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January/February Month in Review:
Irish fall to undefeated Phoenix
By Bill Potrecz - February 23, 2022
The Saint Francis Phoenix are putting a huge responsibility on the young shoulders of Andrew Ens.
The 14-year-old, Grade 9 guard has been entrusted to run the offence and the early returns are encouraging.
Ens poured in 19 points while acting as the quarterback on offence to lead the Phoenix past the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 70-55 in Niagara Catholic Athletic Association senior boys basketball play Wednesday at Notre Dame.
“Andrew is really the engine that drives us,” Phoenix head coach Jono Marcheterre said.
Marcheterre said it was evident early on Ens could handle the job.
“He’s a really special kid. When you see him from early practices and workouts, he’s coming in and not backing down to talk to the Grade 12s and tell them where they should be on the floor and stuff. It was clear early that he’s not afraid of anything. He’s got enough confidence — he’s very respectful — but confident and he leads with his work ethic. He works and works.”
Ens, who plays at the club level for Niagara United, doesn’t seem the least bit intimated going up against older and generally bigger opponents.
“Just anything to help our team win,” he said when asked about his role. “It’s been fun. I get to experience a lot and these senior guys have been helping me so much.”
Ens only stands 5-foot-8 or so, but shrugs off his lack of height.
OFSAA pulls plug on February/March championships
By Bernie Puchalski - January 28, 2022
The Saint Francis basketball community’s hopes of hosting the 2022 Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations boys AA basketball championships March 7-9 in St. Catharines have been dashed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Thursday, OFSAA announced it would be cancelling its winter championships scheduled for February and March. It will be the second year in a row that OFSAA has cancelled boys basketball and girls volleyball championships and the third year that the pandemic has prevented OFSAA from staging boys and girls hockey championships. Denis Morris was set to host the boys AAA championships March 23-26 in St. Catharines.
By Bernie Puchalski - January 28, 2022
Also cancelled are alpine skiing, nordic skiing, snowboarding and curling. Earlier OFSAA announced there would be no swimming and wrestling championships in 2022 because the host organizing committees for both events withdrew and no replacements stepped forward.
“We are thankful for the commitment shown by our convenors and host organizing committee members who volunteered their time during the planning stages of the OFSAA winter championships and festivals,” OFSAA president Carolyn Chesney said in a statement. “Despite this cancellation of February and March OFSAA events, we again wish to reiterate our continued support for sports and activity for the benefit of students’ physical and mental well-being. School sports play a vital role in education and in the lives of students.
Welcome home Johnny
By Bernie Puchalski: BP Sports Niagara - January 27, 2022
Johnny Augustine’s day with the Grey Cup included a must-stop at Notre Dame.
The 2021 CFL champion with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers was at the Welland high school Thursday morning to share the historic trophy with former coaches, teachers and members of the Notre Dame senior football team.
“I have been looking forward to this moment for a very long time because I remember when Chris Van Zeyl did it. I remember how special that was and I wanted to do it as well,” the 28-year-old running back said.
Augustine described the Notre Dame visit as humbling.
“I wanted to do it in 2019 and then the pandemic hit,” he said. “Even though the world is upside down, I still wanted to take advantage of this opportunity.”
The 5-foot-9, 200-pounder felt it was important to do so.
“They helped me out in every way that I could have imagined because I came from Florida when I was 17,” he said. “They welcomed me with open arms and I am very close with (senior head coach Tim) Bisci. It is not just about football. It is about the community and how they guided me.”
That early guidance has stayed with Augustine forever.
“No one can ever take that away and when I knew I was getting the cup, my priority was coming back here.”
He has many fond memories of Notre Dame.
“My first year was a great experience, going from playing football in the States and then coming here. I played with some great guys and I will never forget that experience and the camaraderie. There are a lot of memories I am forgetting but that first year was amazing.”
Bisci has great memories of Augustine’s time with the Irish.
“He was the hardest-working kid that we ever had, without a doubt. It was getting to the point where the kid was getting up at 5 0’clock in the morning, riding his bike to go to the YMCA to work out. Then he would come to school and he would be eating all day and working out. Then he would go home and run. That was his day and it got to the point where his dad called me up and wanted to know what he was doing. His dad was concerned because he was never home but that what he was doing. He had nothing to worry about because he was a great kid.”
