SPORTS

This month's sports: ROPSSAA Finalists and Champions / Lorne Park Golf Recap / The Lorne Park Table Tennis Team / Girl's Varsity Basketball Team and Their Wildcard Draft / Lorne Park Spartan's Football Celebrates Their Fourth Consecutive ROPSSAA Championship Victory / The Premier League / Spartan X-C: A Major Motion Picture

ROPSSAA Finalists and Champions

January 2015

LP Spartans Boys Football Team after winning 37-25 against St. Ignatius at the ROPSSAA Championships!

By Nicole Beausoleil and Madeline Pugi

Football: On November 13, 2014, the Senior Boys Football team defeated St. Roch 22-14, allowing them to proceed to the ROPSSAA finals! For our grade 12’s, this year will be their 4th year in a row that they qualified for the championship. Congratulations to the entire team!

Cross Country: This past Cross Country season was very successful for our fellow Spartans. As a team, there are many achievements to celebrate. Fantastic race times were seen by all our runners, but special congratulations to the Senior girls team, for finishing second overall in the ROPSSAA final at Heartlake, and competing in the OFSAA championships for the second year in a row! As well, congratulations are due for the Junior girls team for finishing in third!

Golf: This past October, Lorne Park’s very own Jacqueline Miller competed in the ROPSSAA Golf Championship. After a great day of golf, Jacqueline finished victorious, and became the female ROPSSAA golf champion! Not only did she win that tournament, but she contributed to the ROPSSAA team at OFSAA, and finished 10th overall! Great job Jacqueline!

Tennis: On the courts this fall season, the Lorne Park Tennis team won its third consecutive ROPSSAA championship! Not only were they victorious at ROPSSAA, the team and will be sending three Senior team members to the OFSAA championships in June 2015. Great job Spartans!

Lorne Park Golf Recap

January 2015

Michael Carr warming up with his driver!

By Michael Carr

The Lorne Park Spartans competed in yet another ROPSSAA Golf Championship after dominating the field at the regional qualifier in Bolton, Ontario on the 29th of September.

The qualifier consisted of golfers from 26 high schools located within the Greater Toronto Area, and at the end of the day, it was the Spartans that came out on top. Owen Bates, veteran and two-time ROPSSAA Champion, led the team to victory with an even-par 72, while Mitch Emerson, the up-and-coming rookie, followed closely behind with a 5-over 77. Seniors’ Michael Carr and Doug Breen finished the day with scores of 12-over 84 and 14-over 86; disappointing for them, especially considering the warm conditions. “I was definitely a little frustrated, the course was short and the conditions were perfect, my level of play was unacceptable, I’m just glad I had the youngster around to save my butt,” said Michael Carr during a recent interview.

The boys weren’t the only LP Spartans to hit the links for the ROPSSAA qualifier. Senior student and OFSAA veteran Jacquie Miller joined the four man crew as the only female golfer on the team. Because she lacked fellow female team members, she was forced to qualify as an individual. Not only did she qualify, but she placed first in the girls division with a solid score of 15-over 87!

The team finished the qualifier with a total score of 319, which was enough to earn them the first place title, and deservedly, the opportunity to compete in the 2014 ROPSSAA Golf Championship at Braeben Golf Course in Mississauga’s Heartland Community on the 6th of October.

At the ROPSSAA championships, conditions at Braeben were tough in the early stages of the tournament. The skies were gray, the temperature was roughly 15 degrees Celsius, and gusts of wind were reaching upwards of 25km/hour. “I heard the wind gusts were as strong, if not stronger than what we encountered last year; I’m glad I wasn’t there,” said Brandon Rowe, a 2013 team member, jokingly.

The temperature gradually increased, but the wind gusts did not slow down. “I have a high ball flight, so I needed to play stingers off the tee for most holes. I remember hitting a lot of long irons; driver only came out of the bag a few times,” said Doug in a recent interview. The winds weren’t an issue for every Spartan, however. “I naturally have an extremely low ball flight; my driver goes lower than most people’s 4-iron. I can keep my 4-iron about 5 feet off the ground if I put it back in my stance a little,” Said Michael during his interview. Although he had a slight advantage, he finished with an 11-over 83; a slight improvement score-wise, but taking into consideration the considerably difficult conditions, a significant improvement from his qualifying round.

Owen finished with a round of 8-over 80, Mitch, 12-over 84, Doug, 14-over 86, and Jacquie with an outstanding round of 11-over 83. Jacquie’s excellent day led to a two-shot victory over Mayfield’s Katelyn McMahon, and the opportunity to compete in the 2014 OFSAA Championship for the second time in two years.

The boys finished 4th overall, with a total score of 247. A very respectable accomplishment, but not enough to place them alongside Jacquie in the OFSAA Championship.

