June 4 , 2009
Rosts continues to dominate track
Mikayla Rosts has picked up right where she left off at last year’s District School Board of Niagara elementary school track and field championships. The DSBN 400-metre champion since Grade 6, and 200- and 400-metre champion in 2008, captured the Zone 4 midget girls 400- and 800-metre titles Thursday in St. Catharines. She placed second in the 200 metres, running it 20 minutes after the 800-metre final. “Because of last year and last week (Zone 4 preliminary meet), I kind of had a mindset of where I should be. I was happy with how I did,” the Grade 9 student at Governor Simcoe said. The 15-year-old has been making great strides in her running career and her development has accelerated in the month she has trained with the Niagara Olympic Club. “She is an outstanding all-around athlete. Basketball is a passion in her life and her strength and speed comes out on the track. She has been amazing in three events,” NOC and Governor Simcoe coach Sharon Stewart said. Rosts was a member of the St. Catharines Rebels under-15 basketball team that captured an Ontario Basketball Association Division 2 crown and she is presently trying to make a midget developmental team. The 5-foot-8 guard has yet to choose her favourite sport. “I find them both different because basketball is a team sport and track is an individual sport. I like doing both because it gives you a feel for each them.” Mikayla knows she might have to choose one sport as early as next year in order to excel. “I’ve kind of been thinking about it but I’m not sure. I may also want to try rowing next year,” she said. Some track and field coaches believe her best shot at OFSAA may be in the 400 metres but Stewart isn’t writing off the rapidly improving runner in the 800 metres. “I see her getting stronger every week just on the training and raw talent. It’s just the race experience that she needs,” Stewart said. Mikayla is most focused on the 400 metres and would love to beat the one-minute flat time that she set a record with at last year’s at the DSBN elementary school meet. “I want to try and break a minute this year,” she said.

May 28, 2009
Governor Simcoe veterans anchor championship win
Veteran leadership showed for the Governor Simcoe Redcoats Wednesday in Hamilton. The Redcoats captured the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association senior boys AA soccer championship with a 2-1 win over host Hamilton District Christian High School. "We're very fortunate that we were led by some real veterans," head coach Cam Donovan said. "We have a mixture of young guys, but we're a little heavy on the veteran side." That savvy showed through during the championship tournament, the coach said. "The guys at this level were reminding each other to play their own game and not get caught up in what (the opposition) was doing," Donovan said. "It was veteran leadership and leading by example." Pat Goertzen and Carlos Williams gave the Redcoats a 2-0 first-half lead over HCC before goalkeeper Andrew Richard came up big. "Andrew made big saves at key times. He was exceptional. In the semifinal (a 3-1 win over the St. Michael Mustangs), he made a huge save that set the tone for our team. "We wouldn't be where we are without Andrew." In the morning semifinal, Williams, Spencer Dottin and Goertzen were the marksmen. Donovan also credited the Redcoats defence with a strong championship game. "All-round, we were defensively pressuring the ball in the offensive zone pretty well." The Redcoats advanced to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations championship back at Mohawk Sports Park in Hamilton June 4-6.
