DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

UXBRIDGE: Athletes from around the province could be descending on Durham for the first time in more than 20 years if a bid for the 2022 Ontario Summer Games is successful, with Uxbridge playing a key role.
Uxbridge Council recently backed a bid for the 2022 Games, which if successful would likely see the township - the Trail Capital of Canada - playing host to the mountain biking events.
At a recent council meeting, councillors voted to support Durham’s bid, which would see thousands of participants, coaches and fans visiting the area and competing in 20 sports.
“There are no actual funds involved in this. It will all be in-kind support, such as staff help,” explained Amanda Ferraro, Uxbridge’s director of community services. She also added that the Region expects an economic impact for between four and six million dollars for the Region through the event, which was last hosted by Durham Region in 2000. In 2010, Durham Region hosted the Ontario 55-plus Senior Games.
The Ontario Games Program started in 1970 as a showcase event to support amateur sports. Over the past five decades, they have become Ontario’s largest multi-sport event, including both team and individual sports.
Provincial level athletes from ages 12 to 18 qualify through a regional selection process conducted by the Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs).
For many young athletes, the Ontario Summer Games is the highpoint of their sporting career, while for others the Games are a stepping stone for the Pan Am Games or even the Olympics.

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

Uxbridge’s Austin Riley scored his first career podium finish in the Nissan Micra Cup series at Calabogie Motorsports Park earlier this month.
After finishing the first half of the two-day event with an 10th place finish after battling fuse box issues earlier in qualifying; Riley’s Racing With Autism team was looking for a big rebound the following day.
After another tight round qualifying that saw several position separated by just tenths of a second, Riley started in 10th position for the June 2nd race to close out the weekend event.
Driving with purpose, and by the second lap of the 5.05 kilometre circuit, Riley had climbed to fifth place. As the race progressed, he continued to maximize his speed, climbing to third place. An issue with the runner-up car would vault Riley into second place, but it was short-lived, and he would settle back into third position.
However, Riley showed great tenacity and teamwork down the stretch, working in tandem with the runner-up car to chase down the leader and in the process, cut a more than 4 second advantage down to just a few car-lengths.
With less than a second separating the top-three, Riley crossed the finish line in third place, giving him his first podium finish since graduating from go-kart racing three years ago.
“I’m very happy to get my first podium ever,” a beaming Riley said following the race. “That’s the hardest that I’ve ever pushed in my life. I’m very proud to show that yes I can do it, and yes I have the ability. I’m ready to do it again.”
After four 2019 Nissan Micra Cup events, Riley sits in 8th place in the overall standings. The next event runs from July 26 to 28 in Quebec at Circuit Mont-Tremblant for the Summer Classic.

LORILEE MCKELVIE Special to The Standard

SCUGOG: What a gorgeous weekend for a softball tournament! The city of Barrie hosted over 70 teams from across Ontario and Quebec for their annual Barrie Bash June 7,8,9. Nine teams participated in the U10 Mite division including the Port Perry Angels!
Our mites got off to a great start defeating the Vaughan Vikings Friday afternoon. With singles from Lauren and Dakota and a double from Brie, the Angels won their first game 10-4!
Saturday morning they faced the Aurora Diggers for game 2. Singles from Mackenzie and Dakota, a double from Jaelyn, a triple from Brie and a homerun from both Lauren and Addison helped achieve their 11-2 victory!
Saturday afternoon the mites faced the Milton bats Sr. Team and struggled to get on base and ended up with their first loss 10-0. Then Saturday evening they went up against the Waterloo Ghosts Gold team and were defeated 7-0.
After finishing round robin play with a 2-2-0 record, the mites took on the first place team Sunday morning in the playoff bracket. Up against the Waterloo Ghosts for a second try, the mites fell short again losing 10-0.
Sam, Brie, and Madison pitched a total of 20 innings and a combined 46 strikeouts!
Great defensive plays by Natasha, Reeghan, and Erica and patience and smart running by Jadyn, Ella, and Avery all contributed to the 6th place finish for this U10 Angels team.
Overall it was great experience for these young girls and coaches Josh, Wendy, Pippa, and Alyssa are very proud of them for what they accomplished this weekend.
A huge thank-you to Convener Sean Hayward and the city of Barrie for hosting this tournament! 

MARLO STANFIELD Special to The Standard

UXBRIDGE: Another strong season of Girls Rugby wrapped up for the Uxbridge Tigers Senior team last week, with a 4th place finish at the OFSAA provincial championships in Clarington.
Seeded 7th, after another successful season in LOSSA competition, the Tigers opened play in Courtice, on Monday, June 3rd, against the number-10 ranked Ursuline Lancers from Chatham, rolling to a 44-0 shutout victory.
The following morning, the Tigers faced a daunting task, attempting to upend the second-ranked John F Ross Royals from Guelph. In a thrilling, back-and-forth affair, the Tigers emerged with a 13-12 win, to book their ticket to the semi-finals, and guarantee they would be playing for a medal.
However, the jubilation was cut short in the afternoon, as the Tigers dropped their semi-final match-up, 14-7, against Ottawa’s Glebe Gryphons.  
The Tigers would face another tough test in the bronze medal match-up, against top-seeded Oakville Trafalgar, and they would see the clock strike midnight on the Cinderella campaign, finishing in 4th place overall.   
Lindsay’s IE Weldon Wildcats also competed at OFSAA, falling in the consolation semi-finals against John F Ross.

