13 minute read
Sports
by The Cord
Golden Hawks women’s hockey team ends season with win as Myers and four other seniors graduate
ETHAN CAPLAN
LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
After a long and hard-fought season, the Golden Hawks women’s hockey team finished their year strong with a 1-0 win against the Guelph Gryphons in their season finale, Mar. 5th. After a difficult year - including the January OUA pause in action - Laurier was able to close out their campaign on a positive note, while honouring their five graduating seniors on that night.
Although the Golden Hawks failed to qualify for the playoffs, there were many moments throughout the season that should have the program feeling optimistic moving forward. None more notable than their win on that Saturday afternoon.
Star goaltender Cohen Myers recorded yet another shutout, while the game winning goal was scored by Emily Visser, a bittersweet and fitting ending for both seniors who cap off their Laurier careers with incredible performances and a home win - the team’s first victory at home in over two years.
“It was definitely a great day for the seniors and something that I think they will keep with them and can celebrate together as a group,” said Head Coach Kelly Paton after the win over Guelph.
The Golden Hawks finished the shortened OUA season with a 3-102 record, including a 1-0 victory over the provincial champion, Brock Badgers back in November. While the season was cut short without an appearance in the McCaw Cup playoffs this year, Coach Paton and her youthful squad have plenty to look forward in the future.
For one, this is a very young team with a mix of offensive and defensive players adjusting to university hockey. Defensively, the team didn’t allow many pucks to get behind Myers, allowing only 2.68 goals a game. Much of that stat is credit to the two-time MVP and team leader, Myers, who was named an OUA second-team All-star at the conclusion of the season.
While Myers will depart the team after this season, the Golden Hawks have depth at the goaltender position, with third-year goaltender, Victoria Kelaiditis. In her short tenure with the program, Kelaiditis has shown signs of being able to lead the team between the posts for the upcoming seasons. Acadia Carlson should feature in a back-up role as she enters her second year with Laurier next season.
In her only start this season, Kelaiditis played an amazing game, making 37 saves against a Windsor team that finished in the middle of the pack. She finished off the game with a .925 save percentage, showing improvement from her five starts in her rookie year the prior season.
Carlson, who didn’t get the opportunity to suit up this year, will ultimately get more playing time next season. Normally goalies take a little longer to develop and get comfortable with the team, and Carlson will get that opportunity to feature between the posts for Laurier next season.
Offensively, the Golden Hawks are very comfortable with their roster, but will look to add more firepower, after scoring only 13 goals in 15 games. Student-athletes such as Mackenzie Marshall, Kyra Minoletti, and Kennedy Choma, among others will be back next year in a larger role, hoping to lead the Golden Hawks to a successful season.
Going into next season, the Golden Hawks offense will look to add to their experience, talent, and offensive ability. A strong recruiting class paired with the team’s current roster, should result in more effective and frequent scoring.
Coach Paton will have some work to do this summer, hoping to quickly fill the void that the graduating seniors have left. Myers had an incredible season yet again, finishing top 5 in save percentage, and second overall in saves this season. After four years with the team, Coach Paton described Myers as the “cornerstone of the program’s success.”
Senior forward, Emily Visser, finished in the top 30 in overall points this season with seven, just one point shy of her career high she set in 2019-20. Her success was pivotal for the team, especially given the challenges that came with the shortened OUA season.
Overall, this past season for the Golden Hawks was focused on development and in getting the large number of young student-athletes to experience hockey at the OUA level. Laurier ended their season on a high note and will hope that the victory brings the program momentum and a burst of energy as they head into next season, seeking to make it back to the McCaw Cup Playoffs.
BASKETBALL
FILE PHOTO
Men’s Basketball rematch
MARK CASCAGNETTE
SPORTS EDITOR
Two years removed from their last playoff matchup – a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Western Mustangs in the OUA semi-finals – the Golden Hawks enter the OUA playoffs for the 21st consecutive year, starting their Wilson Cup playoff run on Wednesday night looking to enact revenge on those same Mustangs.
