(Posted 9:30 a.m., Sept. 3)
Local athletes make splash on international stage
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Fellow eastenders Rachelle Beanlands and Haisha Cantave will be playing for Team Canada at the upcoming U17 Women's World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago. File photo

A number of local athletes are making a big impression on the international stage in everything from volleyball to soccer as they proudly where the maple leaf on the front of their uniforms.

Fellow eastenders Haisha Cantave and Rachelle Beanlands played a leading role in the national women's U17 soccer team's win over South Korea on Aug. 30, in their final tune-up game before the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup gets underway in Trinidad and Tobago this Sunday.

Cantave set up the opening goal and scored the eventual game winner in the opening half before making way for a substitute at halftime. Beanlands played the entire game in net to earn her first international shutout.

Both women should figure prominently as Team Canada plays Ghana, Ireland and Brazil in opening group play.

Orléans resident Karyne Jewell placed seventh in the final of the 200-metre individual medley at the Jr. Pan Pacific Games in Irvine, California last week. She also placed 13th in the open water 10km final.

Moving to volleyball, former Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School grad Adam Simac recently helped Team Canada upset the Cuban national team in a friendly match at Scotiabank Place.

The 27-year-old Simac previously represented Canada at the 2009 Summer Universiade in Belgrade. After graduating from Queen's University last year where he first took up the sport, he siged a professional contract with a club team in Germany.

The Canadians are hoping to crack the top 10 at the FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championships which will take place from Sept. 24-Oct. 10.

Former St. Peter High School grad Courtnay Pilypaitis is also hoping to represent Canada on the international stage. The 24-year-old is one of 14 athletes vying for 12 roster spots on the national women's basketball team that will be playing in the upcoming world championships in the Czech Republic. She previously played on the national U18 and U21 teams as well as the World University Games team.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)

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