The Chronicle

SPORTS

November 5, 2013

33

Time to focus on next season
6HDQ2·/HDU\
The Chronicle
The UOIT Ridgebacks men’s
varsity golf team wrapped up
their season in the OUA Championships at Grey Silo Golf Club
2FW  ¿QLVKLQJ D GLVDSpointing 13th out of 15 teams.
From the start of the year, placing in the top 10 at the OUAs
was their goal, but the team
suffered a major setback when
James Krantz, the top golfer on
the team, was unable to attend
the tournament due to exam
FRQÀLFWV
“We had higher expectations
this year, it’s fairly disappointing,” said assistant coach Jake
Patte. He also added that he
expected a lower team score
at Grey Silo, where they shot
a school record 293 two weeks
before OUAs.
Although the season ended
in a disappointing fashion,
Patte says there are still many
positives to take away from the
season. Statistically, the Ridgebacks were a better team than
they were last year and they
developed solid young players
to build a future around, including Kevin Jovanov, the last
player to make the team but

one of the best throughout the
season,
Apart from stats and performances, Patte admires the
chemistry the team has formed.
“The guys are getting along real
well. It is one of the most positive aspects of this team,” he
said.
The players agree the bond
formed among the team is a
special one, according to Josh
Harrop, a rookie on the team
who struggled individually, but
was happy with the chemistry
of the squad.
“I am very pleased with the
bonds formed between not only
the players but also the coaches,” said Harrop. “We have a
group of guys that know how
to have fun, play well and when
it’s time to get down to business, the team is dedicated to
improving each round.”
Harrop mentioned how the
coaching staff has helped the
team. “Our coaches put in all
the effort we need to get the
most out of our game,” he said.
Now that the season is over
it is time to focus on next year,
which will be a big one for UOIT
golf. Patte said the coaches will
continue to try and recruit new
players through their ties at Os-

hawa Golf Club, and continue
to work with the current players to grow into a better team.
Patte knows the team is not
quite where it wants to be but is
“continuing to progress, grow
and get better.”
The team should not lose
any players for next year so
the chemistry will remain the
same, providing a major boost
for when the Ridgebacks host
the OUA Championships at
Oshawa Golf Club, the home
course of the coaches and many
players on the team.
Hosting the OUAs will be the
focus all season next year, as
WHDPDLPVWR¿QLVKLQWKHWRS
to qualify for Nationals, the ultimate goal, according to Patte.
A better showing at OUAs is
essential after not performing
how they wanted to this year.
Players are excited for a
bounce-back season and to
host OUAs, especially Harrop,
who was disappointed in his
inconsistent play in his rookie
VHDVRQ ³:H GLGQ¶W ¿QLVK DV
strong as we wanted to but with
all the rookies we have, the way
I see it, we can only improve
from this point on,” he said.
“We all can’t wait to host OUAs
at our home course next year.”

Athletic Department Photo

',$/,1*,1.HYLQ-RYDQRYURRNLHRQWKHPHQ·VJROI
WHDPJHWVDFORVHUORRNDWWKHJUHHQWROLQHXSDSXWWDWWKH
28$&KDPSLRQVKLSVLQ:DWHUORR-RYDQRYVKRWWKHORZHVW
VFRUHRQWKHWHDPIRUWKHWRXUQDPHQW

DC Lords win silver Men’s hockey
-RH/H%RXWKLOOLHU

DIWHU¿JKWLQJZLWKDOOWKHLU
strength.
The Chronicle
McQuillen and Norris were
The Durham Lords men’s both named all-stars of the
baseball team, which went 2-2 playoffs.
“It was a big win,” said Mcin the playoffs, earned a silver
medal in the OCAA playoffs af- Quillen. “It felt great. To lose
ter faltering in the gold medal WKH¿UVWJDPHDQGWKHQZLQWKH
game against the St. Clair NQRFNRXW JDPH ZDV WKH ELJ ¿6DLQWV7KH¿QDOVFRUH ZDV  nal punch.”
“We were ranked lower than
for the Saints. “We weren’t able
to do what we needed to. It was
a tough loss,” said Lords pitcher Ryan Norris.
7KH /RUGV ORVW WKHLU ¿UVW
It felt great. To lose
game of the playoffs to the
the first game and
Humber Hawks 14-4.
then win the knockout
“We had a few errors and,
game was the big final
unfortunately, we couldn’t help
>1RUULV@´ VDLG /RUGV RXW¿HOGpunch.
er Aaron McQuillen. “Coach
[Dempster] has been telling
us all year, ‘execute, execute,
Aaron McQuillen
execute’, and when you get the
chance for an easy out make
[the Hawks] going into that
sure you get it.”
The Lords bounced back in game so, to me, it felt like an
their next game to defeat the upset,” said Norris. “It felt like
George Brown Huskies 9-3. we were the underdogs.”
With their season over and
With the win over the Huskies, the Lords advanced to the a silver medal to prove it, Norbronze medal game against the ris, McQuillen and the team are
Hawks for their second meet- looking forward to next season.
McQuillen, an Advanced
ing of the playoffs. The only
difference between two games Law Enforcement and Inveswas this was a do-or-die situa- tigations student, is uncertain
tion. The Lords won the game about next year.

‘

’

“My program is done for
this year, but I’d love to come
back,” McQuillen said. “If I can,
I will.”
If it so happens that McQuillen does not return to the team
next year, he said he plans on
bridging his program to UOIT
for criminology but he’s not fully certain that that’s the plan.
“Career-wise the smarter
move would be to move on and
WU\WREHFRPHDSROLFHRI¿FHU´
McQuillen explained.
Norris is looking to come
back next year. He said he’s trying to get better velocity on his
fastball and he wants to focus
on his pitching location.
“I’m going to continue working on my changeup, and hopefully I’ll be able to throw it in a
game next season,” he said.
And thanks to former Lords
baseball player Shaun Slemko,
Norris will be able to do so.
Slemko has put together an offseason training program at the
FLEX centre.
McQuillen and Norris were
both named all-stars.
Also, McQuillen was one of
two players in the OCAA to be
QDPHG WR WKH &,%$¶V ¿UVW DOO
star team.
“It’s a huge honour,” McQuillen said.

falls to Lakers

6KDQH0DF'RQDOG

goals after 40 minutes to
make it 7-3 as they headed to
the locker room.
UOIT goaltender Colin
The men’s UOIT Ridgebacks hockey team lost out Dzijacky was pulled in the
on two points on the road in second period after letting in
four goals on 14 shots but his
Nipissing Oct. 26
The Ridgebacks, with a replacement, Jacob Rattie,
record of 2-4-1 in regulation, could not turn it around for
left Laurentian University on the Ridgebacks either. Rattie
a good note – defeating the let in three goals on 20 shots
Voyageurs 5-4 in their home while Lakers goaltender,
opener – only to lose to the Kirk Rafuse, stopped 22 of
Nipissing Lakers the next 27 shots for Nipissing.
Ridgebacks
continued
day 8-5.
The Ridgebacks lost con- their road trip at Queen’s
trol of the game in the sec- University Nov. 2 and return
RQGDVWKH/DNHUVVFRUHG¿YH home to face Ryerson Nov. 9.
The Chronicle

UOIT Ridgebacks record
Date

Score

Opponent

Sept. 28
Oct. 3
Oct. 5
Oct. 9
Oct. 10
Oct. 25
Oct. 26
Nov. 2
Nov. 7

W9-1
L3-2
L3-2
L3-2
L3-2
W5-4
L8-5
TBD
TBD

Ryerson
Brock
York
Concordia
Waterloo
Laurentian
Nipissing
Queen’s
Ryerson