MARLO STANFIELD Special to The Standard

NORTH DURHAM: A pair of North Durham athletes won bronze medals, at the OFSAA provincial high school track and field championships, held last week at University Stadium in Guelph.
Port Perry’s Lilly Tuck capped off an incredible athletics career for the Rebels, with a bronze medal showing, in the Senior Girls 1,500 metre race, on Friday, June 7th. Competing against the top athletes from across the province, Tuck crossed the finish line with a time of 4:38.30.
In the field, Uxbridge’s Raymond Luukkonen was the top performer among the six-member team sent by the Tigers, taking home the bronze medal in Midget Boys javelin. A best throw of 46.90 metres clinched Luukkonen’s podium finish in his first trip to OFSAA.
Will Cowling produced Uxbridge’s other top-5 finish, crossing the finish line in the Midget Boys 3,000 metre race in 9:36.17, good for a 5th place showing.
Cole Jennings ran for the Tigers in the Junior Boys 1,500 and 3,000 metre races. Noah Snooks took part in the Junior Boys pole vault. Alex Mather competed in the Midget Boys 300 metre hurdles, and Louis Meadway rounded out the Tiger contingent, competing in the Midget Girls 3,000 metre race.
Daliagh Whitmarsh was the other athlete competing for Port Perry, making a return trip to OFSAA as part of the Junior Girls shot put.

J. WALLY NESBITT The Standard

The Toyo Tires Formula 1600 series has a well-deserved reputation as a training ground for up-and-coming road racers, attracting participants from across the continent. Former graduates include American racers Conor Day and Trent Hindman, while Canadian drivers such as Kyle Marcelli, Parker Thompson, Zach Robichon and Scott Hargrove have developed their skills on the Southern Ontario tour.
For the 2019 edition of the Toyo Tires F1600 series, there are no less than seven rookies in the field, each with the potential for challenging for the ‘F1600-A’ class title. Included in that list of championship contenders is Blackstock’s Jonathan Woolridge.
This year, 20-year-old Woolridge will campaign the yellow and black No. 2 Piper/Honda, for the powerhouse Brian Graham Racing effort, in the full 18 date season. Helping his cause this year was the recognition and finances that came with the winning of the Bob McCallum Scholarship, the award created to identify, encourage and foster new motorsport talent within Ontario.   
Woolridge’s entry into the world of open wheel racing has been a long time in the making. 
“I’d been karting for about ten years, and had made it into the top two or three in the Eastern Canadian Karting Championships,” recalled Woolridge. “I’d gone as far as I could in Rotax Senior and thought my career was done. I was searching for another path, so I contacted Brian Graham and we set up a test at Shannonville, last October.”
Quickly adapting to his new ride, Woolridge was immediately up to pace with other, more experienced, testing rivals.
“It was so totally different from anything I’d been used to. I was much busier in the car. Clutching, shifting, braking, while trying to find the line through the corners, forced me to concentrate and pushed me to the limit, but the test went well, and I knew that this was my next step.”
A student of the sport, Woolridge is developing his mechanical skills as an automotive apprentice, while he spends hours reviewing replays of races on television. 
“I tend to watch the races from a driver’s perspective, seeing how they deal with traffic, changing track conditions, and listening to how they communicate with their teams. I’ve been fortunate enough to get behind the scenes at some races, to see what goes on, out of camera range. It’s very important for me to see how things work, in preparation, as well as during the races. Knowing about the overall package, and how it all works together, is an important aspect of my development as a driver.” 
Jonathan Woolridge got his first taste of F1600 wheel-to-wheel competition over the Victoria Day weekend, at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. 
“Over-thinking and over-driving” his Piper in qualifying left him to take the green flag for his series’ debut from the fifth row on the grid, but he persevered and rebounded for a sixth place result. The second round of the weekend saw him earn his first career podium finish (a third). In the weekend finale, Woolridge spun on the full wet track, dropping to the tail end of the 21 car pack. Again he rebounded, carving his way to a top five finish in the 22 minute race. 
Woolridge concluded, “As a rookie, you have no idea where you sit in the field, how you compare with the other drivers. Overall, I’m pretty satisfied with the start to the season. Coming out of the weekend with some good results was huge for me and gave my confidence a boost.”           
Over the June 1st-2nd race weekend, held on the 5.05-kilometre Calabogie Motorsports Park circuit, the inter-provincial competition was tighter, but Woolridge, nevertheless, did not finish any lower than seventh in the weekend tripleheader. 

​The Canoe the Nonquon race results are as follows; Highest fundraiser - John Brown, Jake Kane memorial award (racers showing the most effort) - Mike, Colleen and Hannah Brock (all from Pickering), Allene Kane memorial award (most memorable racers) - Olivia Moyes and Lily Moyes and Will and Emilia Broughton (all from Kitchener), Person who travelled the farthest to attend - Terry Link, boat #6, from Kirkland Lake, Barry Page was the oldest person in the race with a time for the full course. 
Sponsors were Brock's, Vos', Practicar, Signworks, Port Perry Marina, Port Perry Smokehouse. Special thanks to the Port Perry Volunteer Firefighters being on the lake.

