Lakeshore opens on winning track
It was something the top-seed Lakeshore Canadiens could not do a year ago.
Also the top seed a year ago, the Canadiens were swept by the Essex 73’s in the Bills Stobbs Division final in the Provincial Junior Hockey League.
On Sunday, Lakeshore took the opener of this year’s best-of-seven final 5-2 at the Atlas Tube Centre. Game 2 is Tuesday in Essex. Matt Fraser, Jarrett Tazzman , Matt Smith Brandon Ireland and Mejoe Gasparovic scored for the Canadiens, who outshot the 73’s 40-27. Michael Vieira and Michael Ruttinger had the Essex goals.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES WRESTLING
Windsor native Jessica McDonald and Tecumseh native Jordan Steen were among 12 athletes named by Wrestling Canada Lutte to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia from April 11-13. McDonald, from L’Essor high school, will compete in the women’s 50kg division while Steen, from St. Anne high school, will compete in the men’s 97kg division.
FLYERS LEAD SERIES
The Leamington Flyers scored a 4-1 win over the Komoka Kings on Saturday to take a 2-0 lead the best-of-seven, quarter-final series in the Western Conference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Parker Jacques, Levi Tetrault, Dalton Langlois and Kade McKibbin scored. Connor Meyerink lost his shutout in the third period, but made 18 saves for the win.
VIPERS SERIES ALL EVEN
It’s now a best-of-three series between the LaSalle Vipers and Chatham Maroons. Back-to-back wins by the Maroons evened the best-of-seven, quarter-final series in the Western Conference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League at 2-2. On Sunday, Chatham evened the series with a 4-2 win at home. Eric Kirby and Evan Ferguson scored for the Vipers, who got 37 saves from goalie Dershahn Stewart. On Saturday, the Maroons won 2-1 in LaSalle with Kirby scoring late, but the Vipers were unable to get the tying goal.
SAINTS WIN CONSOLATION FINAL
The St. Clair Saints women’s basketball team won the consolation final on Sunday at the OCAA championship in Etobicoke. After dropping Friday’s quarter-final match to No. 1-ranked and unbeaten Humber, the Saints won back-to-back games for the consolation title, which ended with Sunday’s 82-75 win over the George Brown Huskies. Logan Kucera who was named to the OCAA West Division all-rookie team, had 26 points for the Saints while Shannon Kennedy, who was named a West Division first-team all-star for the fourth time, had 22 points and 15 rebounds in her final collegiate game. Jana Kucera had 12 points and 12 rebounds and Anna Ulicny finished with 11 points.
LANCERS VOLLEYBALL FINAL FOUR
The University of Windsor Lancers men’s volleyball team is headed to the OUA Final Four for the second time in four seasons after an upset of the York Lions on the road Saturday in quarter-final play. The Lancers, who were third in the West Division, knocked off the Lions, who tied for first place in the East Division, by a 3-1 score. Windsor took the match 26-28, 25-13, 25-23 and 25-21.
Pierce Johnson had 15 kills and Roland Bouchard added 12 kills while Nolan Langley had 36 assists for the Lancers.
EXPRESS TAME LIONS
Kevin Loiselle became the first Canadian-born player to reach 1,000 career rebounds on Saturday to help the Windsor Express to a 120-107 victory over the Niagara River Lions in NBL of Canada action at the WFCU Centre. Omar Strong, Damontre Harris and Braylon Harris each scored 21 points for the Express (17-15), who have four of their last five games. Maurice Jones and Logan Stutz added 15 points each while Loiselle, who is a Montreal native, had 10 points and added nine rebounds against the River Lions (12-19).