Jacquie went on to place 11th in of a field of 130 players at OFSAA, finishing with a round of 14-over 86, an incredible improvement on her 2012 final position of 70th/130.

The Lorne Park Table Tennis Team

January 2015

By Jacob Hull

Mr. Serpe started the Lorne Park table tennis club last year. This year, however, it has become a team. Going into the season hopes were not high for the first year squad, and no one expected what was about to happen. Tryouts went well, and the team was starting to look good. The first matchup was against Mentor College and it was a home match. The singles players of Clarke Wilson, Daniel Karpierz, and Jacob Hull came out strong, going 2-1, 1-2, and 1-2 respectively, however it was the doubles teams that came to play. After a long 5 set match the doubles team of Patrick Karpierz and Daniel Chow claimed their second victory of the day, putting LP ahead 7-6 and claiming the school’s first ever table tennis win! The success of the team continued earlier this month with wins at both Lincoln Alexander and Streetsville, 8-5 and 7-6.

The team was 3-0 going into their match at Rick Hansen, a school renowned for their table tennis team. It was a very slow start for the Spartans, going down 6-4. However, they persevered and fought back with the doubles team of Owen and Daniel, who won their second match to give both Patrick and Jacob a chance to complete the comeback. Patrick played the number 3 singles men for Rick Hansen. Having previously lost the last two, Patrick battled and managed to pull out a victory. The stage was set for a winner take all singles match between the two number 1 players. Both teams gathered around the table and watched as the match unfolded. Jacob Hull managed to take the first set 11-8; however, he lost the second 12-10. The match was a tough one for both sides, but in the end Jacob managed to pull out the win for the Spartans. This win cemented LP record and showed that our team was not a fluke. Their success also all but guaranteed Lorne Park a playoff spot!

Although the season is not finished yet, the team looks very promising. They are 4-0 and in 1st place in the table tennis standings. The team showed that even though you are an underdog sometimes, perseverance and hard work can payoff. I don’t think I will be the only one wishing them luck as the season finishes off in early January!

Spartan X-C: A Major Motion Picture

January 2015

The LP XC Team is ready to race!

By Alison Head

Just like in any good movie, Lorne Park’s 2014 cross-country season had its ups, its downs, but most importantly, a happy ending. With over 80 athletes, Lorne Park was well represented this year.

The first meet was Pre-OFSAA in Waterloo. It was a windy day- so much so that our tent blew away- but that didn’t stop our 12 Spartans from running great races.

Kayley Head, the only Midget girl in attendance, ran with the Junior girls because the team arrived “fashionably late” and missed her race. Despite running an extra kilometer, Kayley ran very well for her first high school meet. Midget boys Josh Bird and Daniel Rendeiro also did a great job.

The Junior girls team of Hailey Lavoie-Moore, Caroline Earle, Hannah Rivers, and Kayley Head came in 25th place out of 65 teams.

The Senior girls team of Alison Head, Naomi Waye, Abby Waye, and Emily Love came in 9th place out of 68 teams. Alison, Naomi, and Abby had amazing finishes of 18th, 47th, and 56th, respectively, out of 583 athletes.

Senior boys Doug Breen and Adam Chorazyczewski also ran well. This was Doug’s first ever cross-country meet. After his run, Doug exclaimed, “I love racing”, so clearly everyone else would love it too, right?

The second meet was Pre-ROPSSAA at Heart Lake. It was a muddy, hilly course; Senior boy Scott Earle’s advice was to “Walk the ups, sprint the downs”, though everyone pushed themselves throughout.

Josh Bird was the top Midget runner, coming in at 18th.

The Junior girl’s team of Hailey Lavoie-Moore, Caroline Earle, Hannah Rivers, Abigail Jackson, and Nicole Chappell came in 2nd over-all. Hailey and Caroline had great finishes of 6th and 15th place, respectively.

The Senior girl’s team of Alison Head, Naomi Waye, Abby Waye, Stephanie Fargey, and Emily Love came in 2nd as a team. Alison, Naomi, and Abbey had amazing finishes of 2nd, 4th, and 6th, respectively.

At ROPSSAA, which is the OFSAA-qualifying meet, the Spartans made LP proud, especially the Junior and Senior girls teams.

The Junior girls team of Hailey Lavoie-Moore, Caroline Earle, Hannah Rivers, Abigail Jackson, and Nicole Chappell came in 3rd place. All five girls put in a valiant effort, but were one placement off of qualifying for OFSAA as a team. Hailey, Caroline, and Hannah ran impressively, placing 10th, 17th, and 22nd respectively.

