Hundreds of Anglers Reeling for 'Walter' In Fishing Derby's Return After Two-Year Hiatus

After a two-year hiatus, the 33rd Annual Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) Under the Lock Fishing Derby kicked off with their youth event — for children 15 and under — on Saturday morning.

Photo courtesy of Neil Morton.

Hundreds of young anglers showed up to catch one of 3,000 fish that were released into the canal including the famed grand-prize “Walter,” a rainbow trout weighing roughly eight to 10 pounds. Anyone who caught Walter would walk away with $1,000 cash.

The all-ages derby runs from May 1 to 8 and includes 18 tagged fish, each with a $200 cash prize sponsored by local businesses.

The event was postponed for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo courtesy of Neil Morton.

Registration is required for all participants: $15 for the first child, $10 for siblings and $25 for adults. 

The OFAH headquarters is in Peterborough.

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Hometown PTBO: Peterborough Petes' Superfan Lorraine Wagar About Her Favourite Players and Staff Throughout Her 60+ Years of Team Support

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with Peterborough Petes' superfan Lorraine Wagar about some of her favourite players and staff throughout her 60+ years of support for the team.

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Electric City Football Club Adds Three Players To Finalize the Woman's Roster Including a Hometown Player

The Electric City Football Club (ECFC) have added Abby Hunt, Mariah Shaw and Madicynn Harnish to round out their women’s team announced on Wednesday.

(From left to right) Abby Hunt, Madicynn Harnish, Mariah Shaw are the final signings of the women’s team but were not part of the roster on the team’s first match. The women’s team won their inaugural match against Alliance United 2-1 on Sunday. Photo courtesy of ECFC.

27-Year-old Abby Hunt, from Cheshire, England joins ECFC after most recently playing with Football Club United of Manchester. The former Stoke City midfielder grew up playing for Everton Football Club Centre of Excellence and featured for their reserve team before moving on to Bradford City and Stoke City.

“Abby is a great addition into our team for this season. She brings in a lot of experience playing at the next level in England,” said Randy Ribeiro, ECFC Women’s head coach. “We will look for her to bring a level of maturity and composure into our team combined with her leadership skills both on and off the pitch. She is a technical, box-to-box midfielder that possesses strong ability on both sides of the ball.”

Hunt spent three years as a U Sport Student-Athlete playing for the University of Windsor Lancers.

“As soon as I spoke to Coach Randy, I knew that ECFC was an organization that I wanted to be a part of. His enthusiasm and the Club’s ambitions for female footballers are what made me truly believe that this is the right decision for me and my career.” Hunt explained, “Fans will see a committed, determined and attacking-minded style of football from me alongside an understanding of defensive responsibilities and hard work.”

Trent Excalibur player Mariah Shaw is a Peterborough native and earned her spot on the roster through attending the open tryouts and impressing at training camp. The 19-year-old grew up playing in Northumberland before moving on and playing for Darlington Soccer Club.

“Mariah is a player that attended our open tryouts and was a player that stood out immediately. She brings a lot of energy into the team and is a pleasure to work with,” said Ribeiro. “She is a versatile player that I can see playing in a number of roles for us throughout the season. She is a fantastic addition to our team this season and we are really excited to watch Mariah grow and develop in our environment.”

During her time with Darlington, she was a consistent call-up to League 1 side Darby FC and was later signed to the team in 2021.

“I joined ECFC because I wanted to take my game to the next level and I knew as soon as I started following the ECFC franchise that this club was going to be something special,” said Shaw. “I never want to feel comfortable with my skill level. Knowing I have the opportunity to be coached by someone that has been successful in League 1 was something I simply could not pass up.”

Acadia University captain, Madicynn Harnish. The 23-year-old was a U Sport standout and Atlantic University Sport All-Star this past season. The Lower Sackville, NS native played and started in all 12 matches for Acadia University leading the team along with another ECFC signing Lauren Jodrey to an AUS Championship.

“Madicynn is another top player that we have brought into our program here at ECFC. She is a technically gifted midfielder that is always looking to get on the ball,” said Ribeiro. “Her ability to dictate the tempo of a match is what really attracted us to sign Madicynn for this season and we are excited to see what she can bring to our club.”

Harnish originally committed to Jacksonville University in NCAA Division 1 in 2017 and was selected to the ASUN Division 1 All-Freshman team.

“Being part of Electric City FC means levelling up and playing with and against some of the best players in Canada,” said Harnish. “To be part of a new franchise that is working so hard and doing so much to grow recognition for women's soccer in Canada is really special to me.”

