HIGH ACHIEVERS WEEKEND WRAP: Algonquin Wolves win CCAA men’s silver, uOttawa Gee-Gees U Sports women’s bronze at soccer nationals

By Martin Cleary

The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association is celebrating its 50th year of providing leadership, programs and services to its members as well as staging nine men’s and women’s national championships.

One of its initiatives this year is to review the past half century and rank the schools based on the aggregate number of points they’ve earned from performances at CCAA national championships.

Entering last week’s national men’s soccer championship at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, Humber College Hawks topped the Sport Supremacy ranking list, while the Algonquin College Wolves were slotted in sixth place.

How fitting it was for those two top-10 colleges to once again clash in a championship final. Two weeks earlier, Humber and Algonquin met to determine the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association champion.

The double Battle of Ontario, however, belonged to Humber. After Jacob Ball scored both goals in the Hawks’ 2-0 decision over the Wolves in the OCAA final, Humber received a goal from MVP Franz Mella to secure the CCAA title 1-0 over Algonquin.

Goalkeeper Olivier Langlois, striker Connor David and Cristian Aviles-Molina were named to the championship all-star team for Algonquin.

The Wolves reached their eighth CCAA final by defeating Champlain Saint-Lambert Cavaliers 2-0 in the quarterfinals on goals by David and Gershom Dupuy, and Langara Falcons 2-1 in the semifinals with two late, second-half goals from David to erase a 1-0 deficit.

Langlois earned the shutout against the Cavaliers, making five saves in each half. He only needed to make five saves in the semifinal.

David had two shots on goal in the championship game, but was unable to score and Langlois’s workload was reduced to only three saves from four shots on net.

The win provided Humber with its 10th national title against one silver medal and two bronze performances. Algonquin was trying to win its third CCAA championship, after wins in 2006 and 2002. The Wolves’ second-place finish was their sixth silver medal (2008, 2007, 2005, 2004 and 1999). Algonquin was third in 2015.

Algonquin and Humber have been long-time rivals and have met in the OCAA final on 10 occasions. Each college has won five times with Algonquin being the last team standing in 2014, 2006, 2004, 1999 and 1976, and being the runner-up in 2024, 2016, 2015, 2013, and 2001.

U SPORTS WOMEN’S SOCCER BRONZE MEDAL GOES TO GEE-GEES

The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees won two of their three games at the U Sports women’s soccer championship at Dalhousie University in Halifax to earn the bronze medal with a 3-0 decision over the Cape Breton University Capers.

Cassandra Provost, the Gee-Gees’ all-time leading scorer, counted two goals and assisted on the other marker by Allana Oriente. Jenna Matsukubo assisted on both of Provost’s goals. Cassidy Joslin only needed to make one save for the shutout.

After blanking the University of Victoria Vikes 5-0 in the quarterfinals, the Gee-Gees needed 19 hours over two days before settling a tight and intense semifinal with the Université Laval Rouge et Or.

The semifinal was halted in the 61st minute on Friday, when Gee-Gees defender Rosalie Cote was injured in a collision with a Laval attacker. There was no score in the game, when it resumed Saturday morning. Neither team scored in the final 29 minutes of regulation time and two extra time periods. But Laval rallied from 3-2 down in the decisive penalty kicks to win the shootout 4-3 for a berth in the final.

Provost and Nibo Dlamini scored two goals apiece and Oriente added one, while Joslin earned the shutout against Victoria.

It was the third consecutive year that the Gee-Gees have won the national bronze medal.

TEAM HOMAN CONTINUES IMPRESSIVE PLAY, WINS 16TH SLAM

First came the celebration on the ice. Then came the surprise toast to the champions in the lounge of the Silent Ice Centre in Nisku, AB.

Rachel Homan’s rink of Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew and Sarah Wilkes continued its unprecedented winning pace by defeating Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni 7-5 in the final of the Co-op Canadian Open. The Ottawa Curling Club team won $44,000.

It was Homan’s third career Canadian Open victory, which extended her Grand Slam of Curling record to 16 titles. It was her fifth win in six Grand Slam meetings over Tirinzoni.

After shaking hands on the ice, the members of Team Tirinzoni approached Team Homan in the centre’s lounge to formally toast their fourth win in five competitions this season. But before Tirinzoni, Alina Pätz, Carole Howald and Selena Witschonke could reach the Homan table, loud laughter broke out from the winners and carried on for as long as it would take a draw shot to reach its mark.

The members of the Tirinzoni rink were all wearing identical black sweaters with the words Homan Empire printed on the front. It was the ultimate compliment to the 2024 world championship rink that has dominated curling over the past two years.

