Here are the winners of each division courtesy of Table Tennis North:
Grade 6 girls — Kathleen Cai, William McDonald
Grade 6 boys — Carter Sadowick, Deh Gah School (Fort Providence)
Grade 7 girls — Ana Villegas, St. Joe’s
Grade 7 boys — Owen Bowden, St. Joe’s
Grade 8 girls — Pontiac Mace, William McDonald
Grade 8 boys — Calen Knight — William McDonald
Middle school doubles — Logan Doll and Oliver Reitsma, William McDonald
Grade 9 boys — Aiden Langer, St. Pat’s
Grade 10 girls — Lily Brennan, St. Pat’s
Grade 10 boys — Kai Shimada, St. Pat’s
Grade 11 girls — Raine Mingo, St. Pat’s
Grade 11 boys — Gabriel Brost, St. Pat’s
Grade 12 girls — Gracie Brennan, St. Pat’s
Grade 12 boys — Nikhilesh Gohil, Sir John Franklin
High school doubles — Gracie Brennan and Zachary Mathison, St. Pat’s
The Auburn Drive senior receiver had contracted COVID just days before the Eagles’ Week 3 meeting with Bay View. The Sharks smothered the Eagles 16-0, propelling them to first place in the regular season and a No. 1 seeding in the Nova Scotia High School Football League playoffs.
Perry was champing at the bit prior to the teams’ showdown in the championship final Sunday afternoon and the all-star receiver delivered, scoring three touchdowns in the Eagles’ 31-6 rout at Huskies Stadium.
“I went into that game in the middle of battling COVID,” recalled Perry, the championship final MVP. “I was barely playing that game. I had a really rough game, probably the worst game in my whole life. So, I just erased that from my memories. We also didn’t have our starting running back or a starting linebacker in the game. We figured it’s a whole different game and put it behind us. We knew we could beat these guys and we did it.”
A first-quarter rouge by Auburn Drive accounted for all the scoring through most of the first half. That was until Eagles quarterback Jake Wamboldt dropped back and found a sprinting Perry bolting down the middle of the field for a 70-yard touchdown reception with 2:04 left in the second quarter. Auburn Drive held a 7-0 lead at halftime.
Wamboldt and Perry connected again on a screen pass late in the third quarter which the receiver rumbled 20 yards for the major and a 14-0 Eagles advantage.
On the Eagles’ first drive of the fourth quarter, Wamboldt went back to the well with Perry and found his favourite receiver up the middle and Perry did the rest, racing to the end zone on an 82-yard TD reception with eight minutes remaining to put the Eagles ahead by three scores.
“I knew my speed would take me there and I trusted my boy Jake to give me the ball so I just took off,” said Perry, who was the Nova Scotia high school league’s special teams MVP this season.
“After we scored the first one, coach came up to us at halftime and said we’re running it again. Later in the half, I looked at Jake like I was saying, ‘you know where I’m going to be.’ And he’s like I got you. He put the ball in the same spot, and it was the same result.
“Jake and I have great chemistry. I’ve played N.S. football with him since U16 and he was one of the people who welcomed me warmly to Auburn (after transferring from Dartmouth High following his Grade 10 year). He’s been there the whole time for me. The last two years have been a ride. I love that guy.
“But I gotta thank my coach for that play. It’s a great one.”
Grade 12 offensive lineman Noah Wells had a front row seat as the dominant duo put on a show.
“They are just phenomenal athletes,” said the six-foot-six, 305-pound Wells, a league all-star.
“Jake just stepped back and fed it in the air right into the arms of Ayres, not once but twice. They’re both dogs out there every single game. And I got to watch them front and centre. It’s an honour to block for them.”
While the offence was clicking, the Eagles’ defence neutralized Grade 12 quarterback Owen Aucoin. Auburn Drive sacked the Division 1 league MVP three times, including two by Jayden MacLean. His second sack came with 2:20 left in the fourth, a devastating hit on an unexpected Aucoin which knocked him out of the game with a suspected shoulder injury.
The Sharks’ only score came on a late quarterback sneak by backup Peyton Flint with 15 seconds remaining. On the ensuing kickoff, the Eagles’ Elliott Dawood returned it for a major with eight seconds left.