In their memorable semi-final game in London two years ago – Laurier’s second consecutive semi-final appearance – the Golden Hawks led with five seconds left in regulation and only four seconds left in overtime.owever, Western made some remarkably clutch shots down the stretch, advancing to the finals with a 104-103 victory. Nikola Farkic, who played his junior basketball in Waterloo, made a three-point shot with just over a second left in overtime to sink the hearts of Coach Serresse and the entire program.
The Golden Hawks roll into the Wilson Cup playoffs this year, claiming the fourth seed in the OUA West division with a 10-6 record, earning the right to host the fifth-seeded Mustangs in the first round. Relying on a mix of seniors - most notably the high-powered backcourt of Ali Sow and Romello Taylor - as well as newcomers such as Benhur Gebrekidan, Laurier won eight of their final 10 games, including two victories over Western last month.
Laurier has won four straight games at home, having not lost at the Athletic Complex since before the holiday break (Nov. 27th). After a 2-4 start, Laurier turned their season around in the second half, playing a more physical style on defense and having impressive performances from MVP candidate Sow as well as Taylor. Both of whom have been performing as quite possibly the best backcourt in the nation.
As Wilson Cup finalists in 2020, the Mustangs have an MVP candidate of their own in guard - Omar Shiddo,. Shiddoo leads the country in points per game, averaging over 28 per contest. Western finished their season with a 7-8 record - faltering down the stretch - having dropped six of their last eight games, including the sweep to Laurier. Western struggled on the road, dropping their last six games away from Alumni Hall and finishing 1-7 on the road.
In his last season with the program, All-Canadian and twotime OUA All-starSowcontinues to defy all odds. Putting together another phenomenal season, Sow managed to average over 25 points per game, while recording career highs in assists (5.3) and rebounds per game (6.0). This ranks him in-the top three of USPORTS in both categories. As a 2019 Laurier President’s award winner, 14-time Laurier athlete of the week and just recently becoming the second leading scorer in program historySow is hoping to complete his trophy case with a title this year.
While Golden Hawks fans have become accustomed to seeing Sow’s dominance, backcourt partner, Romello Taylor has had a coming out party this year. Averaging a career high high 17 points per game and providing a massive boost to the Golden Hawks, Taylor managed the team well following the holiday break. Taylor recorded four games over 25 points in the past seven games and is shooting 44% from the field this season while playing in over 550 minutes - fourth in the OUA.
The duo of Sow and Taylor has been unstoppable at times this season, having combined for 680 of the team’s 1360 total points – exactly half of the team’s offensive production this season. Their dominance was unmatched in the two Western games earlier this season, scoring 107 of the team’s 177 points over the two contests. Last Wednesday was yet another display of brilliance as Sow and Taylor put on a show in their final regular season game at home, on senior’s day against McMaster.
In addition to Sow and Taylor, seven other Laurier student-athletes, including Adnan Begovic, Kareem Elliot and former Hawks Ntore Habimana and Jackson Mayerswere honoured last Wednesday in a pivotal game against McMaster.
While trailing for most of the game and stuck 11 entering the fourth quarter, the Golden Hawks outscored McMaster 32-16 in the fourth quarter with 31 of the team’s 32 points in the final frame coming from Sow and Taylor. In front of a packed crowd at home, Sow and Taylor put on a show as Laurier won 87-82 and earned the opportunity to grab a first-round bye with a win in the season finale in Hamilton last Saturday.
“Desperation, urgency, a little bit more ball movement,” Coach Serresse said about the fourth-quarter comeback. “Ali got hot, and the crowd was amazing… it was a big, big help and I don’t think we’re ever coming back in this game without the crowd,” Serresse continued as he shouted out the loud supporters at the gym last Wednesday.
“What they brought to the team, to the department, to the university… all of them worked really hard for either three or five years and they are committed young man, who perfect their craft every day,” Coach Serresse said about the nine seniors’.
“Those guys were the pillars of what we wanted to install and create. There is a lot of love and respect between all of us… I’m very proud of what they achieved, and I look forward to what they’re going to be doing moving forward.”
