Local Sports for Wednesday August 25

The Fort Frances Lakers open training camp today.

Coach Wayne Strachan says he'll have about forty players to look at this year.

Fifteen of them with the players from last season, but Strachan says all position will be up for grabs.

The camp will run through to Saturday night.

The Barwick Knights have advanced to the Rainy River District Fastball League Final with a 9-8 win over the Big Grassy Braves.

Vaughan Wilson hit a homerun for the Knight while Jesse Tom went long for the Braves.

The Knights now face Sight and Sound Thursday for the league title.

Local Sports for Monday August 23

Local drivers took two of three championships at this weekends racing at Emo Speedway.

Ron Westover claimed the Rea Memorial title in the Street Stocks while Glen Strachan was the title winner in the Modified division.

Cody Wolkowski of Thunder Bay claimed the midwest modified title after winning Saturday's feature race.

Other winners from Saturday were Bemidgi's Scott Messner in the Street Stocks and Joey Galloway, who now races out of Saskatchewan, took the Modified feature



Steve Arpin was unable to turn his first-ever pole starting position into a win in the ARCA series race at a dirt track in Springfield Illinois.

Arpin led for 36 laps, but an altercation early on with a lapped car forced him to battle back for a respectiable seventh place finish.



Fort Frances native Christin Thompson is vying for a berth to this week's C-N Canadian Women's Open in Winnipeg

Thompson is among 47 golfers seeking four spots in a qualifying event today.



Young hockey players will know this week whether's they'll get another chance to compete for a spot on an area all-star team that will play for this year's Ontario's Pee-Wee hockey championship.

Coaches with the team held an evaluation camp in Vermilion Bay over the weekend.

About 25 players are being invited to a second camp in Kenora in September.

Coach Dan Reynard says as many as five could come from the Fort Frances area.

Local Sports for Friday August 20

The Big Grassy Braves have advanced in the Rainy River District Fastball League playoffs with a 21-4 win over Sabaskong.

Travis Tom picking up the win with Jesse Tom hitting a homerun for the Braves who face Barwick next Tuesday for the right to play Sight and Sound in the finals.



The first of two days of racing begins tonight at Emo Speedway.

Drivers will be competing for Rea Memorial Championship.

Hot laps are at 6 p.m. with racing at 6:30 p.m.


Steve Arpin was second fastest at a ARCA series test session yesterday at Chicagoland Speedway.

The Fort Frances native races this weekend at a dirt track in Springfield.

Muskies Football Camp Next Week

Fort Frances Muskies football team will begin tryouts next week.

They'll begin Monday from 6 to 8 o'clock at night.

All potential players are required to attend.

You can call Head Coach, Chad Canfield at 276-2755 for more info.

Local Sports for Monday August 16

Donovan Taylor wrapped up a successful Ontario Summer Games winning a fourth medal Friday night with a bronze in the 16-and-over 100 metre freestyle swim.

It was member of the Fort Frances his second bronze to go along with two silvers.


Steve Arpin picked up a ninth place finish at the ARCA Series road course in New Jersey.

It's his sixth top ten finish in eleven races this season.


Tylar Wilson and Gavin Paull picked up their second feature wins of the season at Emo Speedway.

Wilson won in the Midwest Modified division with Paull in the Modified class.

Jeff Wickstrom of International Falls was the winner of the Street Stock feature.



Riders from across northwestern Ontario gathered for racing at Emo Moto Cross track Saturday.

Here are the winners

Mathew Thompson, 50 cc - G1
Mitchell Vanlenthe, 50 cc - G2
Kyle Dennis, 65 cc 7-11
Kenny Turner, 85 cc - 12-16
Tyson Orr, 85 cc - 7-11
Dan Gavel, ATV - Pro
Dan Gavel, ATV Open
Aodhan Climie, Beginner MX
Pierre Demers, Junior MX
Bob Leblanc, MX Open
Kirk Green, Pro-Am MX
Brady Love, Supermini
Bob Leblanc, Vet 25+
Rob Gavel, Youth - 14 - 24


Darwin King of Atikokan and his fishing partner Guy LaGarrie of Thunder Bay captured the Atikokan Bass Classic.

They hauled in over 38-pounds of bass over two days of fishing.


After two opening wins, the Sight and Sound Wolves dropped its next two games to fall out of the North American Fastpitch World Series tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.

The Wolves included players from other Rainy River District Fastball League teams.


Hockey Northwestern Ontario went winless at the under-16 prospects tournament in Kitchener.

They fell 7-2 to Ottawa District in their final game with Jordan Larson picking up a goal and Scott Parsons taking over in goal in the first period.


