MSL Semifinal Series Shifts to Peterborough Tonight for Game 2 Between Lakers and Rock

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers are back on home floor tonight with a chance to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five Major Series Lacrosse semifinal series against the Oakville Rock.

the lakers will host the rock tonight for game two of their semifinal series, marking their first postseason meeting at the pmc since the msl finals in 2018 (photo courtesy of the peterborough lakers, via david pickering)

Peterborough opened the series with a 10-7 road win on Tuesday night, extending its winning streak to five games after closing out the regular season with four straight victories.

The Lakers got balanced scoring in Game 1, led by Thomas Hoggarth's five-point performance, while goaltender Drew Hutchison turned aside 47 shots to backstop the victory.

This semifinal series is the first time these teams have matched up in the postseason in eight years, with tonight marking the first playoff game between the Lakers and Rock in Peterborough since 2018, when the clubs met in the MSL Final. Peterborough won that series in six games before going on to capture the Mann Cup over Maple Ridge.

There are some interesting connections between the two teams as well. Oakville goaltender Nick Rose was the Rock's starter during that 2018 final before later joining the Lakers, while the Rock's roster now includes Tye Steenhuis and Justin Tavares. Their fathers, Mark Steenhuis and John Tavares, were teammates on Peterborough's Mann Cup championship teams in 2010 and 2012.

With the series now shifting to the Peterborough Memorial Centre, the Lakers will look to protect home floor before the series heads back to Oakville for Game 3 on Saturday. Game time tonight is 8pm with tickets available online and at the PMC Box Office.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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New Milestone Reached in Ennismore Community Centre Floor Replacement Project

By Scott Arnold

Construction continues to move ahead at the Ennismore Community Centre, with another major milestone reached in the facility's ice surface replacement project.

All 13.5 kms of refrigeration pipe has been installed, tied in, and connected. The next major milestone is the concrete pour, which will require 18 concrete trucks to create the new arena floor (photo via facebook @selwyntownship)

Selwyn Township says all 13.5 kilometres of refrigeration pipe has now been installed, connected and tied into the system. Pressure testing is also underway, while the coolant pump has been mounted and is ready to go.

The next major step will be pouring the new arena floor, a job that will require 18 concrete trucks.

The project is being supported through the Province of Ontario's Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund and Hydro One's Community Investment Program.

While construction continues on the arena, the Ennismore Auditorium remains available to rent, although visitors may hear construction noise during work hours.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Three Peterborough Special Olympics Swimmers to Represent Peterborough At Nationals In Alberta

Local swimmers Tessa Scates, Breanne Mackenzie and Steve Caban are ready to make a splash, representing Peterborough and Team Ontario at the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat, Alb.

Tessa Scates (left), Breanne Mackenzie (middle) and Steve Caban (right) commemorated with medals of swimming 1700+, 500 and 550 lengths respectively as Special Olympic Swiimmers. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The athletes travel this Sunday, with the games running from Aug.11 to 15. The last time Special Olympics Canada held National Games was in 2018 in Antigonish, N. S.

Each swimmer has trained at the Trent University pool since November. Each athlete was given a medal to commemorate the number of lengths they swam, training for the event.

“They love swimming; that is their passion,” said Debbie Quinlan, head coach. “They love not only swimming but the camaraderie so they’ve been training hard.”

“It’s really been remarkable to see their growth, not only in their strength and their bodies changing and their muscles growing and all of that but also the excitement building as we are getting closer to the games,” explained Jenn Scates, team manager.

All photos by David Tuan Bui.

Each athlete has qualified to compete in four different events including the 50 metre freestyle/back, 100 metre freestyle/back/breast/I.M. and 200 metre freestyle.

Caban is no stranger to high-profile competition. He represented Canada at the 1999 World Special Olympics Summer Games in North Carolina. He competed at the 2005 World Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, winning gold in the 5K cross-country, fourth in the 1K and fifth in the 4x 1K relay. He has also medaled in the 2009 Winter Games in Boise, Id. and won bronze in cross-country skiing at the 2013 Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Caban was inducted into the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame as a Special Olympian in 2024.

He says he uses his experience to mentor his teammates and enjoys having them on the team.

“(I like) helping other athletes out making new friends,” explained Caban.

