Page 24 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 4

24 sportsenergynews.com

Rothwell-Osnabruck: Small School Wins Big

We are the champions! The Rothwell-Osnabruck Lancers celebrate after winning the championship in the tournament they hosted October
19-20. From left to right: Front Row: Kenzie Bergeron, Emilie Lamarche Second Row: Carley Hutchinson, Shayla Kroeze, Tricia
Alguire, Calla Legue Third Row: Kebbie Brown, Fourth Row: Bob Thompson (Coach), Kassie Karelse, Carly McPhail, Megan Andre,
Stéphane St Denis (Coach) Photo supplied by Jennifer and Paul MacIsaac

By Terry Tinkess Joseph’s Panthers 54-39. The says Thompson, “and the reason wouldn’t have the same degree of
Lancers advanced to the finals by they are so good is that a couple of success.”
The students at Rothwell- winning twice in the preliminary them played for the Cornwall Lions
Osnabruck school in Ingleside can round (59-6 over Thousand Islands team last year that finished third in It is also a matter of getting players
quite literally walk in the door at one Secondary School (TISS) and 57- the province and there are five of interested early, and then keeping
end of the school when they begin 22 over Cornwall Collegiate and them that have played in the Upper them interested throughout their
junior kindergarten and walk out Vocational School (CCVS)). They Canada Ice program. They have a lot high school years. “We definitely
another door at the other end of the then defeated École Secondaire La of experience.” work hard at getting them interested
building when they graduate from Citadelle (ESLC) 49-33 in a semi- in grade nine,” says St. Denis. “They
high school, never having had to go final matchup. St. Denis agrees that playing may not come out to tryouts initially,
to school anywhere else. They are, to all winter together makes a huge but we know them from gym class
Emilie Lamarche (RO) led all difference, but he says it is more than and see them in the hall and ask if
say the least, a small school, but that
scorers with 62 points. that. “They enjoy playing, they want they would be interested in coming
doesn’t stop them from competing
against much larger schools with far According to the team’s two to be in the gym,” says St. Denis. out for the team.”
more students. coaches, Bob Thompson and “They practice three times a week Having a successful program
Stéphane St Denis, the secret to the and then go to tournaments on the would seem to make that task easier.
The junior girls Lancer basketball weekends. They go to tournaments,
team’s success isn’t really a secret. Success breeds success and the results
team recently won the tournament but if they didn’t want to go, we
they hosted, defeating the St. “They’re a pretty good team,” speak for themselves. You don’t have
to be big, to do big things.