Unfortunately, the Senior girls team lost Naomi Waye, one of LP’s top runners, due to stress fractures. However, the team of Alison Head, Abby Waye, Aida Smlatic, Katie Locke, and Emily Love finished in second place, with only 4 points between them and 3rd. Alison and Abby had amazing finishes of 3rd and 7th place, respectively. The team was off to OFSAA!

OFSAA was very muddy and much colder than expected. The girls watched the first races strategically, noting where other athletes fell in the mud.

As a team, they finished in 29th place out of over 100 teams, which is a great way for these graduating students to finish off their high-school cross-country careers.

The cross-country season was clearly a huge success. This would not have been possible without incredible coaching by Ms. Vanstone, Mr. Pindor, Ms. McGregor, and Mr. MacKay. They ensured that the athletes ran their best and had fun simultaneously, which is not an easy feat. First-time racer Keaton Brar says, “The whole team was really amazing and I really enjoyed being a part of it.”

So if you are looking for a great team to join next year, take this advice: “Run Forrest, run!”

Girl’s Varsity Basketball Team and Their Wildcard Draft

January 2015

The LP girls basketball team during a home game!

By Audrey Popa

The girls basketball team finished the off the fall season with evidentially the happiest smiles around. As a team with more losses than wins the following season, they were still selected as a wild card pick to play for ROPSAA finals. In what was expected to be a blow out game, the Spartans kept the game bellow a 20 point difference the entire game, even at one point taking a lead against the 10th best ranked team in Ontario, St. Augustine.

What the team was really best known for was their dedication to team work. As tough as each game was, they always remained cheerful, and played every single player on the team, no matter what the score. The team faced a few challenges this year as many of their starting players left for university, leaving need for new players. The team added an additional five new grade 9 and 10 students in hopes to train and develop them for years to come.

“Although we didn’t have the greatest record, as a team who had lost most of our strong players and moved up a division, we still brought it every game. Something I’ll never forget is every single player on our team scoring a point in our game against Iona and how crazy the bench went every time,” remarks one of the teams captains, Shannon Northey.

The head coach, John Nicol, who has been coaching Lorne Park Basketball for five years now, has always had a strong belief of having enough playing time for everyone. His stress on team work is evident in how the girls not only played but how they treated each other this season. “With 6:50 a.m. morning practices every day, then games twice a week after school, it’s hard not to grow close to these girls. Even now after the season’s done, we’re still hanging out, and always posting on the Facebook group chat. It’s so strange not seeing them every day,” comments Audrey Popa one of the other captains of the team.

With this kind of contagiously happy and inclusive atmosphere surrounding the girls basketball team, it’s no wonder people are starting to take real notice and interest. “My friends and I really want to join the basketball team next year. We didn’t join previous years because we thought the morning practices would be too hard… but it looks like they’re having so much fun. It’s our last year of high school next year and we really don’t want to miss out on an experience like that,” states Jade Krenek.

With new prospects looking to join the basketball team next year, the future is only looking brighter and brighter for the girls. “The real strength is in our bench,” comments Norocel Popa, an avid watcher of the team. “The really young girls on the team gained experience and confidence from playing with the older girls. The potential they have is huge because they still have two or three years ahead of them. I only expect them to get better.” With such a bright happy future ahead, it’s easy to see why Nicol has coached the team the way he has, not only does it ensure happiness season-round, but it seems to have only created success for the future.

Looking back on the season one thing is clear: the hard work and dedication of not only the players but also Mrs. Haywood played a huge role in how successful they were. Without her commitment there wouldn’t have been a team in the first place. Not only did she organize game schedules, jerseys, and rides but she was there with the team at every morning practice.

In conclusion, it’s no surprise the Lorne Park girl’s varsity basketball team was chosen for the wildcard pick at ROPSSA. Whether it was their hustle on their court, their dedication to teamwork or their desire to get better, this team has the full package to become a true competitor in the future. With a full year of training and learning ahead of them, we can only expect them to be on top of their game next year. Keep an eye out for this team next year around, we promise they’ll be something special to watch next season!

Lorne Park Spartan’s Football Celebrates after Their Fourth Consecutive ROPSSAA Championship Victory

January 2015

The Spartans at the 2014 ROPSSAA Championships!

By Christian Mapplebeck

The Lorne Park Spartans have brought home yet another trophy to put on the shelf. The 97 students have now won the ROPSSAA championship for the fourth and final consecutive year. The team achieved a nearly perfect record throughout those four years, only losing thrice this year. They also capped of their impressive play-off run with a 37-25 win against St. Ignatius from Thunder Bay in the OFSSAA final.

