Electric City Football Club Teams to Compete in Inaugural Trent Severn Cup

An early rivalry between the Electric City Football Club (ECFC) and Simcoe County Rovers FC has sparked the Trent Severn Cup for the two newest League1 Ontario teams announced Monday.

Photo courtesy of Electric City Football Club and David Pickering.

The idea for the Trent Severn Cup was sparked local soccer districts, East Central Ontario Soccer Association (ECOSA) and Huronia District Soccer Association HDSA, that the two League1 teams represent.

“Both franchises have shown a great desire to compete at the highest standards and strive to participate at the highest level in the Canadian Soccer landscape,” said John Copp, HDSA president. “The Districts want to help kick off these franchises' inaugural season and provide the groundwork for what we expect will be a long (friendly) rivalry between two top League 1 Ontario Clubs.”

The cup features a unique format where the winning club is based on the combined score of both the Men’s and Women’s matches each season. If the score after the two matches remains tied, the competition will then be decided by a penalty shootout in the second match.

Photo courtesy of Electric City Football Club.

“Both Clubs share their District's vision to positively impact soccer within their communities and help provide meaningful pathways for players, coaches, and administrators from the grassroots to the semi-professional and professional levels,” said Leslee Bax, ECOSA president. “Both local soccer districts are extremely excited to have semi-professional soccer within our Districts and to see the competition play out for the first time.”

The women play first on Wednesday at 8 p.m followed by the men on July 23rd at 3 p.m. with both games at Fleming College.

“These are the type of competitions that will hopefully help the game grow in the regions and create excitement for the fans and the players,” said Rob Jenkins, ECFC president. “We are very thankful for the two districts support and work in putting this together. We have great respect for the Simcoe County Rovers project and are excited to have an annual competition between two ambitious clubs.”

The trophy (purchased by the two districts) will be on display at the women’s match and will be presented to the winning club at the conclusion of the men’s match.

“As the game continues to grow in a positive direction throughout the country these are the type of relationships and cultures that will help define success and professional development,” said Julian de Guzman, Simcoe County Rovers president.

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Peterborough Century 21 Lakers Return With A Victory At Season Opener

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers were victorious in their MSL season opener on Sunday evening, defeating the Cobourg Kodiaks at the Cobourg Community Centre 15-11.

The Lakers were shorthanded, missing up to 11 regulars from their lineup, and relied heavily on newcomers Austin Hasen, Thomas Whitty, Caleb Creasor, Mitch Ogilvie and Zach Young, and four players called up from the Junior A team – Tyler Grandel, Holden Lowes and Ben Trumble, and Deacan Knott, who backed up Mike Poulin in goal.

“It took us about a period and a half to get accustomed to playing with each other,” said Holden Cattoni, who scored twice and added two assists.”

Hasen, Creasor, Ogilvie and Trumble all scored their first MSL goals.

“It felt really good to be back,” said head coach Mike Hasen. “It’s been a long couple years and to see our group back is a good feeling. I like the way we came to play right off the bat. Our offensive was good and responsible. Our defense was missing a few bodies but they were good; they kept a great tempo and that was great to see.”

The Lakers’ home opener is set for this Thursday. An opponent and more details will be released early this week.

Scoring for the Lakers:

Turner Evans (2-5)

Holden Cattoni (2-2)

Austin Hasen (2-1)

Cory Vitarelli (2-0)

Corey Small (2-0)

Kiel Matisz (1-3)

Thomas Hoggarth (1-1)

Ben Trumble (1-0)

Caleb Creasor (1-0)

Mitch Ogilvie (1-0)

Shawn Evans (0-5)

Thomas Whitty (0-1)

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Mixed Results For Electric City Football As Men Tie And Women Face A Tough Loss This Weekend

A busy weekend of ECFC action yielded mixed results, as the Men’s side drew Master's FA 2-2 on the road, while the Women’s side took a tough 2-1 home loss against Tecumseh SC.

Photo by David Pickering.

The ECFC Men (3-3-2) came home with a 2-2 draw against Master’s FA (0-6-2) after a wild finish to their match in Scarborough.

The clubs remained deadlocked until the 53rd minute when Francis Ameyaw found the back of the net to give Master’s a 1-0 lead. ECFC struck back when Jordan Brown scored his 4th goal of the season to bring the game back to level. Ben Vyfschaft gave ECFC their first lead of the match, when he scored three minutes into extra time, a goal which looked like a game winner at the time.

