ETC
12- SPORTS
MARCH 21, 2024
Hawks among Canada’s best college athletes David Lynch
Sports Reporter The Humber Hawks winter sports teams had much to celebrate this season with four Ontario championships and a national title. The Hawks also had five players named to an All-Canadian or tournament All-Star team. On the way to the National Championships, the men’s curling team had two athletes named to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) tournament all-star team. Lead Matthew Abrams and third Kevin Genjaga were named to the second all-star team. But, assistant coach Zack Shurtleff said the honours say more about the team than just those two players. “It takes a whole bunch, all four players to be playing really well and have success,” he said. “It’s been fantastic to see those guys because it is not just a one-player team.” Along with the two men’s players, women’s team lead Kyrsten Elson was named a second-team all-star on their way to the national bronze.
Shurtleff said it was a great honour for Elson, especially as a first-year player facing many talented athletes. “Especially as a first-year athlete, knowing that we’re going to get them for multiple years, that’s going to allow them to progress their playing careers for so much longer,” he said. “She had a great week and it was against a tough field as well.” Humber’s dominant women’s volleyball team had one player named to the All-Canadian team, for their performance all season. Erika Dodd was named an All-Canadian and said getting recognized out of all the players was special. “It really shows me and gives me more confidence each time that I’m playing well, and that people are noticing that,” she said. Head coach Chris Wilkins said the team recognizes how great she is, and how much effort she puts into her play. “Well, I think the team, they look at her as a leader, and it’s nice to see how much work she puts in.” Dodd’s season was cut short by an ACL injury in the playoffs, but
COURTESY OF MOUNT ALLISON ATHLETICS
Hawks point guard Jalen Menzies was among the five Humber athletes named to All-Canadian or tournament all-star team this past season.
she said she was able to act like another coach to her teammates. “I kind of accepted the fact that I was out and tried to support my team the best I could from the sidelines,” she said. The team made it to the CCAA bronze medal match, losing to Lionel-Groulx in four sets. The Humber men’s basketball team, which won the OCAA title and a bronze medal at the CCAA
championships, had point guard Jalen Menzies named an All-Canadian. Head Coach Omar Miles said Menzies earned the honour, but it wouldn’t be possible without the strong team behind him. “I thought we won enough games and did enough good things as a team, where we were highlighted for individual success as well,” he said.
Menzies said his teammates seeing him win this award gave them more motivation to try and win it. “I know that them seeing me win, it has encouraged them to make this one of their goals,” he said. Menzies said he’s not stopping here. Coming back for another season, he said he’ll work hard to get back to this spot. “I’m gonna work hard during the summer to get better, work on my game, and hopefully I’ll be able to accomplish it again next year,” he said. But with both Menzies and his teammates looking for the honour, he said there may be a bit of a competition forming. But if another teammate is named to the All-Canadian team, Menzies says he’d still be excited. “If it’s me or anyone else on the team, if we were able to win the All-Canadian award, I’d be just as happy for them as I know they are for me,” he said. With all the winter sports over, Humber Athletics will turn its attention to the next sports season.
Hawks top Mountaineers, claim CCAA gold Nicholas Endrizzi Sports Reporter
The Humber Hawks men’s curling team are national champions. The Hawks defeated the Mohawk Mountaineers in the championship match held in Fredericton, N.B. The match was a nail-biting, back-and-forth affair that saw the Hawks win by one after blowing an early three-point lead. The score was tied heading into the end, but the Hawks used the hammer to their advantage to deliver the game-winning shot, capturing a 7-6 victory. Head coach Sean Turriff said the victory took a whole team effort, especially against the Mountaineers team that had defeated them in three straight provincial finals. He said the attention to detail from every player had to be there throughout the match. “Sure, our skip had to make that final shot, but it wasn’t easy. All four players had to contribute to make that shot. And they did,” Turriff said. He said he had plenty of faith that his team would elevate their game when it mattered most because of their extensive preparation process.
CURLING CANADA/ROB BLANCHARD
Hawks men’s curling defeated Mohawk in thrilling fashion, with a 7-6 win in the CCAA Championship match.
He said that goes back to last summer when the team travelled to Scotland to compete in the European Super Series. Turriff said the experience served them well, knowing they were likely to face Mohawk in the national final. “It just seems like these guys, when it really matters, that’s when we pull it out,” Turriff said.
Matthew Abrams, a thirdyear second, said the loss against Mohawk in the provincial final was the lone point of adversity in an otherwise successful season. He said the loss left a sour taste in the team’s mouth and left them determined to ensure it wouldn’t happen again. “I think we used that as fuel for
the fire to make us work harder and practice together more to get us prepared for that national title,” Abrams said. He said that as a result, the team grew together and began to understand the high level of play it would take to reach that point. Jacob Dobson, a third-year skip, echoed the same sentiments
but also said the coaching staff as a whole was integral to the team’s success during the gold medal game. He said assistant coach Zack Shurtleff worked tirelessly with the team, bringing his wealth of knowledge and experience at the Olympic level to the table. Dobson said that because Shurtleff experienced plenty on the winning and losing sides of curling, he was able to relate to his players and serve as a great role model for them. “He was really helpful in helping us control our emotions and have a safe focus, just making sure we were ready to go for the big game,” he said. Turriff said the championship is another huge victory for the program, which has been very successful since he took over. While he deflected the credit away from himself, Turriff said he felt the most happy for the players. “For me, it’s really satisfying to see the work and sacrifices pay off for them. That’s what fulfils me,” he said. The win gave Humber their second straight CCAA championship and their third since 2016.