“Our defence is the best in the league, no question about it,” Wells said. “We also have the best offence and that’s why we should have been the No. 1 team coming in here today.”
During his high school career, Wells won as a Grade 10 rookie – a 30-20 victory over Bay View in the 2021 final – and was involved in the Citadel Phoenix’s 39-0 thrashing of the Eagles in last year’s championship.
He’s thrilled to close the curtain in the winner’s circle.
“Last year, 39-0, that just didn’t sit right with all of us,” Wells said. “We needed to win today. But it wasn’t going to be easy. The Bay View Sharks whooped us earlier in the year. They punched us square in the mouth. We had to get it back and give it back to them.
“I’m so proud of this team. Guys were locked in.”
——————————————————————————————————
Championship Sunday: Sydney Academy Wildcats searching for first-ever high school football title this weekend
SYDNEY, N.S. — When the Sydney Academy Wildcats football program began 10 years ago, Lorne Burke and his staff knew winning a championship would take time.
In the early days, the program saw a mixture of football players and regular athletes who wanted to give the sport a chance – and the growing pains were felt.
“We knew it was going to be about five years to build the program,” said Burke. “High school football in Nova Scotia is very competitive.”
Since then, the program has evolved and is receiving more players who play the game through the Football Cape Breton minor program, which has become a feeder system for the Sydney Academy team.
In recent years, the tide has been turning for the Wildcats team. They’ve managed to secure their spot in three of the last four Division 2 high school provincial championship games.
This weekend, the Wildcats will play in their fourth championship game when they take on the Lockview Dragons of Fall River on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Huskies Stadium at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.
The game will be broadcast live on Eastlink Community TV on channel 10 for Eastlink subscribers.
Sydney Academy and Lockview met during the Nova Scotia High School Football League regular season in week 7. The Wildcats held a 7-4 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Dragons scored late and took the game 11-7.
“Some of their top guys weren’t in the game and some of our top guys weren’t in the game,” said Burke. “I think everyone is going to be in the game on Sunday so it’s going to be interesting.”
The Wildcats were missing running back Payton Barter, who Burke considers to be the team’s most valuable player this season, for the game against Lockview.
Last weekend, Barter rushed for 283 yards and scored all four of the team’s touchdowns in a 28-14 victory over Woodlawn in the league semifinal in Dartmouth.
Barter will be in the Wildcats lineup for the championship game.
Burke acknowledged the Dragons and coach Mike Korecki, who was an offensive lineman for the Saint Mary Huskies during the days of Larry Uteck as the team’s coach.
“Lockview’s offensive line is very strong and we know that,” said Burke. “They know us well and both teams are kind of built the same way – heavy run teams.”
The football program at Sydney Academy has never won a provincial title. Last year, the club lost to Woodlawn in the championship game 21-13, despite leading the game late.
Last year, the Wildcats beat the Dragons in the semifinal to advance to the championship game. The one year they didn’t make the final in recent years came as a result of a loss to Lockview in the semifinal.
“We have a great history with Lockview in the playoffs,” said Burke. “We have to limit the mistakes. We found this year that we didn’t really lose many of our Tier 2 games based on not being able to compete with the teams, but rather mistakes that we made.
“Against Lockview, they scored all of their points off our turnovers. We had a fumble punt and they ended up kicking for a field goal and then they had an interception late in the game and that turned into a drive where they scored a touchdown.”
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME INFO:
Teams: Sydney Academy Wildcats vs. Lockview Dragons
When: Sunday
Where: Huskies Stadium, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax
Time: 5 p.m.
How To Watch: Eastlink Community TV (Channel 10)
The Sydney Academy team, who finished the regular season with a 2-5 record, considers the championship game as an opportunity to redeem themselves from last November’s final.
“It’s more about the excitement for another opportunity, I wouldn’t call it revenge,” said Burke. “We knew there was going to be some growing pains this year and we did experience that, but we’ve overcame it and looking at the teams in the playoffs that we competed against, we felt that we were very competitive and could win this.”
Regardless of the outcome, Burke said the team was able to accomplish at least one of its goals for the 2023 season and that was to make it to the championship game.
“Because we played in the Tier 2 championship game last year, we knew our schedule would be difficult this year because we’re considered to be one of the top Tier 2 teams, meaning we have to play at least two Tier 1 teams in regular season,” he said.