Both teams have pair of road matches begninng Saturday with the Women travelling to play Pickering at 6 p.m. and the Men playing North Toronto Nitros at 8 p.m.

ECFC’s home openers on May 7 for the Men and May 14 for the women at Fleming College.

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3,000 Fish Released Into Canal To Launch 33rd Annual OFAH Under the Lock Fishing Derby

The Peterborough Lift Lock canal got more lively as members of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) dumped 3,000 fish into the water to launch the 33rd Annual Under the Lock Fishing Derby on Wednesday.

Top-prize fish ‘Walter’ is being released into the Lift Lock Canal by David Ryrie, OFAH director of communications (left) and Gordon Bowley, fishing derby chairman (right). Walter is a rainbow trout weighing from eight to 10 pounds. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The derby begins this Saturday with the youth event — for children 15 and under — at 9 a.m. and the all-ages kicking off Sunday at 9 a.m. This is the first Derby in two years to run due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The OFAH is thrilled to host this showcase community event, which provides a great outdoors experience for children to create memories alongside their family and friends,” says David Ryrie, OFAH Supervisor of Outreach Programs. “After two years of the pandemic impacting our ability to host this great event, we are thrilled to be able to provide this fishing derby again and can’t wait to see kids win hundreds of prizes and have a lucky angler catch Walter.” 

The 500 trout are tagged for instant prizes with a chance to win one of four grand prizes. The ’big fish’ grand prize of $1,000 goes to the angler that catches Walter, a rainbow trout estimated to weigh between 8 and 10 lbs. 

The all-ages derby runs from May 1-8 and includes 18 tagged fish, each with a $200 cash prize sponsored by local businesses.

Registration is required for all participants: $15 for the first child, $10 for siblings and $25 for adults. 

You can purchase tickets online at ofah.org/underthelock, at the event or in person at Peterborough Canadian Tire locations. 

“It really is about a family experience whether you’ve fished for years or you want to come with your kids/grandkids and put a line out there,'“ said Ryrie. “It’s a fantastic way to start spring now that the snow, knock-on-wood, is gone.”

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Peterborough Thunder U15 Girls Volleyball Team Takes Home Silver At Provincial Championship

The Peterborough Thunder U15 Girls volleyball team took home silver at The Ontario Volleyball Association Provincial Championships last weekend.

Photo L-R: Back Row: Cam Morley (Coach), Brynn Millitz, Lara Cottam, Ella Tanna (C), Stella Holbrook, Jess Gascon (Assistant Coach) Front Row: Charlotte Watson, Madigan Murray, Charley Jopling, Clare Lodgins. Photo courtesy of Alida Gorizzan.

The team competed in Division 4, which they entered in 10th place, and were ultimately ranked second amongst the 16 teams within that division.

They won 6 out of their 9 matches over the weekend and made it to the gold-medal final on Sunday however lost after fighting through 3 sets to to Toronto-based team Phoenix Inferno.

“The coaches were instrumental in their success and proud of this result with a team who only had a few months together to train and prepare with a late start due to the pandemic,” said team manager Alida Gorizzan.

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Douro-Dummer A Top Four Contender In Bid For Canada-Wide Kraft Hockeyville Competition

The Township of Douro-Dummer has been named a top four contender for Kraft Hockeyville, announced during hockey Night in Canada on Saturday.

“When you see Douro-Dummer on the Sportsnet screen as part of Hockey Night in Canada, that’s a big deal,” said Kerri Riel, Douro Minor Hockey Association (DMHA) Secretary.

The Douro Community Centre is one of four community centers around Canada that are now competing to be named Kraft Hockeyville.

The winning community centre will receive $250,000 in renovations and the opportunity to host a pre-season NHL game in their community.

Online voting opens on May 6.

“If we were to be named winners, that $250,000 would be an amazing start,” said Riel. “This entire process has already been so amazing. It’s started some great conversations with our township, who has been incredibly supportive. It’s helped everyone see the need and reconnected our community in a way that was lost over the pandemic.”

If chosen, Riel says the money would go towards making an inclusive space for not only any member of the DMHA, but any member of the community.

“It’s providing the opportunity to present that building as not just a place for hockey but for a place to host weddings, special days and even other sports. We are working on making a place that can meet the growth of the community - not just hockey.”

Riel encourages those that wish to support the community to follow the Douro Minor Hockey Association on Facebook and Instagram to keep updated and be reminded on voting day.

