Banner Season: Gryphons looking to top talented field once again to garner fourth straight double gold
Toronto – Speed, strength, and skill will be front and centre this weekend at the Toronto Track & Field Centre, but with a slew of events in store, only time will tell which schools can put it all together for a banner-winning result. The Guelph Gryphons have found that right formula for the last few seasons, claiming both provincial banners for the last three years, and they'll need to be at the top of their game once again for that streak to continue. Along with the defending champions, 13 additional teams will be represented at the 2020 OUA Track & Field Championships, starting on February 21, and each one will look to run, jump, and throw their way to a memorable performance on the provincial stage.
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The Gryphons were twice golden a year ago, but they did not do it without a talented cast of competitors carrying the load. Among those who will be looking to parlay that performance into 2020 and claim the men's fourth straight OUA banner is Daniel Harper (Brampton, Ont.). Despite this being just his second championship appearance, the sophomore brings a hefty haul of provincial hardware to this year's festivities. In his debut season, Harper took home three gold medals, including his win in the 300m, and having also run for the Canadian national team, Harper provides plenty of experience for the three-time defending champions.
Like their male counterparts, Guelph's women's team looks poised to keep their championship streak intact, as they compete for a fifth straight title. At the forefront once again will be Shyvonne Roxborough. The Ottawa, Ont. native has done nothing but win since she suited up for the Gryphons, bringing home a trio of gold medals in the 60m event, while also being part of the 4x200m group that has topped the field in all three of her previous finales. The fourth-year competitor is one of nine returnees for the women's squad, and while Roxborough goes for the four-peat herself, the team as a whole will turn to their experience to guide them to another fiery finish.
Joining Guelph on both podiums a year ago, the Western Mustangs are eyeing more hardware at this year's event, and they'll bring a bevy of top contenders to buoy these aspirations. For the women's side, they bring a top-eight rank to 11 of the 13 events, including the likes of Kate Current (Cobourg, Ont.). The fourth-year runner is at the top of 3000m heap and sits second in the 1500m category. She will be joined by another slew of top competitors on the men's side, who enter the weekend ranked in every event, including the heptathlon's reigning silver medalist. Jared Hendricks-Pollack (Brampton, Ont.) will look to make yet another splash in his second championship as part of a team hungry for their first OUA banner since 1998.
One person that believes the 'Stangs have what it takes is head coach Vickie Croley, who "expects our top athletes to perform at their best as well as those ranked just out of scoring positions to have their best meet of the year." And while the team has done what they can leading up to the championships to make that happen, Croley knows it is now up to them. "Our athletes have to trust that the work they have done will result in a season's best performance."
Matching Western's results last year – a team silver and bronze – was a feat the Toronto Varsity Blues managed thanks in large part to Lucia Stafford (Toronto, Ont.), who enters her fourth OUA championship poised to continue her dominance on the track. The veteran is coming off two U23 Canadian national record-breaking performances over the past three weeks and will lead Toronto's 4x800m relay team at the conference meet. She will look to Avery Garrett-Patterson (Mississauga, Ont.) to lead the Blues middle distance corps, while fifth-year Katrina Innanen (Scarborough, Ont.) will guide a young sprinters group. The veteran track contingent also extends to the men's team, who will see Jack Berkshire (Fredericton, N.B.) enter as the top-ranked 600m runner in the OUA and Craig Klomp (St. Mary's, Ont.) compete in the 1000m.
Sophomore standout Femi Akinduro (Etobicoke, Ont.) will lead Toronto in the field, as the reigning OUA and U SPORTS triple jump champion is coming off a personal-best jump of 15.03m at Brockport two weeks back. Fellow triple jumper Kristen Schultz (North Vancouver, B.C.) will also be one to watch for the Varsity Blues, as the rookie heads into the weekend as the top-ranked competitor in the category.
No strangers to track and field success of their own, meanwhile, the Windsor Lancers are hoping to find their way back on the podium after finishing with a pair of fifth-place results last year. With 40 combined banners in tow, they certainly have the pedigree to do just that, and they'll turn to a youthful contingent to play a leading role in that regard.
Despite fielding a very young women's team, the Lancers have a full roster that will be contending in just about every event this weekend. Among those who will provide a veteran presence is Kristy Hodgins (Camlachie, Ont.), who will be leaned on heavily this weekend in sprints, as well as the 4x200m and 4x400m relays. While the senior is a key member for the women's team, the men's side will turn to a junior as one of their potential podium finishers. Anthony Atkinson (Chatham, Ont.) has been steadily improving in throws this year, and after setting new personal bests in both shot put and weight throw, he is well within reach of a top-three result in both.
Alongside the aforementioned pair will be a blue and gold bunch eager to improve on last year, and with a wave of recent momentum, it is something head coach Colin Inglis is anticipating as well. "We are looking forward to having a much stronger showing at the championships this year compared to last," said Inglis. "Our team over the last three weeks has continued to show very positive signs in their results."