MARLO STANFIELD Special to The Standard

Strong performances at last week’s Central Regionals have qualified several athletes from across North Durham for the upcoming OFSAA provincial track and field championships.
After earning their way to the meet, through stellar outings at the recent LOSSA championships, a number of local athletes posted top-4 finishes at the Central Regionals at Civic Stadium in Oshawa, on May 29th.
Port Perry’s Lilly Tuck led the way with a pair of gold medal performances. She earned top spot in the Senior Girls 1,500 metre and 3,000 metre races.
Teammate Daliagh Whitmarsh also qualified for OFSAA with a 4th place finish, in the Junior Girls shot put.
Uxbridge will be sending six athletes to the provincial championships, with Raymond Luukkonen earning the lone gold medal, in the Midget Boys javelin event.
Cole Jennings finished on the podium in a pair of events, coming in 2nd in the Junior Boys 3,000 metre race and 3rd in the Junior Boys 1,500 metre race. Will Cowling took home a bronze in the Midget Boys 3,000 run to go with a fourth place showing in the Midget Boys 1,500 metre race. Louise Meadway rounded out a stellar performance on the track for the Tigers’ distance runners, with a 4th place finish in the Midget Girls 3,000 metre race.
Elsewhere at the event, Alex Mather finished 4th in the Midget Boys 300 metre low hurdles, and Noah Snooks won a bronze medal in the Junior Boys pole vault.
The OFSAA provincial track and field championships will be held at the University of Guelph, from June 6th to 8th. Local fans can follow along with all of the action through a live webcast of the event, on www.AthleticsCanada.tv. 
To tune in, viewers will need to register for a monthly subscription, and use the promo code ac7daytrialofsaa. If you don’t wish to keep the service after the 7-day free trial simply cancel the account (once the meet is over). No charges will be incurred.

LORILEE MCKELVIE Special to The Standard

The Port Perry Angels Mite team participated in the mini one day Paul Currelly Tournament, in Cobourg, on June 1st.   
After a 2.5 hour delay, they played their first game against the Oakville Angels, coming up a little short losing 7-4.  After a short break, the mites played 3 games back to back to back.  They beat the Milton Bats 10-2, defeated the Aurora Diggers 6-1, and then advanced to the bronze medal game against the Cobourg Angels, winning 4-0.
The girls were hot on the bats; Lauren hit 4 singles, Brie with 3 singles, Jaelyn with 2 singles, Sam had 1 single, Addison also had a single and crushed a double. Madison, Mackenzie, and Jadyn all got their first hits of the season too.
On the mound, pitchers Brie, Madison, and Sam were on fire.  With 13 innings pitched, they got a combined 38 strikeouts, with only 5 hits and 10 runs scored. Behind the plate, Lauren and Brie were brilliant keeping the ball in front of them.  Ella and Jadyn also got their first chance behind the plate.
This mini tournament was a great experience for the mites as they prepare for their next tournament. They will head to Barrie, on June 7th-9th, for the Barrie Bash. All the best, to the mites.

MARLO STANFIELD Special to The Standard

Another North Durham hockey prospect has joined the growing number headed to northern Ontario, when Uxbridge’s Cam Kosurko signed with the Junior ‘A’ Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Earlier this spring, after wrapping up his minor hockey career with the Central Ontario Wolves, Kosurko was selected in the 10th round of the OHL draft by the Sudbury Wolves. In 36 games with the Wolves, last season, the 5’9” centre scored 12 goals and added 7 assists, with a further six points in seven playoff games.
“I’m super excited to have signed with the Timmins Rock, and can’t wait to meet the boys and get started. I am very happy to become a part of the Rock family,” Kosurko said.
He will continue his development with the Rock next season, and will likely have plenty of company from the area.
Leading the Rock’s defensive corps was Nestleton’s Josh Anderson, a veteran of the QMJHL. In 52 games, Anderson was one of the top scoring defensemen in the league with 44 points.
Joining Anderson on the blue line was Sunderland’s Owen Shier. A 2018 OHL draft pick of the Windsor Spitfires, Sheir scored seven goals and added nine assists, in 51 games as a rookie.
Up front, Port Perry’s Josh Dickson scored 14 goals and 17 assists, in 52 games, after graduating from his hometown MoJacks. After two productive seasons with the Central Ontario Wolves Midgets, Uxbridge’s Darcy Haupt made a strong first impression as a rookie, scoring six goals and six assists. Tyler Hutchinson, a former MoJack and Uxbridge Bruins forward, chipped in with one goal and three assists for Timmins, in the 2018-19 campaign.
In goal, former Central Ontario midget net minder Tyler Masternak was among the NOJHL’s league leaders in several statistical categories, including a league-leading six shutouts.
After dispatching the Cochrane Crunch, in a sweep in the quarterfinals, the Rock’s season came to an end in the division semifinals, against the Hearst Lumberjacks.