Image
File Photo
Marty Leeson, seen above, will be one of the first inductees into the Bluewater Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Six LCCVI Alumni inducted into new Bluewater Wrestling Hall of Fame

May 15, 2026

Heather Wright/The Independent

Six LCCVI alumni are among the first inductees to the Sarnia Bluewater Wrestling Hall of Fame.

The club inducted Marty Leeson, Gary Brown, Pat Daley posthumously, Stephanie Szmiett, Katie Woodfinden and Kyle Bershatsky during a gala May 9.

Leeson, who led LCCVI’s wrestling program for decades, was inducted in the builders category. He came home from Western and founded a club to help local wrestlers to the Ontario Summer games in Windsor.

Brown and Dale were inducted in the athlete category. Both won double gold at the Ontario championships in 1974 and 1975. LCCVI was second over all at OFSAA in 1975.

Also inducted were former LCCVI wrestlers Szmiett, who also wrestled with East Lambton won OFSAA bronze, silver and three golds and was on the team that won the first FSAA Women’s Team title. She also won a national silver and three national championships.

Woodfinden won OFSAA gold twice and earned a Canadian Championship.

Also induct was Kyle Bershatsky who won silver at OFSAA and then second at the Canadian University championships.

LCCVI is the only school with three OFSAA championships. The Petrolia school also place second or third six other times.

Share This

Image
Front Page

Four charged with drug trafficking by Anishinabek Police after stop in Lambton Shores

July 24, 2026

The Independent Four people have been arrested after a drug trafficking investigation that started in May and ended with a traffic stop in Lambton Shores July 21. Anishinabek Police Service officers stopped a vehicle in Lambton Shores July 21. Police searched the vehicle and found seven grams of fentanyl and 51 hydromorphone tables. A 57-year-old man and 43 year-old woman,

Read More

Image
Front Page

Bluewater Bridge border guards seized 1.1 tonnes of drugs in $139 million bust

July 24, 2026

Heather Wright/The Independent About 1.1 tonnes of the drugs seized in a $139 million drug investigation were seized at the Bluewater Bridge. And a Corunna man is one of 21 people charged in the massive drug ring which netted a total of 1.7 tonnes of cocaine, methamphetamine, opium and oxycodone. The investigation began in Windsor in January 2025. “At that

Read More

Image
Front Page

Ashley Norton Caught the Ace

July 24, 2026

Imperial Oil employee takes home $4.5 million in Sarnia Legion Cathy Dobson & Heather Wright/The Independent After 45 weeks, hundreds of thousands of tickets sold, food banks restocked and a whole lot of fun, the Chase for the Ace is over. Thursday, Ashley Norton’s ticket was drawn at the Sarnia Legion. The 44-year-old Imperial Oil maintenance manager chose envelope number

Read More

Image
Front Page

Oil Springs Youth Centre may be OPPs remote workplace

July 23, 2026

Blake Ellis/The Independent A request from the Lambton OPP for a secure, remote workplace has led the Oil Springs council to suggest the OPP use the youth centre in the village. The suggestion was made at the July 14 council meeting, when council reviewed the request from Lambton OPP Operational Support Sergeant Michael Marsh. “I like the idea because they’re

Read More