Patrick Watling with the Guelph Storm – Photo OHL Images/Terry Wilson

“Patrick, coming from the Guelph Storm system of Mike Kelly and Scott Walker, understands very clearly the right way to play the game. He plays with speed and tenacity in pursuit of the puck at all times. Patrick is a positive possession player, when he’s on the ice his team either has the puck or is working with speed to get it back,” said Soo Greyhounds General Manager Kyle Dubas in a team release.

Watling, a Sault Ste. Marie resident, led the Chatham Maroons in scoring in 2010-2011 with 75 points in 49 games, and was named a First Team GOJHL All-Star that same season. In total, Watling played 102 playoff and regular season games in a Chatham Maroons sweater.

“Patrick is a very versatile player and can play left wing or centre anywhere in the lineup and have success. Though he is an overage player, he is a late birthdate (born after September 15) who is just entering his 3rd season in the Ontario Hockey League. We feel that Patrick’s ability to produce at even strength is a good indicator that he has some more offensive potential. Patrick is also a tremendous student who will fit in well with our academic program,” continued Dubas.

In 122 regular season OHL games, all as a member of the Guelph Storm, Patrick Watling has 18 goals and 30 assists.

Quarterbacks Kelton Evans and Nolan Ball led the offence by throwing for 247 yards and 2 touchdowns. Each also threw an interception. The rushing game was led by Marc Kellet with 38 yards. Jake Anderson and Alex Ronyson also helped carry the load with 35 and 20 yards respectively. The leading receiver for the Cougars was Jake Anderson catching 4 balls for 105 yards and a touchdown. Also catching a touchdown pass and adding 69 yards was Nate Whittal. In total 6 different receiver caught passes for Chatham-Kent in the win.

Ricky O’Rourke was the leading defender with 8 tackles, and a sack. Dorian Payne had a strong day with 9 tackles, while Zach Kanecki chipped in 5 tackles and an interception.

The Senior Varsity Chatham-Kent Cougars travelled to Waterloo to face a very tough Twin cities Predator team, losing 44-0. Due to injuries the week before, both quarterbacks did not make the trip. Defensively, Costa Tourlas, Tony Parker and Carter Claridge were solid in the trenches and Carter Wood made some key defensive plays from the linebacker position. The Senior Varsity Cougars are now gearing up for the Alumni Cougar Classic this weekend against the Forest City Thunderbirds in Chatham.

The Peewee Cougars lost 28-6 to Forest City Thunderbirds in London on Sunday. Julian Ferrell lead the offense going 10-13 passing for 164 yards and 1 interception. Ben Barnard rushed 15 times for 78 yards and 1 TD. Cody Lunn caught 3 passes for 90 yards, while Trenton Amaro had 1 catch for 17 yards. The defense was led by Trey Postma with 5 tackles. Cameron Creechan, Garrette Stonefish and Lucas Doyle each had 4 tackles. Tanner Hoorelbeck and Bennett Brown each had a fumble recovery.

The Bantam Cougars were shut out 34-0 by the Twin Cities Predators.

Dave Wall – Photo from CanadianHorseRacingHallofFame.com

The 66-year-old reinsman has won over $60 Million in purses over his career and has visited the winner’s circle 7, 159 times including his two wins today.

Wall has been legendary at Dresden Raceway from 30 years ago when PRO FIGHTER would hit the local oval because he was too good to race at most other tracks and they wouldn’t let him enter. PRO FIGHTER was a longtime track record holder at Dresden Raceway of 2:01.

Wall also held the track record at Dresden Raceway from 1986 until 2001 with THE BRAT in a time of 1:56.4.

The Komoka horseman won his first race today with PICK N A PROMISE in the second dash in a time of 1:59.4.

The four-year-old RAMBARRAN mare is owned by Wall Tyme Stables of Arkona and Dawn Walker of Arkona with Dean Wall as the trainer.
Wall struck again in the third as he steered WALLY TYME through traffic down the stretch to a victory in 2:03.3. The four-year-old KEN WARKENTIN horse is owned by Wall and trained by Dean Wall.
Dresden Raceway was hampered by computer and internet issues today which held the handle to just $3,568 for the 10 race card.

The Wallaceburg Red Devils became road Warriors this weekend defeating the Owen Sound North Stars 15-6, and the Brampton Excelsiors 16-14.

Jordan Durston had a huge weekend for the Red Devils, starting with a 7-point performance Saturday in Owen Sound. Durston scored 4 goals and added 3 assists in the lopsided win. Mike Myers matched Durston point for point over the weekend, as the duo put on an offensive clinic against their opponents. In Saturday’s game against the North Stars, Myers potted 3 goals and added 3 assists.

Other goal scorers versus Owen Sound were Nate Carroll, Brennan White, and Chris Taylor, each with 2 goals, and Evan Mathany and Brendan Johnston with 1 goal each.

In the second game of their weekend road trip in Brampton, Mike Myers had 4 goals and 6 assists, while Jordan Durston had 4 goals and 5 assists to lead their team to the win over the Excelsiors. Lucas Beaver scored a hat trick in the game, while Neil McInroy and Chris Taylor each had multi-goal games, scoring twice each. AP Corey Lucier rounded out the scoring for the Red Devils.

Wallaceburg travels to London Wednesday, before playing their final home game of the regular season Friday at Memorial Arena against the Windsor Clippers.

Kyle Patrick – Photo from Twitter

Patrick took the wings off his number 33K car Saturday at South Buxton Raceway, to battle to a second place finish in the Can-Am Topless Sprints feature.

“Last nights non wing race at South Buxton went well,” Patrick posted on his official racing Facebook page.

Patrick finished second behind St. Thomas’ John Watson, after winning his heat for the main event. Next Saturday, Patrick will again race at South Buxton’s Patriots Sprint Tour Canadian mid-season championship.

