OFSAA Cross Country Set for Saturday at Christie Lake

Hamilton, ON – November 2, 2018: More than 1,700 of the best high school cross country runners from across the province will converge on Christie Lake Conservation Area on Saturday, aiming to make a name for themselves at the 2018 OFSAA Cross Country Championship hosted by Dundas Valley Secondary School.

The event features seven races and showcases several decorated student-athletes, including several past champions. Among them is Aurora’s Cameron Ormond (Aurora HS), who is aiming for her fourth straight OFSAA title. Ormond won the girls Grade 9 title in 2015 and followed that performance by collecting the junior title in 2016. Last year, she was the top runner in the senior girls race and has her eyes set on a second straight senior title.

Ottawa’s Joe Fast (Ridgemount HS) also returns and is looking for his third straight OFSAA cross country title, having collected the individual Grade 9 title in 2016 and then claimed the junior race last year in 2018. Other returning champions from previous years include EJ Boston (Maximilian Kolbe HS – Aurora), Roman Mironov (Father John Redmond CSS – Toronto), Haily Davis (JF Ross CVI – Guelph) and Nick Mota (Newmarket HS – Newmarket).

Last year’s team champions include Vincent Massey Secondary School (Windsor), which won the boys title along with Leaside High School (Toronto), which picked up the overall girls championship title.

Local runners to watch are Quincy Rotsaert-Smith (Dundas Valley SS) in the midget girls event while Cooper Norton (Orchard Park SS) will contest the midget boys race. In the junior events, Anna Grabowski (Waterdown DHS), will be one to watch in the junior girls race, with Lachlan Perigord of St. Mary’s CSS competing on the boys side. In the prestigious senior events, Sarah Cushnie (Westdale) will look for a top placement while Ethan Summer-Hays (Hamilton DCH) will look for a top finish in the boys race.

Among HWDSB schools, Dundas Valley secondary (midget girls) and Westdale secondary (senior girls) have a good chance to place in the team events with a home course advantage.

This weekend’s championship follows pre-OFSAA event Dundas Valley hosted on October 3. Top runners from that event were midget girls: Alysia Maurice (Humberview SS – Caledon); midget boys: Health McAllister (London Central – London); junior girls: Emily Bryce (Saugeen District SS – Port Elgin); junior boys: Eric Campbell (Sir Winston Churchill SS – Niagara Falls); senior girls: Abbey Yuhasz (Resurrection CSS – Kitchener, Ont.); senior boys: Foster Mallecck (St. Mary’s HS – Kitchener, Ont.); para-girls: Kealyn Cherwaiko (Georgetown HS – Georgetown) and para-boys: Owen Konkle.

Hamilton has experienced significant rainfall in recent days, so the course will be wet. However, Meet Director Michael Smith of Dundas Valley Secondary School says that Christie Lake Conservation Area and the volunteer crew is ready.

“The rain definitely made for a wet setup on Thursday, but the show will go on,” Smith said. “The course and cross country in general tends to favour the wet and the mud. Rain is scheduled to taper off and Saturday is predicted as sunny and cool. We’re very excited to see the province’s best runners compete on our course. I’m sure we’ll see some great performances come Saturday.”

The OFSAA cross country championships are the Ontario high school cross country championship held annually in varying locations around the province. The event is usually held on the first Saturday of November with more than 1,600 student-athletes competing in six races. It is one of the largest sports events offered by OFSAA, along with Track & Field.

For more information contact:
Meet Director Mike Smith, 905-628-2203, [email protected]

Schedule of Events
8:00 a.m. – Site Opens
8:30 a.m. – Registration Opens
8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Nike+ Athletes’ Village
9:15 a.m. – Coaches’ Meeting
9:45 a.m. – Opening Ceremonies
10:00 a.m. – Midget Girls – Sponsored by Elite Health/Go Bee Industries
10:45 a.m. – Para Race – Sponsored by Hamilton Sports Accessibility Council
11:30 a.m. – Midget Boys – Sponsored by Redeemer University
12:15 p.m. – Junior Girls – Sponsored by Wilfrid Laurier University
1:00 p.m. – Junior Boys – Sponsored by Windsor University
1:45 p.m. – Senior Girls – Sponsored by McMaster University
2:30 p.m. – Senior Boys – Sponsored by Humber College
3:15 p.m. – Awards

