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(Updated
9:30 a.m., Aug. 16)
Local athletes, coach enjoy medal haul at Canada Summer Games
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
For
Scott Searle, the sport of softball has been a lifelong
passions. The St. Peter High School teacher lives and
breathes the sport. His undying passion for the game has
been always been shared with his students.
Earlier
this month, Searle had the opportunity to showcase his
coaching skills and enthusiasm for softball in his role
as an assistant coach with Team Ontario at the 2017 Canada
Summer Games in Headingley, Manitoba which is just outside
the host city of Winnipeg.
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St.
Peter High School teacher Scott Searle talks
to Team Ontario head coach George Ryder during
the men's softball competition at the Canada
Summer Games in Winnipeg. Photo supplied
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Searle
served as the team's hitting and outfield coach in his
first Canada Summer Games, which suited him just fine.
His appointment as assistant coach was perfectly-timed
because this summer's games marked the return of men's
softball after not being part of the program in 2009 and
2013.
Team
Ontario started the tournament with a lukewarm 2-2 record.
After dropping their opening game against Saskatchewan
by a 6-4 score, they bounced back to beat British Columbia
14-0. On Day 2 of the competition they followed up a 19-0
win over Manitoba with a 4-3 loss to Quebec.
But
after their .500 start, the Ontario squad did not lose
another contest. Team Ontario cruised to the semi-finals
with wins over Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Newfoundland
& Labrador, Alberta and Nova Scotia.
The
situation became interesting for Team Ontario when they
had to square off against Saskatchewan, the No. 1 seed
with a spot in the finals on the line.
The
representatives from the Prairie province finished the
qualification round in first place with a perfect 9-0
record, scoring a whopping 91 runs along the way. Team
Ontario ended up 7-2 with 83 runs scored and a miniscule
19 against, earning the title of stingiest defence.
The
group of 20-year-olds from all over Ontario came through
with flying colours as they squashed Saskatchewan 11-1
in the 1-vs-2 game, avenging their opening game loss.
Searle
watched proudly as his young, softball prot�g�s hit a
combined .383 in 11 games. But Team Saskatchewan refused
to go away and ended up in the gold medal contest thanks
to an 8-7 win over Quebec in a winner/loser showdown with
a spot in the finals on the line.
In
the gold medal game Ontario defeated the western representatives
4-1. It is the fifth time that Ontario has won the men's
title.
In
other sports involving Orléans-area athletes, brothers
Max and Alex St. Denis helped Team Ontario win gold in
men's volleyball; Haidar Kadhom will also be heading home
with a gold medal as a member of the Ontario men's soccer
team which beat Quebec 1-0 in the final; Cairine Wilson
Secondary School student Kayza Massey received a silver
medal as a member of the women's soccer team; as did Louis-Riel
student Taylor Featherstone who was a member of the basketball
team.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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TAPROOM 260 presents Crooked Creek live from 8-11 p.m. at 260 Centrum Blvd. For more information visit 
MATT LULOFF W/ EDISON RUPERT performing at the Stray Dog Brewing Company, 501 Lacolle Way in the Taylor Creek Business Park. To register your team visit 
OTTAWA CARLETON MALE CHOIR in concert at the Navan-Vars United Church 1129 Smith Rd. in Navan at 2:30 p.m. Tickets $20 at the door.
THE ORLÉANS BREWING CO. presents Oyster Wednesdays every Wednesday. The Orléans Brewing Co. is located at 4380 Innes Rd. near McDonalds.
BLACKBURN HAMLET COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The entire community is invited…rain or shine! Please keep visiting blackburn.ca for more up-to-date information as it becomes available.