By STANDARD STAFF

May 25, 2009
Burghall's best not enough
Corey Burghall left it all on the field in an attempt to end his high school baseball career on a high note. The 18-year-old lefthander turned in a pair of outstanding performances -- one in the morning and another in the afternoon -- but it still wasn't enough. Burghall picked up the win as the Governor Simcoe Redcoats blanked the St. Michael's Mustangs 3-0 Monday morning, then watched from the bench as the Redcoats dropped a 2-1 decision to the Waterdown Warriors in the Southern Ontario Secondary School Association championship final Monday afternoon at Community Park. Burghall, who allowed just one run in four innings in the second game, couldn't hide his frustration when asked for his feelings following the loss. "It sucks," he said. "This is my second time we got to the SOSSA finals. There's nothing else to say but it sucks." After tossing four shutout innings in the morning game, Burghall once again gave the Redcoats a chance to win by gutting out another four strong innings. He was touched for a run in the fourth, then fanned Dustin Huibers with the bases loaded to end the inning. Burghall started both games after Simcoe manager Matt Zimmerman was asked not to use pitchers Brian Kusey and Andrew Neustaeder, who play at the club level for the Niagara Rebels. "You have to do what you have to do," Burghall said. "They told me I was going in the second game, too. It's my last year and I wanted to do the best I could." Burghall, who also plays senior ball for the St. Catharines Cobras, admitted he got by on guile and guts, rather than pure stuff, in the second game. "I wasn't putting my stride down and I was leaving them (pitches) up," he said. "I had to battle through." Zimmerman tipped his cap to Burghall for his gutsy effort. "He pitched four innings in the morning and four more in the afternoon," Zimmerman said. "We were handcuffed with the pitching but there's a kid who stepped up. "I think his performance today solidified him as the MVP (most valuable player) of the team." Burghall's effort might have been enough had his teammates been able to swing the bats a little more effectively. Two Waterdown pitchers limited Simcoe to only three hits. Kusey plated Simcoe's lone run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth. The last 10 Redcoats then went down in order. As a coach, it's tough," Zimmerman said. "Out motto this year was if you can get on base, we can get you home. It seemed to have worked, but if you can't get on base, you can't score. "It's a tough loss." The Redcoats topped the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs last week to earn their third Zone 4 title -- the only school to win three championships -- and have now come up empty three times at SOSSA. "We'll be back at it next year and hopefully give this thing a run again," Zimmerman said. The Warriors plated the winning run in the fifth off losing pitcher Mitch Carusetta. Justin Cabral, who began the game at shortstop, tossed three perfect innings to earn the win. THE SCOOP WARRIORS 2 REDCOATS 1 Standard Star of the Game: Waterdown pitcher Justin Cabral with three shutout innings to pick up the win. For the Governor Simcoe Redcoats: Aaron Brown triple; Ricky Ferri single; Dan Lockhart single; Brian Kusey RBI sacrifice fly. For the Waterdown Warriors: Brad Farquar double; six players collected singles. Dylan Perego drove in the winning run with a fielder's choice groundout. Road to the final:The Redcoats advanced to the final with a 3-0 win over the St. Michael's Mustangs in a semifinal. Waterdown advanced by defeating the the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs 7-0.
By BILL POTRECZ , STANDARD STAFF

May 23, 2009
Redcoats AA Boys Champs
Two quick goals and a goalpost helped the Governor Simcoe Redcoats defeat the St. Francis Phoenix 2-1 in the Zone 4 AA boys soccer final Friday. Goals by Greg Bush and Jay Fast gave the Redcoats a 2-0 halftime lead. The Phoenix played their best soccer in the second half, with Martin Mamic cutting the deficit to one goal. With just minutes to go in the game, St. Francis had another opportunity, but goaltender Andrew Richards made a spectacular save, putting the ball out off the goalpost, securing a Redcoats championship. "Feels fantastic, absolutely fantastic," head coach Steve Torok said about the win. Governor Simcoe moves on to the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association. "We are going to be humble and take it one game at a time. Our sights are set on SOSSA and that is all we are looking at right now," Torok said. "We have a lot of new players on the team, so in many ways we are trying to build some depth with the younger players. It is a good feeling for those guys to win their first year on the team." Many Governor Simcoe veterans have tasted success before, winning the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association AA championship two years ago. One of the key veterans is Richards, a Grade 12 student who has helped the Redcoats find their winning ways. "It was a solid win. Very sketchy at the end, but we were able to finish it up," Richards stated. He credits his teammates for catching the crosses and being quick-footed in clearing the ball, which was the game plan. Richards plans to play soccer at Nipissing University in September while working his way towards being a physical education teacher.