An area player who was with the Thunder Bay Kings organization last year will play hockey in Kenora this winter.

Robbie Rea of Devlin was the only player from the Fort Frances area to be selected to the Thistles AAA midget team following a try-out camp in Vermilion Bay over the weekend.

Rea, who plays defence, had 10 goals and 29 points in 61 games with the minor Midget Kings last year.

Local Sports for Friday August 13

More medals in the pool yesterday for Donovan Taylor of Fort Frances at the Ontario Summer Games in Sudbury.

The 16-year-old earned a silver in the 400 metre individual medal and a bronze in the 200 metre butterfly finals for his age category.

He just missed out on a third medal by half a second with a fourth place finish in the 100 metre butterfly.


Northwestern Ontario's girls' volleyball team went winless for the second straight day at the Ontario Summer Games.

They'll compete today to determine the seventh through tenth place rankings.


Hockey Northwestern Ontario's under-16 team dropped an 8-3 decision to Ottawa District at a prospects tournament in Kitchener.

Jordan Larson of Fort Frances had two assists in the game.

The team plays Greater Toronto this morning.


The Sight and Sound Wolves won both their games played yesterday in the North American Fastpitch Association World Series in Des Moines, Iowa.

The Wolves, which includes players from other Rainy River District Fastball League teams, defeated teams from Ohio and Boise, Idaho to remain in the A-side of the tournament.

Their next game is against the Kansas City Angels at 12:45 p.m. today.

Local Sports for Thursday August 12

Donovan Taylor has won a silver medal in swimming at the Ontario Summer Games in Sudbury.

The 16-year-old Fort Frances youth earned the medal in the final for his age category in the 200 metre individual medley.

Taylor also swam in the final of the 50 metre freestyle where he placed fifth.

In other actions, Northwestern Ontario's girls volleyball team lost all five matches played yesterday.

The team includes five players from the Fort Frances area.



A team representing the Rainy River District Fastball League will open play this afternoon at the North American Fastpitch Association World Series in Des Moines, Iowa.

Playing as the Sight and Sound Wolves in the Major-A side, the team faces a team from Ohio in its first game.



Hockey moves into high gears for a number of local players today.

Scott Parsons, Judd Gardiman, Jordan Larson and Colton Spicer are part of Hockey Northwestern Ontario's entry to a prospects tournament in Kitchener for next year's Canada Winter Games.

The team, with Lakers' bench boss Wayne Strachan as an assistant coach, plays its first game tonight against Ottawa district.

Local Sports for Wednesday August 11

Sight and Sound will get the opportunity to defend its Rainy River District Fastball League championship.

The Wolves beat Barwick 8-1 last night to advance to the next week's final.

Barwick will get a second chance next Tuesday against either the Big Grassy Braves or Sabaskong for the right to play the Wolves.

The Braves advanced with a 2-1 win over the big Grassy Lightning while Sabaskong defeated Rainy River 8-2.

Both teams face each other tomorrow.




Finals in the Borderland Soccer League have now been set.

Pharmasave advanced to the men's final following a 4-3 win on penalty kicks over Emo last night.

They'll now face regular season champions Manitou Forest Product in Thursday's final.

On the women's side, a three-goal performance from Sara Kellar paced Al's Racquet Stringing to a 6-0 victory over Boston Pizza.

Al's will face the La Place Rendez-Vous under 18 girls team in Thursday's final.




The Reading Royals have resigned forward Ben Gordon of International Falls.

Gordon was second in scoring with the East Coast affiliate of the Maple Leafs and Bruins last season.




The Ontario Summer Games get underway in Sudbury today.

More than 3,300 young athletes, including several from northwestern Ontario, are competing in 32 different sports.

Local Sports for Monday August 9

Brady Caul regained the points lead in the Midwest Modified division after earning his second feature win of the year Saturday at Emo Speedway.

Caul leads by two points ahead of Kendall Gambsy who was second.

Other winners were Don Bowman of Bemidji in the Street Stocks and Glen Strachan in the Modified class.

Ward Imrie claimed the Super Truck race that featured 10 trucks from Winnipeg.


Steve Arpin drove to a third place finish at the ARCA series race at Berlin Speedway in Michigan Saturday.

It was his first race in the ARCA series in a month.


Mud was flinging at the Atikokan 4 X 4 club's Mudfling this weekend.

Louis Barrett and Brian Brewer were winners in the Open class.

Dave Ball and Brian Brewer took wins in the Pro-Modified division.

Tommy Milani and Kevin Foy won the Modified events.

Raoul Lufbery and Matt Henry earned wins in the Pro-Stocks.

Patte Foreman was the Power-Puff winner.