Also just outside the top three last year, the York Lions will have their sights set on a podium presence as hosts of this year's provincial championships. Two members of the Lions squad who are hoping to make good on these goals are quite familiar with success on this stage, entering as past OUA medalists. On the women's side, Kaitlin Brooks (Barrie, Ont.) boasts the honour, checking in with hardware at both the conference and national levels, while the men will turn to newcomer Daniel Gleason. The Toronto, Ont. native is a two-time defending champion in the pole vault while competing with the Western Mustangs, but now with York for his fifth year competing, he will reunite with his long-time coach for a chance at the three-peat.
Like York, the Waterloo Warriors will also turn to a transfer to spark some more success this banner season, but for the black and gold, they are hoping this medal hopeful helps anchor their push for the top five. Certainly, Emma Nero (St. Catharines, Ont.) brings the pedigree to the Warriors, having previously competed with the Gryphons and earning a silver medal at the national finale during her time there, and she has continued to show this success since arriving on the Waterloo scene. The fifth-year senior has picked up five medals (one gold, four silver) in the 60m hurdles during the season and should once again be a factor therein when she hits the start line this weekend.
Josh Lorentz (Douro-Dummer, Ont.) will hope the same can be said for him as he looks to continue his impressive season on the track. Most recently at the Ravens Last Chance Meet, the fifth-year competitor earned bronze in the 600m, while also anchoring the 4x400m relay to a silver medal with a new school record time (3:15.19). Lorentz also broke a 31-year old record at the Eastern Michigan Can Am Meet in the 300m and will enter the championships ranked third in both that event and the 600m offering.
When it comes to the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, they will be led by medal hopefuls Sydney Pattison and Lizzy Laurie. The former, a native of Rockwood, Ont., is currently ranked second in Canada in the 1000m after winning gold at the Windsor Team Challenge. She won bronze in the 1500m last season – an event in which she ranks eighth – and has also picked up two medals in additional meets this year. The veteran is joined by sophomore Laurie, who will be a threat in the 3000m. The fourth-ranked runner in the category from Kitchener, Ont. matched her teammate's golden result with a first-place finish of her own at the Windsor event, will also winning gold at the Bob Vigars meet.
The rest of the Hawks' track contingent – both men and women – will be looking for experience at this year's event, while the team's lone field competitor, Vahaab Ladha (Oakville, Ont.), will strive to match his gold medal long jump at the Don Wright Meet to cap off his solid rookie campaign.
Like Laurier, one of the standouts the McMaster Marauders will rely on will compete in the 3000m race, looking to spearhead the team's quest for points. Captain Alex Drover (Kingston, Ont.) broke the school record a week ago at the Boston U Valentine Invite, running a time of 8:08.44, and will enter the weekend hungry for a podium finish after claiming fourth spot at the provincial level and fifth place at the national event a year ago. Fellow Marauder Morgan McKeown (Minesing, Ont.) also fared well at the Boston University meet, which helps the first-year runner come into her debut banner season ranked 11th in the 3000m category.
The Laurentian Voyageurs will also lean on some successful showings at lead-up events to guide them up the scoreboard this weekend. Eric Garneau, a sophomore from London, Ont., previously earned a 1500m gold at York and a silver in the 1000m in the nation's capital and will eye a memorable outing in his second championship this weekend. Another gold medal winner from the York event, Natasha Mayer (Garson, Ont.), will suit up for the Sudbury squad as a contender in the 600m event.
For Brock, their championship weekend will also feature attempts to make their way up the standings after falling in and around the top 10 a year ago. One group that can help the Badgers do that is their 4x200m relay, who not only have the chance to compete for points, but also secure their first trip to the U SPORTS championships. One integral part of this quartet is Tyrell Smikle (Brampton, Ont.), who is currently ranked seventh in the OUA in the 60m (6.91s), and he is joined by Emmanuel Harawa (Nairobi, Kenya), who is ninth in the 300m with a 34.67s performance.
While the Badgers will rely on this pair of men's runners – among others – the Ryerson Rams will have a lone participant – Aaron Kelly (Toronto, Ont.) – make up their male representation. Kelly will head to the Toronto Track & Field Centre having previously placed fifth in the 300m at the Hal Brown Last Chance Meet, while also finishing eighth in the distance at the Fred Foot Memorial. Also finding success at the former was Brianna Davis (Oakville, Ont.) who ran a season and personal best at last weekend's meet in the 60m sprint. The sophomore also set a Ryerson record in the 300m at the Hal Brown Meet, finishing ninth in the process and helping set her up for what could be a memorable season finale.
Also making the trek to the Toronto Track & Field Centre this weekend will be the Queen's Gaels, who have Kara Blair (2nd in OUA in 1500m and 3000m) and a pair of men's 3000m contenders – Mitchell Delange (1st in OUA) and Robert Kanko (3rd in OUA) – leading the charge; the Ottawa Gee-Gees; and the Lakehead Thunderwolves.
Teams will be competing throughout a jam-packed two days of action, with the field events starting at 10:00am on Friday, February 21 and the track events getting underway at 12:00pm. The following day will once again have the field events kick off the festivities at 9:00am, while competitors will make their way to the track starting at 10:30am. All of the championship competition will take place at the Toronto Track & Field Centre, while also being streamed live on oua.tv.