Laurier unfortunately dropped their final game, as McMaster flipped the script and doubled up the Golden Hawks 24-12 in the final quarter on Saturday, winning 75-70. Laurier struggled with their shot, scoring a season low 70 points and four three pointers. This marked their worst offensive game of the season in a variety of metrics - something they hope to fix quickly before their playoff matchup.
Men’s Hockey season comes to an end after hard fought playoff matchup with Badgers
ETHAN CAPLAN
LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
After a long, hard battled, and frankly unprecedented OUA season, the Golden Hawks men’s hockey season came to an end on Mar. 16th with a 5-2 loss against the Brock Badgers in the first round of the Queen’s Cup Playoffs.
Despite Laurier’s season ending much earlier than they would have hoped, Coach Puhalski and the Golden Hawks program fought hard all season and have several reasons to remain optimistic as they head into next season.
After a 2-5 start to the season, the Golden Hawks displayed their resilience, climbing their way back up the OUA standings in the second half of the season and earning a home playoff game in the first round. Laurier didn’t miss a beat coming out of the extended holiday break, playing inspired and motivated. The team won six of their final nine regular season games, including two wins over the nationally ranked, Windsor Lancers to clinch their sixth straight playoff berth.
More importantly, this season was a huge success for the five seniors who will be leaving the hockey program at the end of this term. Star players such as captain Anthony Sorrentino and Michael Silveri as well as Graeme MacLean, Mack Graham, and Tyler Fassl will graduate following this year and have all shown what it means to be a hockey player at Laurier.
At the start of the season, Sorrentino had told me to expect an exciting brand of hockey because everyone on the team just wanted to get back to playing after the postponement of the 2020 season. Sorrentino was true to his word as he spearheaded a quick and effective offense all season that was reliant on a mix of veterans and fresh faces.
The Golden Hawks collectively scored 47 goals, 78 assists, and averaged over three goals per game. The balanced roster kept Laurier competitive in nearly every game this year and got better as the season went on, gaining chemistry and earning results in the second half of the season.
“Tonight, is a special night for all of us [seniors], anytime you get one at home in regular season that’s always nice,” said Silveri after scoring his final goal as a Golden Hawk in a seniors night win over Waterloo.
The seniors who have been playing for this team have all impacted the team and have contributed to the success of the Golden Hawks program.
“Everybody has touched the program in their own way and have left an impact for sure,” assistant coach Trent Brown said. “It’s good to see what those guys have done and how they have played and hopefully the first years can take something away from it.”
The Brock Badgers went on a remarkable run in the Queen’s cup playoffs, making the championship game and earning a spot at the national championship in Nova Scotia last weekend.
Going into next season, Coach Puhalski and the Golden Hawks will be in a comfortable position, having plenty of depth at every level of their roster. While the losses of Sorrentino and Silveri will create a void, the program has amazing young talent who will look to take a further leap in solidifying the team’s identity
next year.
The offense of the Golden Hawks was clicking on all cylinders this past season, with contributions from nearly everyone on their roster. First-year center Patrick Brown showed he can compete at the OUA level, leading the team with 13 total points, while rookie defenseman, Adrian Nabuurs showed his talent as a goal scorer, and playmaker, notching seven points on the year.
First year goaltender, Christian Propp is one of the main reasons for optimism going forward. The BC native and former OHL netminder had a dominant first year in the purple and gold, including an incredible four game stretch once the schedule restarted in February. Propp was one of the top goalies in the province this season, finishing in the top five in goals against average (2.18) and save per centage (.925). After an amazing rookie season, Propp was named to the USPORTS all-rookie team, while also being recognized as an OUA all-star.
Even though the year didn’t end as planned and the team is still searching for their first playoff series win since 2010, and first championship since 1990, there was still plenty of good that came out of this season.
The seniors competed at a high level every night, while we saw flashes of skilled young players on special teams, offense, and defense. Coach Puhalski and the Golden Hawks program remain in a comfortable position, as they look at the bigger picture, and continue to trust the process, hoping to break their playoff and championship drought when they return to the ice this fall.
-Trent Brown, Laurier men’s hockey assistant coach
FILE PHOTO
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