High School Sports blog

CWOSSA schedules . . . better late than never

I apologize for the delay in posting CWOSSA schedules but was pulled away on Monday to focus on the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic.

Here are the schedules for this week's events.

The senior and junior boys rugby tournament is being played at Bridgeport fields.
Here's the schedule.

The girls quad-A soccer tournament is being played at RIM Park in Waterloo.
Here's the schedule .

The girls triple-A soccer tournament is being played in Kitchener.
Here's the schedule.

The boys quad-A soccer tournament is being played in Waterloo.
Here's the schedule.

The boys triple-A soccer tournament is being played in Brantford.
Here's the schedule.

 

 

 

Congrats to the Renegades

Congratulations to all the teams and individuals that tasted success at this week's District 8, WCSSAA and CWOSSA championships.

A special shout out to the Grand River Renegades senior boys soccer team, a squad that continued to prove me wrong with their hard-fought victory over the WCI Vikings in the WCSSAA final.

Next week's CWOSSA quad-A tourney in Waterloo should be a good one, with three local teams that are capable of winning it all.

Grand River will be joined by WCI and Rez at RIM Park and it will be interesting to see how the Phoenix play against much tougher competition than they've faced in D8.

* * *

Speaking of CWOSSA, it's once again proving to be a difficult task to figure out what teams will be in the field.

I'm looking into it and will try to piece it all together.

Update No. 1 . . . here's the draw for the CWOSSA quad-A soccer tourney.

 

 

Rugby and soccer finals are set

The times  and locations have been posted for Thursday's WCSSAA boys rugby championships and CWOSSA qualifying games.

WCSSAA finals
at Cameron Heights
Junior boys
Bluevale vs. Sir John A. Macdonald, 3:30 p.m.
Bryson's pick: SJAM has been a juggernaut all season, so there's no reason to think they'll come up short when it matters most.
Senior boys
St. Mary's vs. Waterloo, 4:30 p.m.
Bryson's pick: The first meeting was a close one, with the Vikings scoring a 21-15 victory at St. Mary's. Look for more of the same, especially if it's a close one, as the Eagles ran out of gas in the regular-season game.

CWOSSA qualifiers
Junior
Waterloo-Oxford at WCI, 3:30 p.m.
Bryson's picks: WCI won the regular-season meeting by a 19-14 score. That's enough for me.
Senior
SJAM  vs. Bluevale, 2:30 p.m., at Cameron Heights
The Highlanders clearly played in a better regular-season division and will benefit from that in this game.

Soccer
at Woodside Park
Boys
Grand River vs. WCI, 3:30 p.m.
Bryson's pick: The Renegades showed a lot of guts in dispatching favoured Eastwood in a semifinal game. Having said that, I still like WCI in this based, based on their 3-0 regular-season victory.
Girls
Grand River vs. WCI, 4 p.m.
Bryson's pick: The  Renegades have been my pick all along, so I won't change that now.

* * *

I'm in full agreement with J.R. about making the WCSSAA soccer semifinals a two-game affair.
If it's about sending the two best reps to CWOSSA, it's a no-brainer . . . just as it is in boys hockey.

Championship games are on the horizon

The dates and times have been set for WCSSAA and District 8 championship and semifinal games. I've also added, just for  fun, my predictions. Feel free to comment but please  be nice.

WCSSAA
Girls rugby championship
Tuesday, 4:30 p.m.
KCI at Bluevale
Bryson's pick: The Knights handled the  Raiders 22-5 during the regular season and look to be a lock to repeat as champions.

Boys rugby semifinals
Tuesday
St. Mary's at Bluevale, 4:30 p.m.
Bryson's pick: The Knights are aiming for their fourth straight title, but will face a stiff test against the Eagles. St. Mary's will benefit from playing in a much tougher division and should have enough gas left to edge the champions.
SJAM at WCI, 3:30 p.m.
The  Highlanders have rolled through the playoffs since ending the regular season with an 18-12 win over the Vikings. I'm expected an SJAM-St. Mary's final.
Junior boys
WCI at Bluevale, 3:30 p.m.
Waterloo-Oxford at SJAM, 3:30 p.m.
Bryson's picks: Bluevale and SJAM.