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Electric City Football Club Draws With League1 Ontario Defending Champions In Debut Match

The Electric City Football Club went toe-to-toe with the defending League1 Ontario champion Guelph United.

The men’s team forced a 0-0 draw in their season opener at Guelph University’s Alumni Stadium on Thursday night.

Tomas Alvarez (left) aiding teammate Connor Wilson (right) from a Guelph United defender. Photo courtesy of Electric City Football Club.

Electric City came within inches of the club’s first-ever franchise goal as Tomas Ribeiro had a free kick that sailed just over the crossbar and into the netting over the goal posts in extra time. Daniel Oshana also had a close call for ECFC shooting just wide of the net in the 90th minute.

The team sent two busloads of fans to the game that gave the atmosphere of a home game as ‘Electric City” chants filled the stands throughout the match.

"The support made the away field look more like a home field," said Jamie Sherwood, ECFC men's head coach. "The noise that they created really stimulated the players and helped the players at moments in the game."

“The match versus Guelph last night was another big milestone for Electric City in this amazing journey we are on,” said Rob Jenkins, ECFC president. “It was amazing to see the players in the ECFC kits and the fans all in yellow supporting the club. The players showed their quality on the pitch by outplaying the defending champions and playing with the character that will make the community proud.”

Electric City controlled most of the game causing Guelph to play aggressively. That physical play resulted in six yellow cards for the defending champs.

"We were the ones in control of the game and that was the message that we gave to the players going into the game," said Sherwood. "We wanted to control the game as much as possible. Control the game, control the environment, control the opposition and control the way that we can play."

Electric City despite not scoring a goal and getting a draw, played a favourable game having less than three weeks of training camp. Sherwood was introduced as the team’s head coach on April 4 ahead of the team’s first day of training camp.

"It shows what this group is capable of," reflected Sherwood. "It shows absolutely where our baseline is now; we know our standard. If we can't do that week in and week out, we won't be where we believe we should be at the end of the season."

Ben Vyfschaft (middle) clearing the ball in the defensive zone. ECFC allowed only one high-quality chance to Guelph United throughout the match. Photo courtesy of Electric City Football Club.

The next ECFC’s men’s game is April 30 against the North Toronto Nitros at Downsview Park 2. Their home opener on May 7 at 8 p.m. against Windsor TFC at the Fleming Sports Complex.

The women’s team debuts on Saturday L1O Premier Division debut Saturday on the road at Markham’s Alliance United at 3 p.m. Their first home game is against Oakville’s Blue Devils FC on May 14 at 3 p.m. at Fleming.

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Peterborough Petes Wrap Up Regular Season With Annual Awards Ceremony

Peterborough Petes staff, family, and friends gathered online on Tuesday for the annual year-end awards ceremony.

File Photo.

To commemorate the season players were presented with various awards.

• Mark Teevens Memorial Award (most assists) – Emmett Sproule (56 assists)

• Ed Redmond Memorial Trophy (scholastics and hockey) – Sam Alfano

• Outboard Marine Veterans Award (sportsmanship and ability) – Brian Zanetti

• Black’s Family Trophy (rookie of the year) – Nick Lardis

• Vince and Lottie Garvey Award (off-ice contribution) – Walter DiClemente (Petes Billet, Security and Risk Management Liaison)* 3-time winner

• Molson Cup (most three-star selections voted by media) – Tucker Robertson

• Donnie Marsh Memorial Trophy (most dedication to team) – Donovan McCoy

• Ed Rowe Memorial Award (most goals) – Tucker Robertson (41 goals)

• Norm Bryan Award (most improved player) – Jax Dubois

• Ushers Trophy (best defenceman) – Samuell Mayer

• Bill Bennett/CKPT Memorial Award (leading scorer) – Emmett Sproule (86 points)

• Gary Dalliday Award (community service) – Konnor Smith

• Petes Executive Trophy (most valuable player voted by teammates) – Tucker Robertson

In addition, the Board of Directors and Alumni Association announced gifts to the graduating and overage players Kaspars Ziemins, Tye Austin, Shawn Spearing, Joe Carroll, and Emmett Sproule.

The Petes play Thursday night for Game One of the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals in Hamilton against the Bulldogs.