By STEPHEN DYELL, SPECIAL TO THE STANDARD

May 22, 2009
Redcoats win title with clutch hit
Alex Panas bailed out Brian Kusey and the Governor Simcoe Redcoats in dramatic fashion Thursday afternoon. Panas drilled a two-out, two-strike single down the third-base line to give the Redcoats a memorable 6-5 win over the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs to capture the Zone 4 high school baseball title at Alex McKenzie Park. "I wanted it beyond badly," Panas said after being mobbed by his teammates. "I wanted to end it there." Panas got down in the count early versus losing pitcher Ben Earp Lynch before smashing a shot into left field. "The first two pitches I got a little jumpy on and then I settled down and tried to focus on what I was doing," Panas said. Panas' heroics wouldn't have been necessary had the normally reliable Kusey not blown a save in the top of the seventh. Kusey, who earlier Thursday pitched four shutout innings in a 2-0 win over Beamsville, walked four and gave up two hits in the inning as the Bulldogs rallied from a 5-1 deficit to tie the game at 5-5. Kusey's problems were the result of a sore finger after he trimmed his nails before the game and cut one too short. Panas, a 16-year-old Grade 11 student, said it would have been difficult to lose the Zone 4 title in that manner. "I would have been shook," he admitted. "I wouldn't have been happy." Simcoe manager Matt Zimmerman was all smiles as he retrieved the championship trophy from the Bulldogs, who topped the Redcoats last season to win the title. "I'm ecstatic to get the championship back at Simcoe," Zimmerman said. "It was fantastic. We went with our best, and they went with their best, and today our best was better." Zimmerman didn't even want to think about the way things may have turned out. "We came a little bit more alive with the bats today.... I'm glad it didn't turn out the other way," he said. Sir Winston Churchill manager Jon Thiessen was thrilled the way his team battled back from four runs down. "To come that far and that close.... I'm proud of them because they could have quit," Thiessen said. "They're a good bunch of kids and we'll get to play again, but you can see their heads now." The good news for the Bulldogs is they advance to SOSSA Monday along with the Redcoats since Zone 2 does not have a representative. The Bulldogs will take on the Zone 1 representative at 9 a. m. at Alex McKenzie Park, while the Redcoats square off versus the Zone 3 champions at 9 a. m. at Community Park. The winners meet at 3 p. m. at Community Park for the SOSSA title. The Redcoats built a 3-0 lead after three innings and pushed it to 5-1 with a pair of insurance runs in the fifth. Andrew Neusteader started for the Redcoats and tossed three scoreless innings before giving way to Jason Whitaker, who gave up one run and six hits in 22 /3 innings. Corey Burghall fanned Simon Earp- Lynch with the bases loaded and two out in the sixth to preserve the 5-1 lead. Sir Winston Churchill starter Chris Pickles gave up six hits and three runs in four innings. Ben Earp-Lynch finished up and was tagged with the loss. Kusey was credited with the win. - - - THE SCOOP REDCOATS 6 BULLDOGS 5 Standard Star of the Game: Simcoe outfielder Alex Panas with the game-winning hit. For the Governor Simcoe Redcoats: Panas 2 singles; Ricky Ferri 2 singles, double; Marshall McDougall 2 singles; Brian Kusey, Corey Burghall, T. J. Ertelt singles; Aaron Brown 2 RBI's. For Churchill: Matt Spillman double, 2 singles; Billy Burse single, double, 2 RBIs; Nick Stanton, Chris Pickles, Ben Earp-Lynch, Jacob Craig, Dan Hyatt singles Semifinals: The Redcoats topped Beamsville 2-0 while the Bulldogs defeated Blessed Trinity 13-6. Up next: Both teams advance to the SOSSA playdowns Monday. The Redcoats take on the zone 3 representative at 9 a. m. at Community Park while the Bulldogs play the Zone 1 representative at 9 a. m. at McKenzie park. The winners meet at 3 p. m. at Community for the SOSSA title.
By STEPHEN DYELL, SPECIAL TO THE STANDARD