When you combine Homan’s current win-loss record of 33-2 with last year’s mark of 67-7, you get a staggering figure of 100-9 with more than half the 2024-25 season to come.

At the Canadian Open, Homan defeated Sayaka Yoshimura of Japan 6-4, Selena Sturmay of Edmonton 4-3, Chelsea Carey of Winnipeg 9-3 and Isabella Wrana of Sweden 5-4 in the round robin.

Homan reached her fifth final in as many competitions this season by turning back Kerri Einarson of Gimli, MB, 7-5 in the quarterfinals and Seung-Yuon Ha of Korea 6-2, scoring three in each of the first and fifth ends, in the semifinal.

HISTORIC DAY FOR GABRIELA DABROWSKI WITH WTA DOUBLES WIN

Gabriela Dabrowski is ending her 2024 women’s tennis season in grand style.

Dabrowski became not only the first woman in Canada to reach the Women’s Tennis Association Final, but also the first woman in the country to win a championship, after combining with New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe to capture the women’s doubles title in straight sets in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Following five straight women’s doubles victories, which was worth $1.125 million (U.S.) for the undefeated pair, Dabrowski was off to Malaga, Spain, to help Canada defend its Billie Jean King Cup title, beginning Sunday against 11 other nations.

Dabrowski and Routliffe, the second seeds, avenged their 2024 Wimbledon final loss by defeating Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and Taylor Townsend of the United States 7-5, 6-3.

In the semifinals, Dabrowski and Routliffe, who formed their tennis partnership about 15 months ago, defeated Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Ellen Perez of Australia 7-6 (7), 6-1.

Group play matches saw Dabrowski and Routliffe work even harder, holding off Hao-Ching Chan of Chinese Taipei and Veronika Kudermetova of Russia 7-6(6), 6-4, Caroline Doledide and Desirae Krawczyk, both of the United States, 4-6, 6-3, 10-6, and Italy’s Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini 1-6, 7-6(1), 11-9.

The victory allowed the No. 3-ranked Dabrowski to win her 17th WTA title and improve her career win-loss record to 459-308.

Dabrowski, who missed part of the clay-court season because of an injury, has reached five finals in 2024, winning two and reaching a personal-best WTA ranking. She has a win-loss record of 34-14 in 2024.

XAVIER GERVAIS BOOTS BISHOP’S INTO UTECK BOWL

Ottawa’s Xavier Gervais kicked six field goals in as many attempts, including one to force overtime and one in each of three extra periods, to spark Bishop’s University Gaiters to a 25-22 win over Saint Mary’s University Huskies for their first Atlantic University Sport football title since moving to the east-coast conference in 2017.

Gervais provided 19 points with his accurate placement kicking. He tied the game at 16-16 with a 16-yard field goal with six seconds left in regulation time. In the overtime, he booted a 17-yard field goal in the first overtime, a 21-yarder in the second overtime and a 25-yard three-pointer in the third overtime for the victory and a berth in the Uteck Bowl in Sherbrooke, Que., on Saturday against the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks.

Psychology grad student Jacob Matheson of Ottawa made two assisted tackles for the undefeated Gaiters, 10-0, and Jeremie Trudel of Gatineau added one solo tackle.

The Bishop’s roster also includes freshman quarterback Jackson Plante of Ottawa and sophomore offensive lineman John Stroud of Pakenham, ON.

The Golden Hawks outscored the University of Western Mustangs 51-31 in the 116th Yates Cup OUA championship game.

Laurier’s roster includes six players from Ottawa – Lambert Pomerleau, a junior offensive lineman; Isaiah Obiorah, a sophomore linebacker; and freshmen Solomon Alphonus, defensive back; JR Catulusi, defensive back; Frank Kalala, linebacker; and Geri Theodore, defensive lineman.

The Laval Rouge et Or will play the University of Regina Rams for the Mitchell Bowl championship in Regina. The winners of the two semifinals will meet in Kingston Nov. 23 for the 59th Vanier Cup.

PACIFIC TIGERS OFF TO IMPRESSIVE START UNDER DAVE SMART

Dave Smart’s return to university basketball head coaching is off to a fine start.

After leading the Carleton University Ravens men’s basketball program to an enviable 13 Canadian national championships, Smart headed south and was an assistant coach last season at Texas Tech University.

When the University of the Pacific Tigers in Stockton, California, concluded a dismal 2023-24 season at 0-16 in the conference and 6-26 overall, it was time to go back to the drawing board. Smart was hired for that assignment and 15 new student-athletes from six countries, including four Canadians, joined the men’s program.