Girls soccer semifinals
KCI at Grand River, 3:30 p.m.
Bryson's pick: The Renegades have been rolling all season, even with star player Leticia Skeete out of the lineup. They're my pick to go all the way.
Forest Heights at  WCI, 3:30 p.m.
Bryson's pick: The  Vikings spanked the Trojans 6-0 on May 8. That's too much of a hill to climb.

Boys soccer semifinals
Grand River at Eastwood, 3:30 p.m.
Bryson's pick: I've been on the Rebels' bandwagon since Day 1 and that's not about to change now.
Cameron Heights at  WCI, 3:30 p.m., Bechtel Park
Bryson's pick: The Vikings downed the  Gaels 2-0 on May 10. Look for more of the same.

DISTRICT 8
Girls rugby championship
Tuesday, 3:30 p.m.
St. Mary's at Resurrection
Bryson's pick: The Phoenix have defeated the Eagles twice this season including a 31-5 win on May 7.  Rez will breeze to its 10th consecutive title.

Girls soccer championship
Wednesday, 2 p.m.,  St. David
St. Mary's vs  Resurrection
Bryson's pick: The Phoenix rolled through the regular season and playoffs, including a 3-0 win over the Eagles on April 30. St. Mary's championship streak ends at three.

Boys soccer championship
Wednesday, 4 p.m., St David
Monsignor Doyle vs.  Resurrection
Bryson's pick: The  Phoenix downed the  Mustangs 4-1 on April 25 and some observers think they might be the top team in Waterloo Region. I'm not sure about that, but they have enough to tame the Mustangs.

 

 

 

A day at the races

Check out these record-breaking performances from the WCSSAA-D8 track and field championships. They are all standout efforts by SJAM students Nik Hoediono, Braden Cok and Anna Larsson. Thanks to SJAM videographer/teacher Bryan Stover for sharing.

Showdown pits Elmira against Southwood

The Waterloo-Oxford Crusaders and Preston Panthers have locked up spots at the upcoming CWOSSA triple-A boys soccer tournament.

The third WCSSAA entry will be determined on Tuesday when Elmira visits Southwood in a game between teams that have been eliminated from the playoffs.

* * *

The WCSSAA boys soccer league quarter-finals will be played on Thursday.

Bluevale (8)  at Eastwood (1) 3:30 p.m.
Forest Heights (7)  vs WCI (2)  3:30 p.m.  Bechtel #5
Waterloo-Oxford (11) at Cameron Heights (3)    2 p.m.
Preston (5) at Grand River (4) 3:30pm 

* * *

The WCSSAA girls soccer league quarter-finals will also be contested Thursday.

Jacob Hespeler (9) at Grand River (1)  3:30 p.m.
Waterloo-Oxford  (10) vs. WCI (2)  3:30 p.m.  Bechtel #2
Bluevale (6) at  Forest Heights (3)    3:30 p.m.     
SJAM  (5) at KCI 3:30 p.m.

* * *

It's down to the quarter-finals in the WCSSAA boys rugby leagues as well.

Junior
KCI at Bluevale, 3:30 p.m.
Cameron Heights at SJAM, 4 p.m.
Waterloo-Oxford at Preston, 3:30 p.m.
Grand  River at WCI, 3:30 p.m.
 
Senior
Forest Heights at Bluevale, 4:30 p.m.
Huron Heights at WCI, 4:30 p.m.
SJAM at Cameron Heights, 5 p.m.
Preston at St. Mary's,  3:30 p.m.
 

Soccer and rugby semifinals are set

The District 8 girls and boys soccer leagues are both down to four teams with playoff semifinals set for Wednesday afternoon.

In boys play, Resurrection "hosts" St. Mary's at 4 p.m. at the University of Waterloo, while St. Benedict visits Monsignor Doyle at 3:30 p.m.

In girls play, Resurrection is "home" at UW to Doyle at 2 p.m., and St. Mary's is at St. David for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.

The UW games are being played on Field No. 3.

* * *

We are also down to four teams in the WCSSAA girls rugby league, with semifinals set for Wednesday.

Waterloo visits Bluevale at 3:30 p.m. and KCI travels to Forest Heights for a 3:30 game.

 

Soccer qualifiers are set

The qualifying round matchups are set for Tuesday in the WCSSAA girls and boys soccer league. The winners will move on to playoff semifinal games on Thursday.