For Scates and Mackenzie, it is their first national competition. Both of them want to achieve new personal best records when they travel to Alberta.

“(I want to) Try to beat all my times,” explained Scates.

“My goal is to do my absolute best and beat some of my times but I’m just looking forward to having the best time ever,” said Mackenzie.

All three athletes have one common goal: to have fun and make new friends.

“They boost each other up, they pump each other up and they show that after practice, Jenn has each one of them tell each other about what they’ve done great that day at the practice. It’s more than just about swimming; they are inspiring each other. That’s what’s so exciting. You could have somebody come in last place, and the whole pool deck is cheering them on. That’s what’s so exciting about Special Olympics: everyone is a champion.”

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PHOTOS: Trent University Showcases Its Farm Research Centre During Its Second Annual Open House

Trent University put its agricultural work on display during the second annual open house of its Farm Research Centre, held for the public on Wednesday morning.

Chickens have become the most recent resident at the Trent Farm Research Centre. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

Guests could talk with staff and students about speak with students about the latest in sustainable agricultural research and get a closer look at cutting-edge farming innovations.

The event had farm-tech demonstrations and multiple stations showcasing active projects that include a student-led market garden, chicken coop, tile drainage field, weather station and V6 Agronomy field trial.

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Jr. C Lakers Return to Meredith Cup Final With History in Sight

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Jr. C Lakers are heading back to the Meredith Cup Final for the third straight season, but this year’s championship chase has a different challenge: a chance to make history.

The Lakers begin their quest for a third consecutive Meredith Cup championship when they face the Six Nations Stealth in the league final. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers, via Christine Liu)

The Lakers will meet the Six Nations Stealth in the best-of-five league final, beginning Thursday night in Six Nations, as Peterborough looks to capture its third consecutive Meredith Cup championship.

Only two teams in Ontario Junior C Lacrosse history have ever won three straight championships. Owen Sound accomplished the feat during the first era of Ontario-sanctioned Junior C lacrosse from 1977 to 1979, while Clarington became the only team to do it during the Meredith Cup era with three straight titles from 2010 to 2012.

A win this year would also give Peterborough its fifth Meredith Cup championship, moving the Lakers past Clarington for the most titles in league history.

But before the Lakers can think about history, they have to get through a Six Nations team that finished the regular season with the league’s best record at 14-2.

“It’s a big one,” said Lakers head coach Ryley Martinell. “You don’t want to hang your hat on that, but it’s definitely something you think about when you’re sitting at home on the couch.”

Peterborough returns to the Meredith Cup Final after another strong playoff run that included series wins over Huntsville, Whitby and Cornwall. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers, via Christine Liu)

A Different Path Back to the Final

The Lakers entered the season knowing they had lost several key pieces from their previous championship teams, but the expectations remained the same.

“When we show up to camp with the coaching staff we have and kind of the culture in the team we’ve grown, our expectations are always to chase a Meredith Cup,” Martinell said.

Peterborough finished first in the Central Division before opening the playoffs with a three-game sweep of the Huntsville Hawks. The Lakers then defeated the Whitby Warriors in four games in the division final before sweeping the Cornwall Celtics in the Meredith Cup semifinal.

While the results may look dominant on paper, Martinell said the road to the final was anything but easy.

“We’re just as skilled, we’re just younger, which closed the gap a little bit,” he said. “The theme of the year is just find a way. We’re a young team. We know we’re going to go through struggles. We know we’re going to get down. Just find a way, dig deep, find a way to win.”

That mentality has carried the Lakers through close games throughout the postseason, including a one-goal win over Whitby in the division final and a comeback victory against Cornwall after falling behind in Game 3 of the semifinal.

Braxtin Howard was named Central Division Rookie of the Year after leading the Lakers with 54 points during the regular season and continues to be a key contributor during Peterborough’s playoff run. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers, via Christine Liu)

Howard Leads Young Lakers Core

One of the players helping lead that young group is Braxtin Howard, who was recently named Central Division Rookie of the Year and finished as the division’s MVP runner-up.

Howard led the Lakers with 54 points during the regular season, recording 29 goals and 25 assists in 14 games.

“He’s kind of a different animal,” Martinell said. “He’s an old school lacrosse player as a first year junior player.”