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Peterborough Petes Goalie Michael Simpson Named OHL Goaltender Of The Month

The OHL announced today that Michael Simpson has been named OHL Goaltender of the Month after helping the team qualify for the OHL Playoffs as he played to a 4-0-0-1 record with a 2.16 goals-against average, .928 save percentage and one shutout.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

Simpson won his final four starts of the season, turning aside all 37 shots for his first career OHL shutout on April 5th as the Petes defeated the Barrie Colts 1-0 in overtime. He stopped 20 of 21 on April 9th as the Petes beat the Niagara IceDogs 5-1, and rounded-out the season with a 28-save performance on April 17th as Peterborough defeated Kingston 6-3.

Simpson is the first Petes netminder to earn OHL Goaltender of the Month honours since Hunter Jones in October 2019.

A 19-year-old from London, Ont., Simpson played to a record of 20-18-3-1 with a 3.56 goals-against average and .891 save percentage in his first OHL season. The 6-foot, 188Ib. netminder was Peterborough’s 10th round (193rd overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection from the London Jr. Knights U16 program.

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Electric City Football Club Sign Three Players to Finalize Men's Team

The men’s team is set for the Electric City Football Club (ECFC) for their inaugural 2022 League 1 Ontario season as they signed Josh Penello, David Schaefer and midfielder Yuki Mandai as the team’s final signings on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of ECFC.

Penello made the team after attending the open tryouts on April 2nd during a two-week training camp trial period. He played in a number of positions including fullback and midfield in the friendly last week against the Club’s U21 Reserve team Skillz FC before officially signing with the team.

Penello was a two-time OCAA All-Star and a two-time MVP during his college career with the Fleming Knights. Photo courtesy of ECFC.

“Josh is a perfect example of what we hope to bring to the youth soccer community in Peterborough,” said Rob Jenkins, ECFC president. “At a young age, he had to leave Peterborough to compete at a higher level and develop his skills to try to reach the next level. Our hope is that by bringing these opportunities to Peterborough we are going to see more players like Josh able to reach the next level right here in their hometown.”

The Peterborough native spent some time playing in the Toronto FC Academy system and came back to Peterborough with Cavan FC. During his time there, Penello led his team in winning the Ontario Soccer league’s Provincial East title in 2019, to gain promotion to the OSL Elite league.

“Growing up in the Peterborough area and wanting higher competition in soccer meant you had to travel to find it,” said Panello. “Having ECFC being developed in my hometown made me want to be a part of this franchise and see where it can take me and this city.”

Schaefer registered eight points in his third season with MRU. Photo courtesy of ECFC.

ECFC signed Mount Royal University striker David Schaefer. Schaefer is a 21-year-old attacker from Berlin, Germany and played for famous German Club BFC Dynamo Berlin with the U19’s before moving to Canada for school in 2018 and spent time with SV Empor Berlin during 2020.

“David is a player who the coaches were very impressed with during his trial here at ECFC. He went through a lot to get here and that is also very impressive. He was battling illness for a number of weeks prior to the tryout, he flew himself across the country and paid his own way to be here to be part of ECFC.” said Jenkins, “He is a clinical striker who will add to an already exciting group of attacking players at ECFC.”

Schaefer just finished his third year at MRU where he finished the season with seven goals in 12 games. He played his most recent club football with Peachtree City MOBA in Georgia in the USL 2.

“This is a professional environment that I am excited to thrive in,” said Schaefer. “The fans can expect to see a disciplined and intelligent attacker. I am a technical player that covers a lot of distance and has a good understanding of the game, and I will be giving it my all to help this club.”

Mandai scored four goals in a five-game stretch with the South Coast Flame FC from July 27 to Aug. 24. in 2019. Photo courtesy of ECFC.

Japanese midfielder Yuki Mandai rounds out the final signings for the men’s team. The 26-year-old joins ECFC after moving to Canada on his own in December in search of a professional club to play for.

He attended the open tryouts on April 2nd and got the invite to training camp.

“Yuki has come in and really showed us his personality on the ball and his values without the ball,” said Jamie Sherwood, ECFC Men’s Head Coach. “It is amazing that a player who has played on other continents has chosen Electric City FC as his home and we cannot wait to see what he brings to our game model.”

Mandai was playing for Tokyo International University while completing his studies. Upon graduation, he travelled to Australia where he signed a contract and played in the National Premier League with South Coast Flames FC in 2019. Mandai finished the season scoring six goals in 23 matches.

“I was interested in Electric City FC because of the club's project. After understanding what it is the club is aspiring to do, I registered for the open tryouts and was invited into the team’s training camp.” said Mandai. “After attending the team's training sessions, I immediately knew I wanted to play for this club.”

ECFC begins their 2022 League1 Ontario season on the road against the defending-champion Guelph United on Thursday night.

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