“We will be in that situation again next year, but things are looking good for the Sydney Academy program next year. We have 10 seniors graduating from 50 players.”
Sydney Academy and Lockview won’t be the only high school football provincial final scheduled for Sunday at Saint Mary’s University.
The Division 1 championship will feature the Bay View Sharks of Upper Tantallon and the Auburn Drive Eagles of Westphal at 1 p.m. at Huskies Stadium. Like Sydney Academy and Lockview, the game will be broadcast on Eastlink Community TV.
——————————————————————————————————-
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Bay View Sharks hoping ‘bounce back’ season ends with a title
Evan Brown said it’s been ‘a nice bounce-back year’ for his Bay View Sharks football team.
That may be a bit of an understatement by the third-year coach, whose team went 6-1 and cruised into the Nova Scotia High School Football League championship game with a 37-0 victory over the Horton Griffins.
“It’s funny how one year can change so much,” said Brown, a former quarterback with the Sir John A. Macdonald Flames, before the Upper Tantallon high school was renamed.
“Last year was a bit of a down year for us. We didn’t win any games against Division 1 teams at all. It was a weird year. We were littered with injuries and whatever we tried ended up backfiring.”
The 2023 season has been mostly up for the Sharks, whose only loss came against the Cobequid Cougars.
“This year has been the opposite of that. Everything seems to have fallen in line, knock on wood,” said Brown. “We have been healthy for the whole season, which has been great.
“We have a really strong group of Grade 12s and a good group of Grade 11s behind them. This is a year we have been eyeing for a great opportunity to do something special.
“We are a really solid group. In high school football, it is rare when you don’t have many holes and that’s been the case for us. Right across the board, we have great athletes and a lot of size. We have some Grade 12s in key offensive positions. I coach the offence and we have five starters who have been starters for three years now. They started in Grade 10 and are now reaping the rewards from some of the beatings they took last year.”
Standing in the way of a ‘special’ season for the Sharks are the Auburn Drive Eagles, who held off the Citadel Phoenix 21-18 in the other semifinal. The Sharks defeated the Eagles 16-0 in the only matchup between the teams this season.
Title rematch
The title game on Sunday (1 p.m.) at Huskies Stadium is a rematch of the 2021 championship game between the two teams.
Bay View went into the 2021 final as a huge underdog against the Eagles, who had won their previous nine games in a dominating fashion that season.
Brown was in his first season as Bay View coach and remembers the championship game vividly.
“The was my first year with the team,” said Brown, who played quarterback at Acadia University. “They were a dominant team all year.
We were actually up in the fourth quarter, which was our goal to give them a challenge that they hadn’t had all year to see if they could handle the adversity. And they stepped up to the challenge, came out in the fourth quarter and exploited some mismatches that we couldn’t handle.”
The Eagles scored 22 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for a 30-20 victory to cap a perfect 10-0 season.
Drawing from that experience, Brown knows being the favourite doesn’t mean much of anything at game time. Plus the fact that Auburn coach Dion Thomas-Hodges has his team in the championship game for the third consecutive year.
“This year, it’s a more evenly-matched game,” said Brown. “They are very athletic with lots of speed. They are a team that if you take a play off, they will punish you for it. They have some guys that can score from anywhere on the field. It is a concern, but the other side of that is as solid as we are, hopefully, we can keep those big plays to a minimum.”
The Sharks are led by Grade 12 quarterback Owen Aucoin, who started as a rookie in the 2021 championship game. Aucoin has many targets, including running back/ receiver Ty Boone and receivers Jase LeBlanc and Des Crawford. The offensive line is anchored by Luke Stanley and Quinn MacDonald.
“Owen is our QB, a three-year starter who had a fantastic year, all-star of the league. We have Ty Boone, a fantastic athlete who can do everything. He’s our go-to guy when we need a play. I could list off so many players because it’s a solid group.”
On the defensive side of the ball, Bay View is led by linemen Romaine Randall, and Keldon Axhorn, linebackers Owen Luedee and Sam Lecker-Evans and defensive back Drew Kinley.
The Eagles are led by all-purpose star quarterback Jake Wamboldt, who has scored touchdowns on kick returns, receptions and passing this season, and receiver Ayres Perry, who had 10 majors.
