Peterborough athletes bring home OFSAA hardware
Peterborough wrestlers brought home four medals, including two gold, and posted a number of other strong results at the OFSAA wrestling championships.
Four city schools sent a large contingent of athletes who qualified through top two finishes at COSSA to be among 876 athletes from 209 schools who took to the mats in 17 boy’s and 17 girls’ weight classes at the United Soccer Centre in Stoney Creek on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Each local school — the Adam Scott Lions, Crestwood Mustangs, Kenner Rams and Thomas A. Stewart Griffins — produced an OFSAA medallist.
Crestwood’s Brynn Jenkins won gold in the girls’ 95-kilogram division, while Kenner’s Chelsea Burton improved on her 2023 silvermedal performance by claiming gold in the girls’ 89-kilogram weight class.
Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute’s Dani Jacobs claimed silver in the girls’ 38-kilogram division, while Thomas A. Stewart’s Julia Beasley earned a bronze in the girls’ 89-kilogram class.
“For two years in a row leading up to OFSAA, the local Peterborough teams have united in preparation,” said Adam Scott coach Ryan McCracken.
“Sharing knowledge, strategy and sparring partners,” he added.
“All with the same goal, to expand the sport, build community and put COSSA wrestling on the map. Throughout the tournament, all four schools rallied around each other, cheering from the corner and celebrating in the stands. They were no longer four individual schools, they turned into Team Peterborough.”
It was the second year for Adam Scott’s program, which also included assistant coaches Sarah Hickey, Stu Ross and Jason Cogley. The Lions’ wrestling team showed its growth, finishing the season with 20 wrestlers at COSSA and bringing home four medals.
First-year wrestler Jake Maulson won his first 57.5-kilogram match but lost his next two, ending his tournament with a record of 1-2.
Ava Johnston (Grade 12) returned to OFSAA in the 61-kilogram category. Johnston lost her first match coming up just short in a high-scoring affair. She bounced back to win two matches, ultimately losing to the fourth-place finisher, ending her tournament at 2-2 and top 16 in the province.
Heidi Moloney (Grade 10) made her first appearance at OFSAA in the 54-kilogram category, finishing 2-2 and also Top 16. Jacobs (Grade 9) finally got her chance to pick on someone her own size and took the silver medal.
Kenner, coached by Aaron Glover and Sara Pezzetta, took three wrestlers to OFSAA.
Debuting at OFSAA at 51 kilograms, Sawyer Coulton (Grade 10) did not make it to the second day.
Avery Fam (Grade 9) had a strong start with a win after seeding first at 57.5 kilograms. Fam doubled out while managing to hold a place in the top 16.
Burton (Grade 11) returned for her second time in a row at OFSAA and wrestled, near flawlessly, in a new weight category and fought her way to the final. After the full four-minute match, she secured the win. This was the first gold medal earned by a female wrestler and only the second gold ever in Kenner history.
The previous gold was won 19 years ago by now Adam Scott coach McCracken. Kenner achieved the ranking of 16 of 220 for the female team points.
TASSS, coached by Emily Challice, Jeff Challice, Greg Baraball and Samantha Leigh, sent a school-record 10 wrestlers to OFSAA this year after claiming the COSSA overall championship.
Cohen Clarke (Grade 12, 89 kilograms) and Paige Millard (Grade 12, 83 kilograms) faced tough competition and fought hard, but came up short, losing their first two matches.
Nathan O’Brien (Grade 12, 77 kilograms) and Cady McQueen (Grade 10, 61 kilograms) won their first matches but were knocked out after losing their next two.
Rebecca Davis (Grade 13, 67.5 kilograms) lost her first match, but bounced back to win two in a row before being knocked out of the tournament, finishing in the top 16.
Evan Beasley (Grade 9, 47.5 kilograms), Meg Sturgeon (Grade 9, 89 kilograms) and Will Darling (Grade 12, 89 kilograms) fought their hearts out to make it to the second day of competition. They won their opening matches on the second day, but then weren’t able to get through to the elite-six placing in the top eight.
Josh Weil (Grade 13, 130 kilograms) battled his way through OFSAA, fighting athletes much bigger than himself in the 130-kilogram category and made it through to the elite six, making it to the podium in sixth place.
Julia Beasley (Grade 10) won all of her matches on Day 1 to move onto the semifinals. She bounced back from a semifinal loss to win two more matches and take home the bronze medal.
Crestwood, coached by Roger Jenkins, had an outstanding season, with Grade 10 athlete Lewis Chatten (77 kilograms) winning COSSA gold, but he was unable to compete at OFSAA. Jackson Pye (47.5 kilograms) fought fiercely despite not advancing.
Brynn Jenkins secured gold after a thrilling final match against Marlee Boucha of Beaver Brae Secondary School.