PECI honours its outstanding athletes

PECI’s top athletic award winners included Morgan Clark, Joe Scott Award, Grade 9 Athletes of the Year Brodie Byford and Mikayla Leavitt, Ben Clarke, Jeremy Vincent Award; Brook Roche and Cole St. Pierre, Junior Athletes of the Year; and Kylie Moyer and Blaine Swackhammer, the senior athletes of the year.

Prince Edward Collegiate Institute athletes shone on the stage of the Regent Theatre Wednesday night as they were honoured for individual and team efforts in sports this year.

“Athletics is a special part of our school because it’s an opportunity for us to extend the classroom into an area where lessons can be learned of a completely different nature,” said principal Darren McFarlane.

Noting boxing champion and activist Muhammad Ali, who died last Friday, McFarlane said Ali often talked in the media about what he learned through challenges and adversity.

“I love one of the lines Time Magazine captured that he said: ‘It’s more important what you do when you’re not successful in something, than it is what you do when you are’ – which is exactly why I believe so strongly in the value of sports in education.”

Athletics director Laurie Spencer also thanked parents and families for support and encouragement, PECI staff and the community. She also thanked the student athletes for representing PECI with pride and integrity.

Kylie Moyer and Blaine Swackhammer were honoured as the senior athletes of the year.

Moyer’s commitment to balancing athletics and academics was called exemplary. She played four sports and won two Bay of Quinte silver medals. Swackhammer was honoured for his athleticism, pursuit of excellence, clear determination, and commitment.

Brooke Roche and Cole St. Pierre were named junior athletes of the year. Mikayla Leavitt and Brodie Byford are the Grade 9 athletes of the year.

The Jeremy Vincent Award, for an athlete showing excellence in track and field, was presented to Ben Clarke.

The Joe Scott Award, for an athlete displaying specialized excellence in their event, honoured swimmer extraordinaire Morgan Clark.

The OPIE Award, for unselfishly contributing to the interschool sports, or the life of sports in the school was presented to: Lucas Clarke, Jacob Gibbons, Blaine Swackhammer, Vanessa Willis, Mallory Lindsay and Bryce Marion.

A celebration of OFSAA (Ontario Federation Secondary Athletic Association) honoured participants and champions in cross country, track and field, tennis, baseball and gymnastics.

CROSS COUNTRY – Trip to OFSAA was led by up and coming Grade 9 girls. The Most Dedicated Runner, Cassandra Elliott, was a role model for younger teammates and an inspiration to all for her dedicated training not only for cross country, but also the successful completion of the County half marathon.  Amelia McKinney was also honoured as Most Dedicated Runner, leading by positive example through her commitment to practices and her focussed training at home. She represented PECI at the OFSAA Cross Country Championships.

TRACK AND FIELD – Twenty-six competed at Bay of Quinte; 22 at COSSA and seven at the East Regionals. MDP Matt Cohen. MIP Brodie Reeks.

TENNIS – Made PECI history this year winning the Bay of Quinte Championship. One gold, three silver and one bronze. Team qualified for COSSA and Taylor Snider and Sam Ward competed at OFSAA. Co-MDPs Tyler Allison, who just missed playing at OFSAA and to Sam Ward, who showed supreme dedication to play at COSSA in re-booking a vacation to Cuba to play.

BASEBALL – Four consecutive OFSAA appearances, showing grit and pride in accomplishments. MDP Ryan Kelly. MVP Gavin Ronan.

GYMNASTICS – Fearless in camaraderie. OFSAA gold. MVP Lindsay Stakes who won gold on the vault at OFSSA and MVP Jen Canizaro who won bronze in the floor event.

Four teams were honoured for medals at COSSA (Central Ontario Secondary School Association) – Sr. Boys Volleyball, Jr. Boys Soccer, Sr. Girls Basketball and Jr. Boys Basketball.