“He’ll score, he’ll fight, he’ll hit a guy. He gives us 100% every time he shows up on the floor, and Rookie of the Year was a no-brainer.”

Howard has continued that production in the playoffs, entering the Meredith Cup Final ranked seventh in league playoff scoring with 38 points in 10 games.

Head coach Ryley Martinell watches the action from the bench as the Jr. C Lakers continue their pursuit of a third straight Meredith Cup championship. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers, via Christine Liu)

A Final Against One of the League’s Best

The Six Nations Stealth enter the series after sweeping the West Grey Rampage and Burlington Warriors before defeating the Whitby Warriors in a five-game semifinal series.

The two teams met once during the regular season, with Six Nations earning a 13-12 overtime win on May 3.

Martinell said that game was a long time ago and that the Lakers roster has changed since then.

“We had a lot of guys away at school and kind of filled some pieces,” he said. “I’m a lot happier with our roster going into this series than it was in game three or four of the year there.”

The final will feature some of the top offensive players in the league. Six Nations’ Brian Laforme leads all playoff scorers with 47 points, while teammate Ryker Powless also has 47 points. Peterborough’s Ryder Perry ranks fourth with 41 points, while Howard sits seventh with 38 points.

Laforme, Perry and Howard are also among the league’s top playoff goal scorers, ranking second, third and fourth respectively.

“They’re fast, they’re athletic, they’re super skilled,” Martinell said of Six Nations. “They’re going to be the strongest team we’ve played all year other than the one time we’ve seen them.”

The Jr. C Lakers and Six Nations Stealth meet in the Meredith Cup Final, with the championship series beginning Thursday night in Six Nations. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers, via Christine Liu)

A Series Worth Watching

The Meredith Cup Final begins Thursday, August 6th at 8pm in Six Nations before returning to Peterborough for Game 2 on Sunday, August 9th at 4pm at Healthy Planet Arena.

Game 3 is Wednesday, August 12th at 8pm in Six Nations, with Game 4 scheduled for Friday, August 14th at 8pm in Peterborough. If necessary, Game 5 will be played Sunday, August 16th at 6pm in Six Nations.

Martinell expects a fast-paced series between two teams looking to prove themselves.

“Junior C in general, it’s fast, skilled, the kids are athletic, they work hard,” he said. “Everybody’s skilled. Everybody’s good enough to play at a higher level.”

For a Lakers team chasing a third straight championship, the message remains the same.

“Find a way,” Martinell said. “Whatever it takes.”

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Peterborough Petes Sign 2026 Third-Round Pick to OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement

The Peterborough Petes have signed 2026 third-round pick Mason Quinn to an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement, announced on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

“It’s an honour to sign with such a great organization,” said Quinn. “Being a hometown kid, it really means the world to me and my family to be able to join the Petes. I’m very eager to get going and make a positive impact on the team.”

The Little Britain native was selected by the Petes in the third round, 59th overall, of the 2026 OHL Priority Selection. In 28 games with the Toronto Marlboros U16s last season, he had 15 goals and 10 assists for 25 points.

The 2010-born forward also helped the Marlboros qualify for the 2026 OHL Cup, scoring once in four games. Before joining the Marlboros for his U16 season, Quinn grew up playing for the Central Ontario Wolves organization.

“We’re excited to welcome Mason to the Petes,” said Michael Oke, Petes general manager and vice president of operations. “Being from the area, Mason is a player we’ve been following for several years through his time with the Marlies and the Central Ontario Wolves. He’s a hardworking, two-way forward who competes every shift and does the little things to help his team succeed.”

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Peterborough Police Seeking Theft Suspect Who Used a Knife to Rob Victim of a Gold Chain

The Peterborough Police Service are searching for a suspect involved in a street-level robbery that occurred on Tuesday evening.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough POlice Service.

At roughly 9:50 p.m., officers were called to the area of Rink Street and Aylmer Street where an uninjured victim had a gold chain stolen at knifepoint. Officers searched the area but did not locate a suspect.

The suspect was described to police as:

• White male

• 30 to 40 years old

• Grey sweatpants

• Grey sweater

• Bald

Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough Police at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

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Fleming College Giving Local Youth a Hands-On Look at Skilled Trades

By Scott Arnold

Students from across the region will get the chance to explore careers in the skilled trades during a week-long summer camp at Fleming College.

