Newcomers rule SOSSA novice division
Aubrey Sartor didn’t let the lack of running experience hold her back at the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association cross country meet held Thursday at Firemen’s Park in Niagara Falls.
The Grade 9 student at Blessed Trinity cruised to an easy victory in the novice girls division.
“I have never run before. I play lacrosse, soccer and hockey,” the 14-year-old Grimsby resident said. “The last time I ran was in Grade 6 cross country.”
She won that race in Grade 6 but didn’t return to the sport until this fall.
“I saw the sign-up sheet and my parents said to give it a try because there weren’t any other sports going on. I was just doing it for fun and I didn’t think I would go this far.”
Sartor was definitely surprised to win SOSSA and credited her victory to her multi-sport background.
“I have a pretty good mindset and I don’t like to lose,” she said. “And I push myself to my limits.”
She plays soccer with the Grimsby Gryphons, hockey with the Stoney Creek Sabres AA squad and lacrosse with a number of teams including the Toronto Rockstars and Team Ontario. Lacrosse is her favourite sport.
“I like running and I like battling hard.”
Now that she has qualified for the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association championships, she is setting her goals high.
“I am hoping to finish in the top 10.”
NOVICE BOYS DIVISION
Another newcomer to running was victorious in the novice boys race.
“I started in Grade 9 and I have had three races so far,” said Sir Winston Churchill’s Simon Dobrovolski.
He was second at the Bulldog Invitational, third at the Zone 3 meet and in the top 10 at the pre-OFSAA race.
The 14-year-old St. Catharines resident was thrilled to be a SOSSA champ in his first year of running and he credited his teammates for the victory.
“When we were in the woods over there, they told me to keep going.”
It was a different approach that what happened at the zone meet.
“Our team came one, two, three, four, five and six because we were pack running.”
He is surprised that he is doing so well this fall.
“I went into it not knowing what to expect but the practices we have are always pushing us harder and making us better.”
Dobrovolski credited his other sports for giving him a leg up on his running career. He plays basketball for the Pelham Panthers and suits up for the St. Catharines Jets in soccer.
He has two goals for OFSAA.
“The overall goal is for our team to win OFSAA and I would like another top 10 finish at OFSAA.”
OVERALL RESULTS
The top two teams and the top five individuals not on teams advanced to the OFSAA championships Nov. 5 at the Dagmar Ski Resort in Uxbridge.
Novice girls individuals (locals in top five and locals who qualified for OFSAA): 1. Aubrey Sartor, BT (17:10.4); 3. Kate Taylor, Simcoe; 4. Lydia Jeffery, Crossley.
Novice girls team: 1. Blessed Trinity (1. Sartor; 10. Maria DiFlavio; 22. Savanna Scott; 34. Elliotte Percentile; 43. Paige Cottee; 62. Rachel Sills). 2. Heritage Christian (16. Mackenzie Kikkert; 19. Tianna Wassenaar; 21. Rebekah Sikkema; 28. Peyton Heikoop).
Novice boys individual (locals in top five and locals who qualified for OFSAA): 1. Simon Dobrovolski, Churchill (15:14.7); 3. Jonah Bello, Notre Dame; 4. Carson Walker, Churchill; 5. Barron Walker, Churchill; 10. Judah Dykstra, Heritage Christian.
Novice boys team: 1. Churchill (1. Simon Dobrovolski; 4. Carson Walker; 5. Barron Walker; 8. Jaxson Hildreth; 12. Damien Bertrand; 17. Julian Cirasuolo); 2. E.L. Crossley (6. Griffin Eller; 13. Jonah Shapland; 15. Logan MacRae; 21. Adam Freure; 41. Xavier Walker).
