The Independent

Alvinston’s Hayden Duncan came off the bench to stop 13 of 14 shots Saturday to lead the Newmarket Hurricanes to a 5-4 win over the Markham Royals in OJHL action. Duncan is now 2-0 with his new team. He was dealt to the Hurricanes last week from the Collingwood Blues. He was 7-2-1 with the Blues with a goal-against average of 1.97 and a .929 save percentage. He won 28 games over two seasons with the Strathroy Rockets before moving to the OJHL.

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The LCCVI senior boys volleyball team improved to 3-2 with a sweep of North Lambton Oct. 16. The scores were 25-16, 25-14. The Forest school flipped the script in the junior match beating the Lancers 25-16, 25-16. Both teams are now 3-4 on the season. John McGregor remained undefeated in junior and senior play sweeping both LCCVI teams 25-9, 25-13 Oct. 14. Meanwhile, Wallaceburg’s junior team won its first match of the season beating North Lambton in three sets, 23-25, 25-19 and 16-14. The Tartans are now 1-6.

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LCCVI’s football team spent its bye week preparing to take on Ursuline College. That game is Thursday in Petrolia. Kick-off is at 4:00 pm.

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St. Patrick’s improved to 4-0 in LKSSAA senior boys high school football with a 15-14 win over Northern on Irish homecoming weekend before a packed house at Norm Perry Park Friday. The crowd was the largest of the season at Sarnia’s premier football field and some estimated it was the largest in several years if not decades.

As part of the homecoming ceremony, the Irish celebrated the 1993 Metro Bowl champion from St. Patrick’s. The ‘93 team was inducted into the Sarnia-Lambton Sports Hall of Fame. The Irish juniors got the party rolling on the weekend with a 35-19 victory over Toronto’s St. Mike’s College.

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North Lambton and St. Patrick’s both remained unbeaten in senior girls’ high school basketball with wins Oct. 15. The Eagles defeated John McGregor, 65-31 to improve to 7-0 and the Irish won its sixth straight beating Great Lakes, 65-31.

Alexis Wice led North Lambton in its victory with 20 points while Ally Rops and Lily Heynsbergen added 15 and 14 points. Taya Willemsen led the Irish with 15 points and Averie Fines added 11.

Elsewhere, LCCVI was cited for its great defense in beating Wallaceburg, 36-17. The Lancers are now 4-3. In junior play, LCCVI improved to 7-0 with a 45-29 win over Wallaceburg and North Lambton downed John McGregor, 35-18 to up its record to 5-2. Kylie Bork led the Eagles with 14 points. Elsewhere, St. Patrick’s downed Great Lakes, 39-8. 

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The Greater Ontario Hockey League wants to hear from those interested in acquiring a Junior B hockey franchise. The league will be expanding for next season, according to a post on the league website.

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The Lambton Lions baseball season has come to end with a 12-5 loss to London’s Fanshawe College Falcons in the third-place game at the OCAA baseball tournament in Windsor Saturday.

Trailing 7-5, Lambton left the bases loaded in the fifth inning before Fanshawe scored five times in the seventh to seal the deal and advance to the gold medal games against St. Clair.

Wes Brooks and Luke Murray had two hits each to lead Lambton’s six-hit attack. Demarius Shepherd hit a two-run shot for his first home run of the season and also drew a bases load walk for his third RBI of the game for the Lions. Lambton lost its opener Friday, 12-6 to St. Clair and then stayed alive with a 4-3 win over Durham later in the day. Wes Brooks walked off the game against the Lords in the bottom of the seventh – one of three hits on the afternoon. Jeryn Shortt threw 125 pitches for his fifth win of the season. After capturing the regular season banner, Lambton went 1-2 in the championship tournament and finished 13-8 overall.

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Sarnia’s Logan Buntrock is the OCAA baseball player of the year for 2025. The speedy outfielder led the province in hits, runs scored and stolen bases this season while hitting .443. He was also chosen to the first all-star team along with Lions teammates Myles Adamson, Wes Brooks, Kale Murray and Jeryn Shortt. Adamson and Shortt were both named to the all-rookie team. Shortt was the rookie of the year with four wins, two saves and a 0.90 ERA, Adamson won the batting crown at .444 and Al Bezaire was chosen as coach of the year.

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Sarnia’s first two picks in the OHL Priority Selection in April have both been invited to play for Team Canada White at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge next month in Nova Scotia. Brenner Lammens and Kaden Aucoin are joined on the roster by Sarnia’s Matthew Henderson of the Kingston Frontenacs. Dylan Seca of the Sting is the Team Canada White director of operations. The Canadian Red team roster includes Corunna’s John McLaughlin of the Windsor Spitfires. Sweden, Finland, the United States and Czechia will also participate in the week-long tournament beginning on Nov. 2.