Talented Knights won’t look too far ahead
CAMBRIDGE — They’ve won silver and they’ve won bronze.
So the Bluevale Knights are obviously focused on completing the set and striking gold at this fall’s Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations field hockey championship in Kitchener and Waterloo. Or so you might think. Bluevale standout Jordyn Faiczak said the girls are taking a “one-game-at-a-time approach” as they attempt to win their third consecutive Waterloo County championship and make it to OFSAA for a third straight year. The Knights finished second at the 2014 tournament in Burlington and third last year in Peterborough.
“Honestly, I think we have a lot of potential but that potential means nothing if we don’t come out every game with passion and determination. So right now, we don’t have expectations, we’re just going to see how it goes … but I think we’re going to have a successful year,” said Faiczak, a member of Canada’s national development team.
“We have a lot of young talent and it’s very exciting to see that day in and day out at practice. Everyone gives 100 per cent and I think that’s what matters most. We have a chance at being successful, but we can’t look too far ahead.”
The Knights remained perfect in WCSAA play Tuesday at Riverside Park, scoring a 2-0 win over the previously undefeated Southwood Sabres. Bluevale, which later scored a 3-0 win over the Galt Ghosts, improved to 6-0 on the season.
The Faiczak sisters — Jordyn and her younger sister Taylor — scored in the win over Southwood, and Madeline Waywell recorded the shutout.
The Sabres (5-1) were missing four players that were away on a field trip but goalkeeper Robin Kee, who turned in an outstanding effort, didn’t want to use that as an excuse.
“We were missing a few girls but you’ve got to give it to Bluevale, they’re a good team,” she said. “I’d like to play them again with everyone here, but we tried and battled hard today and they got the win.”
Jordyn Faiczak was selected in March to the Canadian team that competed at the Pan American junior championships in Trinidad and Tobago, where she made her first appearance for Canada.
It’s an experience the Grade 12 student hopes to repeat in the coming years.
“It was unbelievable and the feeling you get is just incomparable. It makes you want to do whatever it takes to get back there and wear that jersey again,” she said.
Faiczak, who played for the Guelph Gators and Ontario’s under-18 squad this summer, is one of several key players on a Knights roster that has a healthy mix of newcomers and veterans.
Abby Beaton played for the Ontario team that won gold this past summer at the national championship, while Paisley Steele and Sophie Schmidt competed at the Ontario Summer Games. Waywell has also been an outstanding player for Bluevale over the years and hasn’t given up a goal this season as the Knights have outscored their opponents 24-0 in the early going.
Beaton scored twice against the Ghosts and Kaitlyn Israel added a single.
The WCSSAA plays start Oct. 13 with the championship final set for Oct. 20. The Central Western Ontario championship is scheduled for Oct. 26-27 in Waterloo, followed by the Nov. 3-5 OFSAA tournament.