ECFC’s lead was short-lived as Master’s was able to gridlock the game for good in the 94th minute when Samer Hamade scored.

ECFC Head Coach Randy Ribeiro thought his team deserved a better fate on Saturday night.

“We were so dominant throughout the entire match and deserved the 3 points. We were persistent but credit to Master’s, they defended really well in their 18-yard box all game.”

Ribeiro said the result is a good lesson for his team to learn from as they regroup for their next matchup.

“The game turned so quickly from going from such a high to feeling deflated after conceding in the final seconds of the game. It is a learning opportunity for us. We will regroup and prepare for our game against Scroscoppi on Friday evening”.

The ECFC roster featured another new face in net on Saturday night as Isaiah Cook started his first game for the club. Cook was replacing Eleias Himaras who was unable to play due to an injury sustained in training. Cook is part of the FC Durham/ECFC U21 Reserve team and has been training with the squad and dressing as the second keeper since Quillan Roberts left to represent Guyana in their CONCACAF Nations League Cup matches.

Next up for ECFC they head back on the road for their next matchup as they take on Scroscoppi FC (3-4-1) on Friday night for a 9 p.m. kickoff.

Photo by David Pickering.

The ECFC Women were defeated 2-1 by Tecumseh SC in League1 Ontario Women’s action at Fleming College. Tecumseh SC was led to victory by Striker Kailyn Robertson, who netted a brace in Saturday night's matchup.

Tecumseh (3-2-3) opened the scoring early when Robertson found the back of the net in the 14th minute. ECFC (6-4-0) was able to tie the game up in the 40th minute when Captain Holly O’Neill finished off a scramble in the box after a corner kick, scoring her 7th goal of the season. Tecumseh rapidly restored their lead when Robertson potted her second goal of the night just before halftime in the 45th minute.

ECFC pushed for the equalizer in the second half, creating many positive chances, but were unable to find the back of the net against Tecumseh’s compact defensive formation.

Women’s Assistant Coach Ron Clarke said the story of the game was a tale of two halves, although his team could not find the equalizing goal in the final 45 minutes.

“First half I thought we struggled to build out of the back, they did a good job of pressing us. Two silly mistakes on the back hurt us. The second half, I thought we made the adjustments, we dominated possession the way we wanted to, created chances, but just fell short.”

ECFC entered the matchup with the opportunity to string together three consecutive victories for the first time this season and were unsuccessful in their attempt to achieve the feat. Midfielder Angelika Mihalopulos said the team needs to take the patient approach and trust the process will yield results.

“It is a new team, so it is not going to happen right away. Today was a better showing, it felt like we had the ball 95 per cent of the time, we just could not take that last little step and finish it.”

Just over halfway through the season, ECFC Women currently sit in 6th (and final playoff spot) in the 20 team Women’s Premier Division. This week is a very difficult set of matches for the women with them hosting 3rd place Simcoe County (7-1-2) for the first leg of the Trent Severn Cup competition on Wednesday night at Fleming College. Then on Saturday they host league leading FC London (9-1-0) for a 3pm kickoff at Fleming College.

Coach Clarke said his team will need to be focused and prepared ahead of these upcoming match ups against tough opponents.

“We have a really tough week this week, so we have a lot of work ahead of us. We are really going to need the community to come out and get behind the ladies this week.”

Tickets are available for both matches at electriccityfc.com/tickets and at the gate.

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Ontario 55+ Summer Games Qualifiers Are Underway

The call for participants in the 2022 Ontario 55+ Summer Games in Peterborough has been issued by The City of Peterborough on Friday.

Photo courtesy of The City of Peterborough.

The games run from Aug. 9 - 11 with 19 events. They range from bid euchre, contract bridge and cribbage, to cycling, lawn bowling, golf, pickleball, slo-pitch, swimming and tennis.

To qualify, participants must be registered with the Ontario Senior Games Association (OSGA). Central Region District 12 is hosting qualifying events within the region which includes Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough and the Northumberland area. Participants must register and qualify for a district event to participate in the Games.

“The Ontario Senior Games Association is welcoming and inclusive of all Ontarians 55+ looking for friendly, local competition and the opportunity to progress to Provincial and National competitions in their sport or activity”, said Eva Ferguson, District 12 Coordinator.

