Peterborough Blogs
Peterborough Declares 2022 as "The Summer Of Lacrosse" of the Sport's 150th Anniversary in Town
/Peterborough has proclaimed 2022 to be “The Summer of Lacrosse” after a flag was raised at City Hall on Wednesday morning to commemorate 150 years of the sport first being played in town.
Mayor Diane Therrien (left) and Hall of Fame Lacrosse goaltender Tim Barrie (right) raising the 150th lacrosse anniversary flag at City Hall. The logo was released to the public in early February. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Members of local lacrosse communities attended the ceremony as Mayor Diane Therrien made the proclamation at City Hall. The meeting honoured Peterborough and its rich history with lacrosse also known as the Creator’s Game.
“Lacrosse is one of the oldest sports in Peterborough, an Indigenous sport even predating even that time so there's such a long history and tradition,” said Therrien. “It's going to be a great summer and highlighting all the work that's been in the past and that's led us up to this point today.”
“If you're getting into the lacrosse community, they're just good people,” said Tim Barrie, Hall of Fame lacrosse goaltender. “We've always been called the 'blue-collar sport' but it's the people who've had their hearts in the right spot and we have so many volunteers that readily give back to the game.”
The flag will remain at City Hall for one week then will be commemorated at the Peterborough & District Sports Hall Of Fame.
The 150 years marks the first game of lacrosse being played in town as the Peterborough Red Stockings played the first game in 1872.
Peterborough has won 29 national champions while youth teams have won over 100 provincial titles.
The Peterborough Lakers are three-time defending Mann Cup Champions. Their home opener is on June 2 against Cobourg Kodiaks. The Lakers have not played in over two seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Norwood Man Catches Top-Prize Fish "Walter" At 33rd Annual Fishing Derby
/Norwood’s Justin Desbarbieux is $1,000 richer after catching ‘Walter’ the rainbow trout at the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters 33rd Annual Under the Lock Fishing Derby on Wednesday afternoon.
There were 3,000 fish dumped into the canal last Wednesday to launch the 33rd Annual Under the Lock Fishing Derby. The event was postponed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Desbarbieux caught the prized rainbow trout — weighing roughly eight to 10 lbs. — around 1:45 p.m. directly across from Liftlock Golf Club on the north side of the canal on Ashburnham Drive.
The Norwood mason said his battle with Walter was long and hard-fought.
"It was probably two or three minutes long," said Desbarbieux. "I could see him instantly belly up and he started swimming and doing circles.
Desbarbieux’s day started off on the wrong foot as he accidentally broke his fishing rod by closing the car door on it. His day was made up after catching the grand-prize fish.
"My adrenaline was pumping and I was trying to run down here and to show everyone," he explained. "I can buy another fishing pole from the money."
Desbarbieux has been participating in the fishing derby since he was a child. He has two sons that participated in the youth event that began on Saturday morning.
The Norwood local is walking away with the grand prize of $1,000 cash and gets to keep Walter.
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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.
Hometown PTBO: Peterborough Petes' Superfan Lorraine Wagar About Her Favourite Players and Staff Throughout Her 60+ Years of Team Support
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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.
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.
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.