The annual Skills Ontario Summer Camp runs from Aug. 10 to 14 at Fleming College's Sutherland Campus in Peterborough, welcoming students in Grades 7 to 9 from Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Durham and Hasting (photo courtesy of fleming college)

The annual Skills Ontario Summer Camp runs from August 10th to 14th at Fleming College's Sutherland Campus in Peterborough, welcoming students in Grades 7 to 9 from Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Durham and Hastings.

Held in partnership with Skills Ontario, the camp gives participants a chance to learn by doing inside Fleming's Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre. Throughout the week, students will take part in hands-on activities in construction, plumbing, electrical, welding, arboriculture, fish and wildlife, blasting, heavy equipment and hairstyling while using industry tools and materials to build projects they can take home.

The experience extends beyond Peterborough, with campers travelling to Fleming's Frost Campus in Lindsay on August 11th to explore environmental and natural resources programs through outdoor activities.

Students will also get to experience the Skills Ontario Trades & Tech Truck when it visits the Sutherland Campus on August 13th. The mobile learning unit features interactive simulators and activities designed to introduce youth to a variety of skilled trades and technologies.

The week wraps up on August 14th with a parent showcase, giving families an opportunity to tour the facilities, see the projects students created and celebrate everything they learned during the camp.

The summer camp is part of Skills Ontario's province-wide initiative to introduce young people to skilled trades and technical careers while helping address Ontario's growing demand for skilled workers.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Peterborough Humane Society Golf Tournament Raises More Than $21K for Local Animals

By Scott Arnold

More than 130 golfers hit the links at Quarry Golf Club last month, helping raise more than $21,000 to support the Peterborough Humane Society's work caring for animals in the community.

Over 130 people came together for a day that included a silent auction, a live auction, and a full course of golf under beautiful summer weather, all in support of the people and pets served by PHS (photo courtesy of the peterborough humane society)

The Peterborough Humane Society's second annual golf tournament took place on July 23rd and surpassed the success of its inaugural event, attracting more golfers, more sponsors and raising even more money for local animals.

The day featured 18 holes of golf, as well as silent and live auctions, with participants enjoying ideal summer weather while supporting the organization's mission.

In total, the event raised more than $21,000, with support from presenting sponsor Darling Insurance, along with Nexicom, Fox Law, One Fine Food, Conlin Premier Construction Inc., the Sheraton Centre Toronto, Le Centre Sheraton Montreal, Boston Pizza Peterborough and many other sponsors and donors.

"Any opportunity to enjoy perfect weather with our wonderful supporters while talking about our mission and raising funds is a good day," said PHS CEO Shawn Morey. "Thank you to everyone who came out, golfed, sponsored, and gave so generously. This community never stops showing up for animals in need, and we're already looking forward to next year."

Following another successful tournament, the Peterborough Humane Society has already announced the event will return to Quarry Golf Club on Thursday, July 22nd, 2027.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Volunteers Needed to Plant 500 Native Trees at Heritage Park This Fall

By Scott Arnold

Peterborough residents are being invited to help grow the city's urban forest by planting approximately 500 native trees during this year's Trees 4 Peterborough Community Tree Planting Event.

Trees 4 Peterborough brings together community partners, volunteers and local organizations to help expand Peterborough's urban forest and create healthier, greener neighbourhoods (photo by scott arnold)

The annual event takes place on Saturday, September 26th, beginning at 10am at Heritage Park, located at 560 Settlers Ridge.

Volunteers will help plant native trees along Riverview Creek, expanding tree cover in the park while supporting Peterborough's ongoing efforts to create a healthier and greener urban forest.

Trees 4 Peterborough is a community initiative that brings together residents, local organizations and businesses to plant trees in parks and public spaces across the city.

The event is being coordinated by Peterborough GreenUP with support from RBC Wealth Management. Additional support is being provided by The Excelsior Group, East Side Mario's and Merrett Home Hardware.

Residents of all ages are encouraged to take part. Anyone interested in volunteering can register in advance through the City of Peterborough's website.

The community tree planting event will take place rain or shine.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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