Online registration is available through the OSGA website and information on qualifying event information for District 12 can be obtained by emailing osga-dist12@cogeco.ca.

For information about the Peterborough 2022 Ontario 55+ Summer Games visit their website.

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Peterborough Petes Auctioning Game-Worn Warm-Up Jerseys For Try Hockey Initiatives

The Peterborough Petes are auctioning off game-worn warm-up jerseys in support of local Try Hockey initiatives to make hockey inclusive for everyone announced on Thursday night.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The auction is held online and bidders can get jerseys of Petes such as Josh Kavanagh, Shawn Spearing, Tye Austin and several others.

Each jersey has a player description as well as the retail value, starting bid, current bid, bid history and the start and end date for that particular item. 

The jersey auction closes on June 30 at 3:00 p.m.

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Peterborough Area Roller Derby Returns After Two-Year Hiatus

The skates are being strapped on again as Peterborough Area Roller Derby kicks off their season with their first roller derby match since March 2022 announced Monday night.

The PARD last match was a win against Durham Region Roller Derby’s DRRD’y Farmers in March 2020, just a week before the world closed down. File Photo.

Their family-friendly event, ‘Post Pandemic PARDy: Down with the Sickness’ is at the Douro Community Centre against the Ottawa Area Roller Derby.

Doors open at 3:30 p.m. The low-contact bout begins at 4 p.m. followed by an open full-contact scrimmage at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 in advance or at the door with free admission for kids under 12.

PARD is seeking skaters for the open scrimmage, volunteers, non-skating officials and vendors for the event and can visit their Facebook event page for more details.

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Electric City Football Club Men And Women Both Come Out On Top This Weekend

The Electric City Football Club came away with another 6-point weekend with both the Men’s and Women’s sides claiming shutout victories.

Photo credit: David Pickering.

The Men’s side picked up a 1-0 victory at home over Pickering FC, while the Women came home with a 2-0 road victory over Pro Stars FC.

The Men’s side were able to bounce back after a tough result last weekend. ECFC took a 1-0 lead when Reza Nafar converted on a free kick from just outside the goal area in the 29th minute. The free kick was awarded after an ill-timed Pickering FC tackle on ECFC midfielder Daniel Oshana, resulting in a yellow card. Reza Nafar made no mistake, firing the ball into the top corner of the net.

ECFC goalkeeper Eleias Himaras was strong in net, making multiple saves to keep ECFC’s lead intact. Himaras has now started three games in the ECFC net, as he fills in for Quillan Roberts while he represents Guyana in the CONCACAF Nations League. Early on into his tenure with ECFC Himaras has stymied the competition, only allowing two goals thus far.

“What stood out to me today was the work ethic the boys put in to deserve the result they got today. They had to work hard for their three points and that’s what they did. They brought a lot of energy, controlled the tempo of the game and created opportunities to score.”

ECFC extended their home record on the season to 3-0-0, while also advancing in the League1 table with Saturdays victory. The positive result over Pickering FC was even more crucial given the fact that the two teams were only separated by two points in the standings.

“Earning maximum points is always important, but to do it against a team that you can jump ahead of in the it table is a bonus, but it is not the standings that I am worried about, it’s the process. Having our principles brought out and translated from the training ground into matches, that is the piece I am most focused on,” said Coach Ribeiro following the match.

Midfielder Tomas Alvarez was named the Mark’s Work Warehouse Hardest Working Player of the match. Alvarez helped create many offensive opportunities thanks to his ball pressure and competitive spirit throughout the match.

The Electric City FC Women (6-3-0) capped off the clubs 6-point weekend with a 2-0 victory over Pro Stars FC (0-8-0) on Saturday night. ECFC was able to convert their opportunities in a highly competitive, defensive styled affair at Victoria Park.

The game was scoreless through the first half and into the 71st minute until ECFC winger Brynn Jurus scored her 3rd goal of the season. ECFC continued to push the pace, trying to expand their 1-0 lead in the later stages of the match and were finally able to put the game away in extra time when Kayla McQueen scored. McQueen received the ball following a great cutback move from Captain Holly O’Neill and was able to finish off the play for her 8th goal of the season putting her in a tie at the top of the league scoring race. Goalkeeper Mykaela Volpe registered her 2nd consecutive clean sheet, giving her 4 clean sheets on the season.