On defence, the Eagles have several big-play contributors. Defensive lineman Tyree Williams had 19 sacks, while defensive backs Kurrell Johnson-Thompson, Isaiah Boutin and Kayden Fraser combined for 11 interceptions and linebacker Elliot Dawood had 60 tackles.
Back home
Brown is enjoying coaching at his hometown school with several former Sir John A. Macdonald players.
“I coached for seven years at Dalhousie and then came home. I live in the area here, and it’s nice to be back in my community.
“There are a handful of guys who also went through the (Sir John A. Macdonald) program who are back with me now. We have a good mix of coaches who understand the history of the program and some people who came in with an outside view.”
Note: The Division 2 championship between the Lockview Dragons and Sydney Academy Wildcats will follow at 5 p.m.
Unified Alberta’s Virtual Bean Bag Toss Challenge has officially began. This contest is running from November 17 2023 – December 8 2023. Please click the link below to see a full list of competition rules.
If you need more information or have any question please contact Emily Lines via email at emily@asaa.ca
Action, passion and epic victories at Triolet High School’s RBC Stadium last Saturday, November 18, 2023!
In Division 2 of Cadet Football, College Charles-Lemoyne competed at the Saint-Jean-Eudes Secondary School, and it was the Condors of Saint-Jean -Eudes who took the victory with a score of 41-17! Congratulations to the Condors on an outstanding performance!
Division 2 youth football also provided a breathtaking show, pitting the Academy Les Estacades against the Seminary Saint-Joseph. The battle was fierce, but it was in the end the Green & Gold of the Saint-Joseph Seminary that clinched victory with a tight score of 17-10! Let’s applaud them for their determination and well-deserved success!
Congratulations to the two Division 2 provincial championship teams! These victories are the result of hard work, determination and exceptional talent. Congratulations to all for this memorable season!
RHINO RUGBY AND BC SCHOOL SPORTS ANNOUNCE EXCITING PARTNERSHIP TO ELEVATE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIPS
(Nov. 16, 2023) – Rhino Rugby, the leading provider of top-tier rugby apparel, balls and equipment, has proudly partnered with British Columbia School Sports to enhance the experience of the BC School Sports Rugby Championships and Playoffs. As part of this collaboration, Rhino Rugby will supply custom Comet Match Ball for the Provincial Championships, reinforcing its commitment to elevating the sport at every level. The Comet Match Ball will be designated as the Official Rugby Ball of BCSS, a testament to its quality and performance.
The Comet Match Ball boasts a hand-stitched design with an in-seam valve, ensuring unparalleled pass and kick accuracy. Crafted with a four-ply laminated construction of rugby ball rubber, this ball maximizes energy transfer during kicks, maintaining both accuracy and speed. Its new and improved grip further enhances rugby ball handling, catering to the needs ofplayers striving for excellence on the field.
“We are thrilled to partner with BC School Sports and contribute to the growth of rugby in the region. The custom Comet Match Balls represent our dedication to providing athletes with the best equipment to enhance their performance,” said Keith Mirsky, CFO of Rhino Rugby.
BC School Sports has a rich history of fostering sportsmanship and athletic excellence among its member schools. With 455 member schools throughout the province, BCSS plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of rugby in British Columbia and their championships is one of the largest rugby events in the country with over nearly 2000 participants The partnership with Rhino Rugby will not only enhance the quality of championships but also present an exciting opportunity for student-athletes to experience rugby at its best.
Jordan Abney, Executive Director of BC School Sports, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Our partnership with Rhino Rugby marks an exciting chapter for BC School Sports and rugby enthusiasts across the province. The Comet Match Ball is a testament to Rhino’s commitment to innovation and quality in the sport. This collaboration will undoubtedly further elevate our incredible championships and create a lasting impact on the school rugby community.”
As part of the partnership, BC School Sports members will benefit from special discounts on select Rhino products, ranging from Rugby Balls and Scrum Caps to Technical Training Equipment. This initiative aligns with Rhino Rugby’s vision of providing athletes with top-notch gear and fostering a sense of unity within the rugby community.
For more information about Rhino Rugby and its range of innovative rugby products, visit www.RhinoRugby.com. To stay updated on BC School Sports events and initiatives, please visit www.BCSchoolSports.ca.