SENIOR BOYS VOLLEYBALL – Finished second in league play and the silver medal at the Bay of Quinte Championship. At COSSA, they finished first in pool play and narrowly missed going to OFSAA. Honoured for being a supportive, positive, true sportsman, the MVP was awarded to John McHugh.

JR BOYS SOCCER – The team won silver at COSSA. A strong, defensive asset, Keegan Scott was named MIP.

JR BOYS BASKETBALL – The junior boys basketball team played in six tournaments and 34 games – 25 wins and nine losses.  They earned a Bay of Quinte Silver medal and a COSSA Silver medal.  Congratulations to our co-MVP’s, Braeden Kelly and Brodie Byford.

SR GIRLS BASKETBALL – One point.  That’s what defines the senior girls’ year.  They won the program’s first ever gold medal at the prestigious St. Matthews Fall Classic in Ottawa by 1 point.  Unfortunately, they also missed out on a trip to OFSAA by 1 point.  Regardless, the girls should be proud of the steps they took and with 10/11 girls back next year, expectations are high. Congratulations to our co-MVP winners Kylie Moyer and Vanessa Willis.

The following were honoured in individual sports, by their coaches, for Most Valuable Player, Most Improved Player and Most Dedicated Player.

Cross Country
MDP Amelia McKinney
MDP Cassandra Elliott

Girls Rugby (Varsity)
MDP Olivia Crouse
MIP Esther Prinzen

Boys Soccer (Jr)
MIP Keegan Scott
MDP Jeremy Leavitt

Boys Soccer (Sr)
MVP Jacob Gibbons
MIP Kieran McKenzie

Boys Volleyball (Jr)
MVP Cole St. Pierre
MIP Jackson DeBoef

Boys Volleyball (Sr)
MVP Maximillian Manlow
MDP Johnathon McHugh

Girls Basketball (Jr)
MVP Leah Matthews
MIP Mikayla Leavitt

Girls Basketball (Sr)
MVP Vanessa Willis
MVP Kylie Moyer

Golf
MVP James Pero
MDP Tyler Allison

Boys Basketball (Jr)
MVP Brodie Byford
MVP Braedan Kelly

Boys Basketball (Sr)
MVP Blaine Swackhammer
MIP Ryan Kelly

Girls Volleyball (Jr)
MVP Brooke Roche
MDP Katherine Reddick

Girls Volleyball (Sr)
MVP Kylie Moyer
MDP Lynsey Corbin

Girls Hockey
MVP Alex Staley
MVP Taylor Snider

Boys Hockey
MVP Andrew Ward
MIP Carter Whitteker

Badminton (Jr)
MIP Nolan Conley
MIP Ethan Ashley

Badminton (Sr)
MIP Kylie Moyer
MDP James Pero

Gymnastics
MVP Lindsay Stakes
MVP Jen Canizaro

Girls Soccer (Jr)
MIP Erica Algar
MVP Brooke Roche

Baseball
MDP Ryan Kelly
MVP Gavin Ronan

Tennis
MDP Tyler Allison
MDP Sam Ward

Track & Field
MDP Matt Cohen
MIP Brodie Reeks

Curling Girls
MVP Amanda Johnson
MIP Ameila McKinney

Curling Boys
MVP Hayden Keogh
MIP Malcolm Ross
Track and Vield

Next year’s athletic council co-captains Casey Hegadorn and Vanessa Willis presented athletic point medals and plaques, earned over an athlete’s career at the school.

Earning plaques for 120 athletic points were: Blaine Swackhammer, Max Manlow, Jordan Strachan, Ryan Kelly, James Pero, Gavin Ronan, Vanessa Willis and Kevin Wilson.

Earning medals for obtaining 80 athletic points were: Ryan Rosborough, Matthew Dobson, Daniel Sequin, Taylor Snider, Joshua Stechnicki, Alexandra Staley, Olivia Crouse, Jennifer Canizaro, Hailey Van Rossum and Dryden Norton.