Lajeunesse kicks off tourney with two wins
Girls soccer team is just one of the local squads competing for Ontario honours
The Lajeunesse Royals kicked off a busy week of soccer for area teams that are competing at six different OFSAA soccer championships.
The Royals beat Burlington Lester B. Pearson 1-0 and Kenora St. Thomas Aquinas 1-0. Lauren Miles scored the lone goal in each game and Sara Hamdan had the shutout in each game at the OFSAA girls’ A championship in Toronto on Wednesday.
“We have a very young team with a lot of talent and skill,” Royals head coach Jenna Henry said. “As coaches, we believe the girls have the potential to medal this year at OFSAA and grow together as a team as the years go on.”
Two championships will be played out in the area with the Belle River Nobles hosting the OFSAA girls’ AAA championship at the Tecumseh Fields while Lajeunesse will host the OFSAA boys’ A championship at McHugh Park.
The Royals and Nobles are both hoping that being at home for the tournament will be an advantage.
“This is the most talented team we have had in the last three years, since our OFSAA silver medal in 2014,” Nobles head coach Kevin Williams said.
Belle River opens the tournament at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday against Stoney Creek Cardinal Newman. The Nobles will be counting on young defender Molly Vaillancourt along with midfielders Madison Sanders, Andrea Rivait and Abbey Vickers to lead the way.
“We need to be aggressive offensively and take advantage of scoring opportunities, which is something we have struggled with this season,” Williams said. “Obviously, the competition is the best in the province and we are looking to have a winning record in pool play and make it to the quarter-finals.”
The Royals, who also hosted last year’s boys’ A championship, are hoping for a little better luck this season after finishing tied for first in pool play, but being eliminated by a tiebreaker.
“This year, we are hoping to get a strong start and ultimately make the quarter-finals, which is one step further than last year,” Royals head coach Danielle Parent said.
Lajeunesse opens pool play at 10 a.m. on Thursday against Collingwood Jean Vanier and will count on goalie Serge Saba along with midfielder Ali Nizam, Phil Nadeau and Chris Read and Grade 9 starters Lew Yau and Bientfait Kambale.
The Cardinal Carter Cougars are in the event as the SWOSSAA boys’ A champs and won the AA championship in 2014. The club will rely on attacking midfielders Nico Gualtieri and Thomas Saba, who combined for five goals in the SWOSSAA final.
“We’re really excited for the start of the tournament,” said Cougars head coach Chris Mazar, whose team opens at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday against St. Catharines Ridley College.
“It’s just a great bunch of guys all around.”
The Holy Names Knights are at the boys’ AAA championship for a fifth straight season and will open play at noon on Thursday against Kingston Holy Cross in Hamilton.
“It is the highest level of high school soccer in the province,” said Knights head coach Fabio Muscedere, who will rely on defenders Phil Pattison and Matt Canzoneri, midfielder Juan Jaramillo and goalie Adam Cesare.
“The teams from the host Hamilton area and GTA are extremely strong and deep. It will take a total team effort. We will have to play at a level above what we’ve played to date. If all falls into place, we should get out of our group.”
The Brennan Cardinals are at the girls’ AA OFSAA championship in North Bay looking to improve on last year’s bronze finish. The team opens play at 9 a.m. on Thursday against North Bay St. Joseph Scollard Hall.
Brennan’s defence posted three straight shutouts in the WECSSAA playoffs, led by sweeper Haley Straub and stopper Sydney Rathwell. The Cardinals will also count on midfielders Jeannette Lalonde and Jaden Greig along with striker Jaclyn French, who scored in every game, including both her team’s goals in the WECSSAA final.
The Riverside Rebels are at the OFSAA boys’ AA championship, which is also being held in North Bay, for the third time in four years.
This weekend’s school prom has put a dent in the team’s lineup for the tournament, with three starters staying home.
“(That) tempers our expectations, but we have great depth and heart, so we will still expect to go a long way,” Rebels head coach Scott Patriquin said.
Riverside opens play at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday against Arnprior and will look to defender Sergey Glisic and Hassan Zaitoun, who will move from midfield to striker.