Eric Jamieson of Chatham was the only other Chatham-Kent driver to compete in the topless sprints, placing 7th in the race.

In the UMP Late Models feature, Gregg Haskell took the victory, holding off Dale Glassford of Ridgetown and Mike Lewis of Wallaceburg who finished second and third respectively.

Merlin’s Joe Brosseau won the Schinkels Gourmet Meats UMP Modifieds, defeating Chatham’s Brian Speelman.

In the Tirecraft Mini-Mods, Cottam’s Rob Quick took the checkered flag followed by a contingent of local drivers. Fellow Cottam driver Denis DeSerrano was second, while last week’s winner Matt Sorrell of Dresden placed third.

Eren Vanderiviere grabbed this week’s Windride Transportation Sport Stocks feature, holding off fellow Merlin resident Steve Shaw, and Grande Pointe’s Tyler Lozon, while Ryan Bonner of Blenheim rounded out the feature winners, taking the Bombers crown.

Matt Wood, Kim Wood, and Mike Aikenhead of Chatham’s Ragnar team – Photo from Facebook

Matt Wood, Kim Wood, Kerri Wood, Steve Moore, Mike Aikenhead and Mark Heavens formed an ultra-team to compete in Canada’s first Ragnar Relay, an event which is growing in popularity across North America.

“It’s very cool, and a different style race,” said Kim Wood, owner of Chatham’s Up & Running store in an interview prior to the race. “It’s something our group is very excited to do.”

The team completed the 311km relay race in less than 27 hours. A Ragnar Relay is an overnight, relay race, where teams of either 11 or 6, run from one destination to another, relay style. Each runner on the local team completed three legs, and road in a team van between, waiting for their next portion of the race.

Crawford McKinlay lines up a putt – CKSN.ca File Photo

The tour players enjoyed great weather and beautiful playing conditions on the challenging Blenheim lay out.

In the Junior Boys division Crawford McKinlay shot a blistering 67 on the par 72 layout. Crawford rode 5 birdies and an eagle to the lowest junior score ever recorded at Blenheim in the tour’s 26 year history. McKinlay will play NCAA golf next year for Wayne State. McKinlay’s younger brother Carson, who is also a Ridgetown Golf Course member, finished tied for 16th after shooting an 81.

Second place went University of Michigan recruit Bryce Evon with a 72 followed by Gilbert-Paul Lanoue (74), Thomas DeMarco (75) and Tyler Leblanc and Brandon Mihalo (76).

Wheatley’s TJ Thompson was 10th, shooting 79.

In the Junior Girl’s Division Alyssa Getty won with a 73, followed by Emily Stadder with a 87 and Laura Martin with an 88. Martin, a Chatham resident, is a member at Blenheim Golf Club.

Ricky Voyvodic in the Collegiate Men’s division recorded a hole in one on the 16th hole on route to an excellent 5 under 67. Ricky also recorded 7 birdies including the 5 birdies in 6 holes to begin the front nine. Second place in the Collegiate men’s division went to Tyler-Pope Ferguson who carded a one under par 71. Kristina D’Angela topped the Collegiate Women division with an 89.

A change, announced in the Wallaceburg Courier Press, will showcase the Lakers to Walpole fans, potentially as often as one game per month.

The Wallaceburg Lakers, who currently call Wallaceburg Memorial Arena home, will challenge opponents on the much larger ice surface at Walpole Island.

The Lakers, traditionally, have held portions of their training camp at Walpole, and this year, will audition new players on the Olympic size ice surface as they open their Summer Camp on Saturday, July 27, 2013 at the Thames Campus arena in Chatham.

Walpole Island Sports Complex was the home arena for at Great Lakes Junior C team from 1988 until 1999 when the Walpole

There was a Walpole Island team in the Great Lakes Junior C hockey league for a number years from 1988 to 1999.

Alicia Baertsoen and Alex Kiar, 2013 Jack Parry winners – Photo from Facebook

The Jack Parry Award is given annually to Chatham-Kent’s top male and female student-athletes, and comes with a $1000 scholarship for each athlete.

Both Kiar and Baertsoen were top athletes for their schools, participating in soccer, basketball, and volleyball. As well, each individual was an active part of their school’s Student Athletic Association, and were Student Council Prime Ministers.

As well, both student-athletes will be attending Western University next Fall. Baertsoen will be studying MIT, while Kiar will be taking Engineering.

This is the sixth time in eight years a Wallaceburg student has won the female award, while this is only the second time ever, and the first since 1996, a Dresden student has won the award.

Bridget Carleton playing for Team Ontario – Contributed Photo

Carleton, who plays high school basketball for JMSS, and club ball for the St. Clair JUEL team, is also a current member of the Team Ontario U17 squad. She also represented Team Ontario at the U15 level in both 2011 and 2012.

“Bridget is the hardest working athlete I have ever coached,” said Carleton’s JUEL coach Nicole Quigley.

“She dedicates herself to every part of the game of basketball including consistently working to improve her skills, strength and conditioning. She has a strong understanding of the game at a young age and has natural leadership abilities. I believe Bridget will be representing Canada for many years to come,” continued Quigley.

Carleton will be playing for the Team Canada Cadette Team, which is a stepping stone toward Canada’s Junior National Team and Senior National Team.

A former Chatham-Kent Wildcats star, Carleton was also honoured this Fall by Basketball Ontario, receiving the 2012 U15 Hazel Miner Award. This award is presented to an athlete for their “outstanding contribution to the sport of basketball” in their community and throughout the province of Ontario.

The U16 FIBA Americas Championship features eight countries including Canada, USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Venezuala, Peurto Rico, and Brazil.