CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Girls or girls’ sports don’t often dominate the sports newspapers on Prince Edward Island for an entire weekend but that’s what happened a few days ago here on our little Island province.
The under-19 P.E.I. Eagles advanced to the championship game of their Eastern Canadian girls’ softball tournament last Sunday before losing in the final game 10-5 to a strong Quebec team. Head coach Chris Halliwell and assistant Bobby Power have been working with this team for a number of years and it was great to see their hard work pay off with a silver medal.
Sydney Halliwell and Margaret Reynolds are first-rate pitchers, the former a hard thrower, with a nice drop and a change-up while the latter is more of a power pitcher – both with a great future. Catcher Hannah Sentner is the best we’ve seen behind the plate in quite a while at this level while Robyn Power and Kaelyn White are up-and-coming stars. One of the standouts for this club last weekend was Sarah Murphy, a hard-hitting first baseman who was a threat every time at the plate. With most of the club returning for next season, this team should be in the medal hunt for the next few years.
Even more impressive was the performance by the Charlottetown Rugby Football Club, which captured the Nova Scotia tier A crown on Saturday, knocking off Enfield in the championship game in Charlottetown. The club went 9-0 in 2017 and repeated with another unbeaten season and their second tier A championship.
The CRFC tier B team also was crowned league champions in its first year of operation, which is quite an accomplishment for rugby in this province. P.E.I. has a highly competitive senior high school loop for boys and girls and the league provides the senior teams with an abundance of talented players both male and female.
This little Island has emerged as a rugby power in the region and if you listen to the players and followers of the sport much of the credit goes to head coach James Voye, whose dad, David, was a driving force behind the development of the senior rugby program at Three Oaks.
Lastly, girls everywhere are applauding the promotion of former Olympian Hayley Wickenheiser to a position of importance with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It is interesting to hear the opposing views on the Wickenheiser hire. The old guard will tell you it is a case of political correctness gone mad while the progressives will tell you that hockey is really a simple game complicated by people. I am confident it can be mastered by a smart lady like Wickenheiser. Sounds like a great discussion for breakfast on a Saturday morning.
Minor hockey
George Halliwell, the former president of the Charlottetown Minor Hockey Association, sends word the seventh annual gear exchange will take place Saturday, Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bell Aliant Centre, UPEI campus in conjunction with the Charlottetown minor hockey registration.
The free gear program, which Halliwell started, helped 50 kids in its first year and last year around 300 kids, who played hockey and ringette, took advance of the program of free gear. The only stipulation is parents must take their child to the rink to ensure the gear fits the player. In a decision that makes no sense, the collection bin, which was visible to parents that do not know about the gear program, has been moved downstairs out of sight. Hopefully there will be signage available to direct newcomers of this very worthwhile project.
Golf
I played the Brudenell River golf course this past week and it is a beautiful layout.
I usually don’t have many good golf stories to share with you, but I played in a foursome where everyone one-putted the 12th hole. The players were Pat Stewart from Cracker Pete’s, Jim Graham and Ian (Tex) MacDonald. Hard to believe, I know, but it’s true.
Harness racing
Live harness racing continues tonight at the city track with a 13-dash card with a 6 p.m. post time.
The feature is the $2,650 preferred class with the likes of Rose Run Quest, Euchred, Nabber Again, Czar Seelster, Winter Blast and three others. The best open mares in the region are also on the card with Sodwana Bay, Nikes Cowgirl, Brodys Leona and four others.
There’s a big card at Mohawk tonight with the $650,000 Maple Leaf Trot with Marion Marauder (Scott Zeron), Arianna G (Dave Miller), Haanelore Hanover (Yannick Gingras), Warrawee Roo (James MacDonald) and five others.
Lawmaker (Anthony MacDonald) is one of the co-favourites in the $169,000 Simcoe Trot while the sensational wonder from down under, Lazarus, makes his Canadian debut in the $600,000 Canadian Pacing Derby. Also, at Mohawk, Lincoln James leaves from Post 2 in a $20,000 conditioned pace with Jody Jamieson aboard.
Dan MacIsaac’s ageless money-making machine Catch the Dream stormed home to win Tuesday’s $26,000 trot in 1:53:2 for driver Phil Hudon. The trotter has now banked $750,000 for Dan, which should keep him in cigars for a long time.
At Yonkers tonight, Jimmy Freight has Post 8 in the $500,000 Messenger stakes with Stay Hungry at Post 6 in the eight-horse field.
In the $500,000 Yonkers Trot, Mark MacDonald drives Jimmy Takter’s Maxus, who is fourth choice in the morning-line odds. And let’s not forget about the big Labour Day 13-dash card at Summerside beginning at 1 p.m.
Fred MacDonald's column appears every Saturday in The Guardian. He can be reached at [email protected].