Local Area Athletes competing

Find a list of all participants.
Representing Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board schools
Lexy Anonech    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Emily Cox    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Foster Deighton    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Emma Due    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Ella Hendriks    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Keona Hussan    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Jack Lewis    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Doug Linkert    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Cole Ljucovic    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Robbie Mcharg    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Sara Merry    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Emma Norris    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Gerrit Oldejans    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Alex Renwick    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Tristan Richards    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Emily Richer    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Ethan Rotsaertsmith    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Quincy Rotsaertsmith    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Cara Sealey    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Allyson Sober    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Finn Sulentic    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Grace Terhljan    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Braedan Topp    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Leah Waite    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Rowan Watson    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Jane Wright    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Logan Yates    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Hildy Zalepa    Dundas Valley SS – Dundas
Cooper Norton    Orchard Park SS – Hamilton
William Porterfield    Orchard Park SS – Hamilton
Erin Anderson    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Aliyah Capon    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Beth Cushnie    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Sarah Cushnie    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Malcolm Green    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Avery Irwin    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Nathaniel Leighninger    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Dennis Linkert    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Erin Lou    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Noah Mulkewich    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Hannah Robertson    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Claire Vernon-pope    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Liam Yoell    Westdale SS – Hamilton
Bridget Ledonne    Westmount SS – Hamilton
David Rule    Westmount SS – Hamilton
Mia Till    Westmount SS – Hamilton

Representing Hamilton region independent schools   
Kristen Deboer    Guido de Bres CHS – Hamilton
Kara Dejong    Hamilton DCH – Ancaster
Ethan Summerhays    Hamilton DCH – Ancaster
Peyton Bear    Hillfield Strathallan College – Hamilton
Vanessa Bonura    Hillfield Strathallan College – Hamilton
Camille Bruckmann    Hillfield Strathallan College – Hamilton
Mackenzie Oliver    Hillfield Strathallan College – Hamilton
Nora Treleavan    Hillfield Strathallan College – Hamilton
Kaitlyn Treleaven    Hillfield Strathallan College – Hamilton
Tom Voss    Hillfield Strathallan College – Hamilton
Carys Washchuk    Hillfield Strathallan College – Hamilton
Madeline Wighardt    Hillfield Strathallan College – Hamilton

Representing Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic School Board schools
Serena Dibenedetto    Bishop Ryan HS – Hamilton
Will Summers    Bishop Ryan HS – Hamilton
Gianni Pirrera    Bishop Ryan CSS – Hamilton
Meagan Stager    Bishop Tonnos HS – Ancaster
Christina Prawak    Cardinal Newman CSS – Stoney Creek
Savannah Singh    Cardinal Newman CSS – Stoney Creek
Olivia Lanc    St. Jean de Brebeuf CSS – Hamilton
Isabella Bauman    St. Mary’s CSS – Hamilton
Jessica Bohm    St. Mary’s CSS – Hamilton
Kiara Butcher    St. Mary’s CSS – Hamilton
Jessica Dekker    St. Mary’s CSS – Hamilton
Mitchelle Kibogy    St. Mary’s CSS – Hamilton
Abbey Maillet    St. Mary’s CSS – Hamilton
Natalie Murphy    St. Mary’s CSS – Hamilton
Stella Oliver    St. Mary’s CSS – Hamilton
Lachlan Perigord    St. Mary’s CSS – Hamilton
Sage Sulentic    St. Mary’s CSS – Hamilton
Zina Agbassi    St. Thomas More CSS – Hamilton
Adriana Bozzo    St. Thomas More CSS – Hamilton
Olivia Dodds    St. Thomas More CSS – Hamilton
Jane Jowatt    St. Thomas More CSS – Hamilton
Adam Kislinsky    St. Thomas More CSS – Hamilton
Irelan Scanlon    St. Thomas More CSS – Hamilton
Makenna Williamson    St. Thomas More CSS – Hamilton