GIRLS

Qualifying round
A -- Huron Heights (12) at SJAM (5), 1:30 p.m.
B -- Preston (11) at Bluevale (6), 3:30 p.m. Bechtel Park
C -- Waterloo-Oxford (10)  at Southwood (7), 1:30 p.m. Willard Park
D --Jacob Hespeler (9) at Cameron Heights (8), 3:30 p.m.

Quarter-finals
Winner D at Grand River (1), 3:30 p.m.
Winner C at WCI (2), 3:30 p.m. Bechtel Park
Winner B at Forest Heights (3), 3:30 p.m.
Winner A at KCI (4), 3:30 p.m.

BOYS

Qualifying round
A -- Huron Heights (12) at Preston (5), 3:30 p.m.
B -- Waterloo-Oxford (11) at Southwood (6), 3:30 p.m.
C -- Jacob Hespeler (10) at Forest Heights (7), 3:30 p.m.
D -- Elmira (9) at Bluevale (8), 3:30 p.m. Bechtel Park

Quarter-finals
Winner D at Eastwood (1), 3:30 p.m.
Winner C at WCI (2), 3:30 p.m. Bechtel Park
Winner B at Cameron Heights (3), 3:30 p.m.
Winner A at Grand River (4), 3:30 p.m.

* * *

The District 8 boys soccer league quarter-finals  will be played  on Monday afternoon, with St. David at St. Mary's and Rockway at St. Benedict in boys.

Resurrection and Monsignor Doyle will host semifinal games on Wedesday.

In the girls league, Monsignor Doyle is at St. Benedict and Pere Rene visits St. Mary's

Resurrection and St. David will host semifinal games on Wednesday.

* * *

The best of the week will return.

WCSSAA soccer qualifying rounds are set

The qualifying rounds are set in the WCSSAA boys and girls soccer leagues. The winners will move on to the quarter-finals on Thursday

SENIOR BOYS
(All games are 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday)

A -- Huron Heights (12) at Preston (5)
B -- Waterloo-Oxford (11) at Southwood (6), at Willard Park
C -- Jacob  Hespeler (10) at Forest Heights (7)
D -- Elmira (9) at Bluevale (8), at Bechtel Park

Quarter-finals
(Thursday at 3:30 p.m.)

Winner D at Eastwood (1)
Winner C at WCI (2)
Winner B at Cameron Heights (3)
Winner A at Grand River (4)

GIRLS

A -- Huron Heights (12) at SJAM (5), 1:30 p.m.
B -- Preston (11) at Bluevale (6), 3:30 p.m., at Bechtel Park
C -- Waterloo-Oxford (10) at Southwood (7), 1:30 p.m.
D -- Jacob Hespeler (9) at Cameron Heights (8), 3:30 p.m.

Quarter-finals
(Thursday at 3:30 p.m.)

Winner D at Grand River (1)
Winner C at WCI (2)
Winner B at Forest Heights (3)
Winner A at KCI (4)

 

An off year for the Eagles?

I've continued to tell myself that it's only a matter of time before the St. Mary's Eagles got their act together and made a serious charge in the District 8 senior boys soccer league.

However, a 3-2 loss to the St. Benedict Saints on Wednesday has me thinking that maybe, just maybe, this is an off year for the six-time defending champions.

The Eagles (3-3-1) finished in fourth place in the regular-season standings and will take on the St. David Celtics (3-4-0) in a quarter-final game on Monday.

The Rockway Flames (2-3-2) will face St. Benedict (4-1-2) in the other quarter-final.

The winners will advance to Wednesday's semifinals to face either Resurrection (6-0-1) or Monsignor Doyle (4-1-2).

Cleary, this is Rez's championship to lose.

* * *

The District 8 girls soccer league semifinals are also set for Monday with St. Mary's (5-1-1)taking on Pere Rene (2-5-0) and Doyle (3-4-0) against Bennies (4-2-1).

Rez (6-0-1) and St. David (5-1-1) are waiting for semifinal opponents.

* * *

The Twitterverse (I hate saying that) was abuzz on Wednesday with news of Tyler Varga's departure from the Western Mustangs.

My favourite was from Kristen Cober @KrisCo17

Check it out.

"Whoever Tyler Varga is needs to tell people that his number has changed so they STOP CALLING ME!!!!!"

* * *

Quarter-finals are set for Monday at 3:30 p.m. in the WCSSAA girls rugby league.

Huron  Heights at Bluevale
Elmira at Forest Heights
Waterloo-Oxford at KCI
Preston at WCI