In the ROPSSAA finals the Spartans faced off against St. Marcellinus Spirit on November 24th at Chingcousy Park. After a long and hard game was fought, they beat St. Marcellinus with next to no time left in the fourth quarter. Punter Evan Simmons delivered an incredible kick through the end zone, putting the Spartans up for good 12-11. When asked how Simmons kept such a level head in a tense moment, he responded with, “It’s really just part of the game. Pressure and anxiety will come with each kick no matter how much is riding on it. It was just really important to remember to execute what I’d practiced time after time, and I just let myself play the game I love.”

On November 28th, the Spartans travelled to Hamilton to play St. Ignatius in the OFSSAA final. Lorne Park expected a tough game, but with all the practice and dedication that has been devoted to this team by the coaches, the Spartans did not disappoint their expectant fans. The team was in control throughout winning by a comfortable 12 points at the end. When asked how the team prepared for the game, Nick Kullerstand, one of players said, “As always we watched hours of footage on the team. We treated them like any other team. The most crucial thing for us, always, is to come out strong and stay strong throughout the entire game. We can’t let a single thing get to our heads, or it could be the thing that ruins the whole game for us.”

This was the last game for many of the grade 12s graduating this year, and after four years of effort, training, blood, sweat, and tears, they were happy to end on a winning note. For most of these players, football is far more than just a game. It means being part of a family; it means pushing your limits beyond compare; it means leaving everything else in your life out of your mind for those rigorous four hours, and it means making sacrifices to make sure that they don’t let the team down. Clearly this commitment to the sport and to their team-mates, creates an inseparable bond and makes the team more efficient, cooperative and effective as a whole; all important ingredients in their success.

Vince Lombardi once said, “Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” The Lorne Park Spartans embody this in spades. They have been blessed with skillfull individual players, such as Devin Condlin, Tommy Silveroli, Alex Lavric, and Evan Simmons; but it has been the all-around team commitment to each other that has been an important ingredient in their success.

The Premier League

January 2015

Manchester City after winning the English Premier League cup following their game against West Ham United!

By Alec Edmonds

The Barclays Premier Soccer League was well under way as we enter the 13th week of the season. New premier league players have settled into their clubs, or are still trying to fit in with new styles of play. One player who has certainly proved that he was worth the investment is Diego Costa of Chelsea FC, who moved this summer from Athletico, Madrid. Last year, he was the lead scorer on his team, and led Athletico to a La Liga Championship Title, and to a Champions League Final, in which they lost to their inner city rivals, Real Madrid. Costa currently has 11 goals for Chelsea in the league, scoring in every single one of his appearances. This has certainly helped their success this season, as Chelsea seems to be unbeatable, having a record of 10 wins, 2 ties, and 0 losses.

One team that has certainly been exceeding expectations is Southampton FC, who is currently sitting third in the league behind Chelsea and Manchester City. No one expected this outcome as many of the Saints top players had moved clubs during the summer transfer window. Dutch coach Ronald Koeman, who says that he models his style of coaching from fellow countryman Louis Van Gaal, has certainly gained positive attention for his success in a time where many critics believed that it would be a rebuilding year for the club. The chemistry of the team is very good considering that most of the players are new this year and have never played together. This is the difference between a team like Southampton and a team like Manchester City, who are more big-name player based. There is no question that City are a great team and are successful, but if they were without players like Yaya Toure-who may have struggled in a recent stint but is still a world class player- and their star striker, Sergio Aguero-who is arguably one of the best players in the Premier League- City would probably be a few positions back in the table. This goes to show that in some cases, a single player can make such a huge difference for a club.

Speaking of clubs that rely on one player, ever since the departure of Luis Suarez, who joined Barcelona FC this summer, Liverpool FC have struggled in the league thus far. Between injuries, and struggling strikers such as Mario Balotelli, Liverpool has not been the same team they were last year, when they finished second in the league. But their supporters should remain optimistic as the year is still young, with star player Daniel Sturridge returning from injury, and the January transfer window approaching, Liverpool has a chance of improving in the standings.

Last season Manchester United had a year to forget, when they finished in a disappointing 7th place. But with new additions such as coach Louis Van Gaal and star players like Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao arriving to the super club, the Red Devil’s fans hope to see their team regain their league dominance and fear that they would bring to their opponents. Currently sitting in fourth place, many still doubt whether the team can improve and secure a Champions League position by year’s end without a solid back line of defense, or a center midfield that does not have to rely solely on center forward Wayne Rooney to do all of the work.

The calendar year may be coming to a close, but the season is not even at the half way point, meaning that many teams have the opportunity to change their ways and improve in the league table. There are no certainties in the Premier League when it comes to predictions, between injuries and coaching, the standings could look fairly different in the last week of the season. Some teams may choose to switch a few things up with the approach of the January Transfer Window. As always, the Premier League should throw a few surprises at us and everyone is certainly looking forward to the outcomes. But as of now, we are only into week 13, and there is certainly a long way to go with lots of exciting play ahead.