Coach Ribeiro was proud of the way his team was able to convert on their chances against a defensive minded Pro Stars FC side.

“The game was a difficult one today. A team with a more defensive mindset, sitting in at the top of their area, very compact and looking to play on transition. We were persistent and continued to find ways to break them down.”

After picking up two victories in the span of 72 hours, ECFC has gained significant ground in the League1 Women’s table, finding themselves tied for 4th in the table with 18 points. With another goal on Saturday, Kayla McQueen has now scored in 5 of her last 6 matches, while also climbing to the top of the League1 scoring race.

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Trent University Hires Eric Noyes As New Men's Rugby Head Coach

Trent University has hired Eric Noyes as its new Excalibur men’s rugby head coach for the 2022-23 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) season announced on Monday.

Eric Noyes has a background in teaching. He has had roles with the Toronto Arrows (Elite Junior Academy Development Coach) and Oshawa Vikings RFC (U16 Women’s Head coach). Photo courtesy of Trent University.

“With his experience and successful background, Coach Eric Noyes is a great addition to our Excalibur men’s rugby program,” said Deborah Bright-Brundle, Trent director of Athletics and Recreation. “His knowledge and experience in the different levels of rugby development only adds to the competitive program we have built over the years, and we look forward to seeing the continued growth of our Excalibur rugby team under his leadership.

Noyes spent the last three years as the assistant coach of the Durham Lords men’s rugby team. He led the Lords to back-to-back Ontario Colleges Athletic Association championships in 2018 and 2019, adding a bronze medal in 2021.

“I’m excited to continue developing the professionalism of our program at Trent,” said Noyes. “I feel it is incredibly important to position the rugby program in such a way that current student-athletes treat the program with a professional attitude, and for new players, to understand that by choosing Trent, they’ll be choosing a program that takes their development seriously.”

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Hometown PTBO: Former Teacher Michael Stewart Getting Paralyzed, His Rehabilitation Process and Getting a Hole-In-One

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with former phys ed teacher Michael Stewart about his near-death experience of being paralyzed, his rehabilitation process and getting a hole in one at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club.

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Electric City FC Women Defeat Hamilton United Wednesday Night

The Electric City FC Women’s side got back in the win column on Wednesday night, defeating Hamilton United 1-0 in League 1 Ontario Women’s action at Fleming College.

Photo by David Pickering.

ECFC (5-3-0) opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Striker Kayla McQueen found herself alone in the box and made no mistake, firing it into the bottom right corner of the net past Hamilton Goalkeeper Alexandra Mudie for her team leading seventh tally of the year, leaving her one behind the league 1 leader.

Electric City FC put pressure on Hamilton all game and had many chances to extend their lead, but couldn’t find the back of the net to put the match away. Goalkeeper Mykaela Volpe was solid when called upon in the match, including an athletic save on a golden Hamilton United scoring opportunity in the 84th minute to keep ECFC’s 1-0 lead intact.

ECFC Head Coach Randy Ribeiro says he was happy with the way his team responded following the loss to North Mississauga last Saturday.

“I think we have proven it time and time again coming back after a defeat, the girls respond very well, and we did that again today. We created a lot of chances, and we were fortunate that we played well at the back and prevented them from getting back into the game, but once again we should have been able to put them away early."

ECFC has a quick turnaround as they head out on the road to Brampton to face Pro Stars FC on Saturday night. With that in mind Coach Ribeiro said rest was a key factor on Wednesday night when he made multiple substitutions in the second half of action.

“On the Women’s side especially, the season is so condensed and for me, managing load is extremely important, the players health is always first.”

Ribeiro said that the depth of players at his disposal allows for him to make substitutions when needed.

“I trust every single player on this team to do the job that we need them to do. Having depth on this roster is a massive help and the girls that came on did a good job.”

Wednesday night's win helped move ECFC into a tie for 5th place in the League1 table, as they head into Saturday looking to add to their point total with another positive result. Goalkeeper Mykaela Volpe was named the Marks Work Warehouse hardest working player of the match.

ECFC’s next home match is an important match for the Men’s team as they look to extend their unbeaten home start to the season when they host Pickering FC on Saturday at Fleming, 3 p.m. kickoff. The next ECFC Women’s home game is on June 11 when they host Tecumseh SC, 8 p.m. kickoff. Tickets for both matches are available at electriccityfc.com or at the gate.

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