About Rhino Rugby: For over 40 years, Rhino Rugby has been the go-to brand for top rugby athletes worldwide, offering high-quality equipment, balls, and apparel that embody the core values of rugby – toughness, reliability, integrity, heritage, and team spirit. Rhino Rugby proudly serves renowned universities, clubs, professional teams, and international squads, standing as a symbol of excellence in the rugby world.
About BC School Sports: BC School Sports is an organization of over 450 public and independent member schools in British Columbia. It is the governing body for school sport and coordinates and delivers opportunities with our member schools for interschool competitions in 18 activities to over 117,000 student-athletes each year. BCSS delivers 61 provincial championships each year to over 16,000 student-athletes, recognized as the pinnacle of interscholastic competition.
Captains Joe Curran, left, and Emma Carey show off the trophies as Sir John Franklin High School won both the boys and girls games in the 2023 Wade Hamer Challenge Cup at the Multiplex on Wednesday. James McCarthy/NNSL photo
If you drove past the Multiplex on Wednesday afternoon, you knew exactly what was going on judging by the amount of cars in the parking lot.
If you drove past and didn’t know, it was only the biggest day of the hockey season in Yellowknife.
The 39th Wade Hamer Challenge Cup once again emanated from the barn on the corner of Kam Lake Road and Woolgar Avenue featuring the Sir John Franklin Falcons and St. Pat’s Irish once again doing battle for the right to put the trophies on display in their respective schools for the next 12 months.
And those trophies will be going to Sir John Franklin as the Falcons won both the girls and boys games by identical scores of 4-1 each.
The girls game was first up and it was essentially the Emma Carey Show as the Falcons captain scored all four goals to lead her team to victory.
Carey said she knew St. Pat’s wouldn’t go down without a fight.
“They have so many amazing girls,” she said. “I thought we were running for our lives at some points.”
The opening few minutes of the game saw both teams have decent chances with neither dominating at that point. Carey’s first goal came courtesy of a blast that beat St. Pat’s goaltender Alexana Kapraelian. She followed that up a few minutes later to give the Falcons a 2-0 at the intermission.
They would double that lead with two quick goals near the midway point of the second period before Zoey Remo of St. Pat’s scored with around two minutes left to make things interesting.
The Falcons definitely had the advantage between the pipes with Ellie Loutitt backstopping the eventual winners, but Kapraelian didn’t embarrass herself by any stretch as she came up with several really good saves to keep her team in it.
“Ellie’s our rock, she’s amazing, she brought this home for us,” said Carey,
This was Carey’s last game as she’s graduating this coming summer and she said she’ll miss it big time.
“I’m gonna miss the girls, miss the team, everything,” she said.
The boys game started out much the same as the girls game in terms of the feeling-out process, but not too many chances in the early going. That was until Sir John’s Braden Brenton fired one past Irish goaltender Jackson Bowden to give the Falcons the early lead midway through the first period. Hayden Murray would make it 2-0 on the power-play as he rifled a shot from the left face-off circle over Bowden’s shoulder.
From there, it was all Sir John as they were able to stop almost every bit of pressure St. Pat’s could throw their way, though the Irish were able to break Spencer Miller’s shutout with less than a minute to go in the game.
Sir John coach Peter Curran said the Falcons’ game plan was all about puck pressure.
“We knew they had some big horses that they would bring on the rush and regroups,” he said. “We anticipated and focused on pressuring them in a few areas. Our regroup defence was forcing bad passes and they were really stepping up. With all due respect, they had a tough time getting going and we were just throwing the puck back in deep. It’s twice as hard to play in your own end.”
Curran also said he knew all it would take was to get one past Bowden and things would start to move.
“I was looking at the shots on goal and I was telling the boys to just stay with it,” he said. “We had to turn the zone time into shots on net and if we could get one (goal), we’d be getting three, maybe four. We were really owning the puck below the hash marks and it took some perfect shots to beat Jackson.”
So what does it all mean? It means Sir John Franklin retains the girls trophy and regained the boys trophy for the sweep.
Curran said there will be an added expense because of it, but he’s alright with it.
“The extra money we’re going to have to spend to get two 2023 plates for the trophies is all worth it,” he said.
Congratulations to the Condors on an outstanding performance! 
Philippe Jubinville, 