Alex McDonald was the overall champion of the Kitchen Creek Golf Course's men's classic.

Taylor Jorgenson was won the Championship flight while Dwayne Sinclair was tops in the First flight.


Dennis Mandamin and Jason Carpenter from Whitedog won the Kenora Bass International with over 50 lbs of bass over the three days of fishing.

Oliver and Jason Gibbons of Sleeman were the highest finishing team from the Rainy River district in seventh.

Local Sports for Friday August 6

Big Island and Stratton have been eliminated from the Rainy River District Fastball League playoffs.

Big Island fell 37-nothing to the Big Grassy Braves, giving up homeruns twice to Buckley Morrison and to Brian Hooker and winning pitcher Travis Tom.

Stratton's season came to a close in an 11-2 loss to Sabaskong.

Cecil Copenance with a pair and Don Copenace went long for the Cubs.

Elsewhere, Sight and Sound doubled up on the Big Grassy Lightning 4-2 while Barwick blanked Rainy River 4-0.


Steve Arpin makes his return to the ARCA series this weekend.

The Fort Frances native races at Berlin Speedway in Michigan.

Arpin's missed the last two ARCA races to drive Dale Earnhardt Junior's car in NASCAR's Nationwide Series.



A Kenora-area team is the early leaders at the Kenora Bass International.

Behn Carlson and John Pearson hauled in 19.55 pounds of bass yesterday.

Jules and John Gibbins of Morson are the top Rainy River district team, four pounds back in seventh.


Truck racing will take center stage at Emo Speedway.

Spokesperson Anthony Leek says about ten trucks from Winnipeg will be part of tomorrow night's racing.

Meantime, local drivers Glenn Strachan, Kendall Gambsy and Ron Westover enter the weekend leading their respective division standings.



It's a busy sports weekend in Atikokan.

Atikokan Mudslingers 4x4 Club hosts its annual Mudfling at the Charleson Recreation Area beginning at 11:15 a.m. tomorrow.

Competitors will be competing for prizes in four different categories.

The Atikokan Motocross club will stage an event nearby that will bring riders in from across northwestern Ontario.

Local Sports for Thursday August 5

For the second straight night, the La Place Rendez-Vous Voyageurs under 18-girls team earned a shutout win in the Borderland Soccer League.

Last night they blanked Boston Pizza 3-nothing with Erika Moffat in net.

Wynona Kavanaugh, Nikki Horne and Sarah Roach were the goal scorers.

The Rainy River District Fastball League playoffs resume tonight with four more team facing elimination.

The Big Grassy Braves play Big Island while Sabaskong faces Stratton.

The losers of both games will be knocked out further contention.

Elsewhere, regular season champs Barwick is up against Rainy River while Sight and Sound takes on the Big Grassy Lightning.

Kitchen Creek Golf Course will hold its annual men's classic this weekend.

Registration in 12 flights can still be made by calling the golf course at 274-GOLF - that's 274-4653.

Entry fee is $120.

Local Sports for Wednesday August 4

La Place Rendez-Vous Voyageur's under 18 girls team shutout Al Racquet Stringing 2-0 in Borderland Soccer League action last night.

Sara Roach and Courtney Roach provided the scoring while Ericka Moffat earned the shutout in net.


International Falls has ended its run at the Little League baseball central regional tournament in Missouri with a lost 13-3 loss to North Dakota.

The team was winless in four games at the qualifier to the World Series event.

Local Sports for Tuesday August 3

Kendall Gamsby has taken over the points lead in the Midwest Modified division, following his third feature win of the year on Saturday at Emo Speedway.

Ron Westover won the street stock feature while Brad Loveday earned his third feature win this season in the Modified class.

International Falls suffered its third loss at the Little League baseball Central regional tournament in Missiouri yesterday, falling 14-0 to Ohio.

The Falls were also beaten by host Missouri and Illinois on the weekend.

They'll play their final game tonight against North Dakota.

Some of the best players in the Rainy River District Fastball League gather tonight in Stratton for the league's annual all-star game.

It's begins at 6:30 p.m.

The league's playoffs will resume Thursday.

Local Sports for Friday July 30

Manitou and Northwest Bay have become the first two teams to be eliminated from the Rainy River District Fastball League double knock-out playoffs.

Northwest Bay was beaten by the Big Grassy Braves 10-6, while Manitou was forced to forfeit a game for the second straight night because of a lack of players, this time to Sabaskong.

Elsewhere the Big Grassy Lightning handed Stratton its first loss in an 8-1 decision.

Jeff Morrison picked up the win while Bill Copenance hit a homerun for the Lightning.

Barwick defeated Big Island 12-2 with Brad Wakefield slamming a homerun for the Knights.