Pacific won its first game 92-65 over NCAA Division 2 Jessup University and captured two of three matches at the Rainbow Classic in Manoa, Hawaii. A 3-1 opening is the Tigers’ best start since 2013-14.

The Tigers defeated San Jose State University 80-67 and Life Pacific University 94-41 before losing to the University of Hawaii 76-66.

Canadians Elias Ralph of Okotoks, AB., and Elijah Fisher of Toronto were selected to the all-tournament team.

RAVENS, GEE-GEES BASKETBALL TEAMS OVERPOWER YORK LIONS

The Carleton University Ravens and the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees played only one OUA basketball game each on the weekend and they showed no mercy for the visiting York University Lions.

The Ravens, 5-0, held the Lions to only 13 second-half points and stormed to an 88-41 win in the women’s game. Kyana-Jade Poulin scored 18 points, while Noelle Kilbreath had 17 points, five steals, three rebounds and two assists.

The Carleton men’s team, 5-0, ran past York 94-50 as Emmanuel Milon recorded 19 points and nine rebounds, while Augustus Brazdeikis had nine points and 12 rebounds.

The Gee-Gees women, 5-0, jumped out to a 47-15 halftime advantage en route to an 85-44 win over the Lions. Five players scored in double figures for the Gee-Gees, who were led by Natsuki Szczokin with 15 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals.

Jacques-Melanie Guemeta registered a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds and added three assists and three steals as the Gee-Gees men’s team, 4-1, downed the Lions 92-60.

GLEN CAIRN SKATER BRIANNA DION WINS TWO SECTIONAL MEDALS

Brianna Dion of the Glen Cairn Skating Club did double duty at the Skate Ontario sectional figure skating championships and captured double medals in the process in Oshawa.

Dion placed third in novice girls’ singles group 3 with 79.08 points and teamed with Jacob Cote of the Nepean Skating Club for a second-place result in novice pairs at 87.30 points.

Leah Northway of Nepean and Aidan Armstrong of the Minto Skating Club won the pre-novice pairs with 80.50 points.

Silver medals went to Katherine Medland Spence of Nepean in women’s senior singles with 172.44 points, David Shteyngart of the Gloucester Skating Club in men’s junior singles at 191.95 points and Darya Stoughtenger of Gloucester in girls’ novice group 3 singles at 86.96 points.

LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST

· Rideau Canoe Club’s Peter Bradley and Ruby Muhl and the Ottawa River Canoe Club’s Brianna Hennessy are scheduled to start competition Wednesday for their respective U21 Continental Pan-Am canoe qualifier and the Paracanoe Pan American championships in Montevideo, Uruguay.

· The Athletics Canada 2025 National Track and Field Tour will include a stop at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility on July 11 for the Canadian Track and Field League final.

· Ottawa’s Glenroy Gilbert, the Athletics Canada head coach, has been honoured with a 2024 Caribbean Impact Award, which celebrates excellence in the Black and Caribbean communities.

· Merivale High School earned the antique bronze medal at the OFSAA girls’ field hockey championship at Ridley College, after losing the bronze-medal game 1-0 to Saltfleet District. The Marauders, who were undefeated in three round-robin games, lost their semifinal 2-0 to Bluevale. In preliminary play, Merivale tied Dunbarton 0-0, blanked Ridley College 5-0 and tied Waterloo-Oxford 1-1.

· Shilo Rousseau of Chelsea Nordiq placed fourth in the Biathlon Canada women’s trials and qualified to race for Canada in the first two World Cup races in Finland and Austria. Clubmate Jean-Nicolas De Broeck was fourth in the men’s trials and will compete in the first three stages of the International Biathlon Union Cup.

· Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann, both of Ottawa, will open another World Cup long-track speed skating season on the weekend with the Four Continents meet in Hachinohe City, Japan. They will remain in Hachinohe City for the first World Cup on Nov. 22-24 before travelling to Beijing for the second World Cup meet Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.

· A 20th-place finish by Will Cox of Ottawa helped Queen’s University Gaels win the men’s team gold medal at the U Sports cross-country running championships in Kelowna, B.C. Queen’s was fifth in the women’s team competition as Elizabeth Vroom of Ottawa was 30th and Olivia Baggley of Ottawa took 49th.

· Nepean Wildcats defender Alex Therien assisted on the tournament-winning goal as Team Ontario Red emerged as champions with a 1-0 win over Team Quebec at the 2024 U18 Women’s National Championship in New Brunswick. Fellow defender Kate Viel of the Ottawa Lady Senators was also part of the gold medal-winning effort.