HIGH ACHIEVERS: 8 Ottawa players recognized as individual award winners at ringette nationals

By Martin Cleary

Athletic championships are interesting creatures.

After teams have played round-robin games or individuals have progressed through a bracket format, it’s time for the playoffs to determine champions and medallists.

But each championship also honours the individuals who were the key figures during the competition with a variety of awards or all-star selections.

It was no different at last week’s Canadian ringette championships, which were staged for the second consecutive year in Ottawa. Interestingly, the 2025 national ringette championships was an award winner as the Canadian Event of the Year – Group B award in March at the 2026 STC PRESTIGE Awards. It was named the best organized competition with a budget of under $1 million.

When the 2026 Canadian ringette championships ended Saturday night, there were eight individual awards presented to Ottawa players on a variety of teams for their play at nationals and the regular season.

Morgan Forrest of the Gatineau Fusion was selected the National Ringette League (open women’s division) rookie of the year. She played 28 regular-season league games, scored 26 goals and added 25 assists for 51 points. Her stats sheet included three power-play goals, two game-winning goals and 22 penalty minutes.

In her seven games at nationals, she posted one goal and three assists in the championship round and four goals and one assist in the playoffs.

The NRL championship was won by the Waterloo Wildfire for the first time in its history and three former Ottawa players contributed to that milestone.

Former Gloucester Devils/Nepean Ravens NRL players Kelsey Youldon and Allison Biewald and past Raven Julia Corry shared in the gold-medal celebration, after the Wildfire defeated the British Columbia Thunder 6-1.

In Waterloo’s five championship round and playoff games, Youldon recorded two goals and 12 assists, while Biewald had two goals and six assists. Corry was on the scoresheet with 12 penalty minutes.

The Canadian women’s U19-champion Eastern Ontario Force produced two first-line all-stars from their nine games (seven wins, one tie and one loss).

Emily Barteaux was named as a forward, while Megan Davis was picked as the best goalkeeper. Barteaux was the top point scorer among the U19 players with 16 goals and eight assists. Her numbers included four game-winning goals and two power-play markers.

Davis played in all four playoff and two round-robin games, registering six wins without a defeat. She allowed only 15 goals, while facing 162 shots and stopping 147.

Read More: Highlight-reel OT goal gives Canadian U19 ringette title to hometown Eastern Ontario Force

The Canadian women’s U16 division first-line all-star lineup included two Team Ontario players from the West Ottawa Wild – forward Rachel MacDonald and goalkeeper Scarlett Pulleyblank.

MacDonald was a notable offensive player with 12 goals and four assists in five round-robin games and three goals in two playoff matches. Pulleyblank played six games in the Wild net, allowed 22 goals and blocked 183 of 205 shots.

In the Booster Juice skills competition, familiar names appeared once again.

In the U19 division, Davis was ranked No. 1 in the goalie agility category, while Cara Davis of the Eastern Ontario Impact was second. Barteaux placed second in the individual skater agility class.

West Ottawa Wild players had a pair of top-two results in the U16 skills competition.

Zoey Lorimer finished first in the accuracy shooting competition, while Ava Thompson-Mills posted a second-place showing in the goaltender agility event.

Local players leave mark at high school basketball All-Canadian Games

Meanwhile at The All-Canadian Games for high school prep boys and girls’ basketball players in Mono, ON, Anthony Nnajiofor of Canada Topflight Academy stood out for his thunderous baskets.

The six-foot, nine-inch forward won the boys’ slam dunk competition with four outstanding efforts. He scored perfect 10s on each of his dunks.

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Nnajiofor was one of 24 players named to the boys’ lineup for The All-Canadian Games basketball game on Saturday. The girls’ roster included Capital Courts Academy’s Alice Veilleux and Evelyn Tounkara.

“He was definitely the talk of the gym as he put on an outstanding show,” Canada Topflight Academy head coach Tony House wrote about Nnajiofor in a posting on LinkedIn.

“I was also touched as he immediately ran over, gave me a hug and presented me with his ‘10’ card; very special moment.

“The future is definitely bright for this young man; so proud to be part of his journey.”