February 11, 2023...WELLAND - The Niagara Knights curling team wrapped up the 2023 OCAA Curling Championships with two silver medals after the three-day bonspiel hosted by Niagara College.
After going 4-1 in round-robin play, Niagara's mixed doubles team (1) made up of Claire Randell and Nick Lemieux went head-to-head with the Humber Hawks, who also finished 4-1 in round robin. Humber avenged an earlier loss on Thursday to the Niagara-1 duo in the gold medal game, scoring two in the final end to win 8-7. Niagara-1 had won the previous meeting by the same score in extra ends. Both teams finished with identical 4-1 records in the round robin, as both proved to be worthy adversaries throughout the competition. Niagara previously won gold in 2019-20, when mixed doubles pair Ben Jones and McKenna McGovern captured the college's first mixed doubles medal.
Niagara also suffered a heartbreaker on the women's side settling for silver for the second year in a row against the now three-time champion Humber Hawks. Niagara went 5-0 in the tournament before meeting Humber in the gold medal final Saturday afternoon where they lost 5-2.
Niagara's mixed doubles team (2) of Amy Danen and Matthew Brenneman finished the tournament at 1-4 and took home the tournament's Hap Holman Fair Play Award.
Melissa Borowski and Alexa Desrochers earned OCAA First Team All-Star status, while Emma Hill and Amelia Bender were named to OCAA Second Team All-Stars on the women's side.
Nick Lemieux was named an OCAA Second Team All-Star for mixed doubles.
The women will head to CCAA Nationals in Sudbury March 15-19th. Currently the CCAA does not have a nationals tournament for mixed doubles competition.
2023 OCAA CURLING AWARDS
OCAA Curling Medalists
Men
Gold: Mohawk Mountaineers
Silver: Humber Hawks
Bronze: Sault Cougars
Women
Gold: Humber Hawks
Silver: Niagara Knights
Bronze: Fanshawe Falcons
Mixed Doubles
Gold: Humber Hawks
Silver: Niagara Knights-1
Bronze: Mohawk Mountaineers
OCAA Curling Championship MVPs
Men: Jacob Jones, Mohawk
Women: Meaghan Mallett, Humber
OCAA Curling Coaches of the Year
Men: Betty Calic, Mohawk
Women: Sean Turriff, Humber
Mixed Doubles: Brittany Elson, Humber
OCAA Curling Fair Play Awards
Men's Fair Play (dedicated to Ron Fearon): Kapish Kaushal, Fanshawe
Women's Fair Play (dedicated to Vern Dow): Ileana Ramirez Aguilar, Sault
Mixed Doubles Fair Play (dedicated to Hap Holman): Matthew Brenneman & Amy Danen, Niagara
OCAA Curling Championship Men's First-Team All-Stars
Skip: Jacob Jones, Mohawk
Vice: Noah Garner, Humber
Second: Joel Matthews, Mohawk
Lead: Liam Little, Mohawk
OCAA Curling Championship Men's Second-Team All-Stars
Skip: Jacob Dobson, Humber
Vice: Eric Just, Mohawk
Second: Charles Darling, Sault
Lead: Avery Berry, Sault
OCAA Curling Championship Women's First-Team All-Stars
Skip: Melissa Borowski, Niagara
Vice: Alexa Desrochers, Niagara
Second: Jessica Byers, Humber
Lead: Emma Rebel, Humber
OCAA Curling Championship Women's Second-Team All-Stars
Skip: Meaghan Mallett, Humber
Vice: Parker Doig, Humber
Second: Amelia Bender, Niagara
Lead: Emma Hill, Niagara
OCAA Curling Championship Mixed Doubles First-Team All-Stars
Men: Kevin Genjaga, Humber
Women: Sierra Hardwick, Humber
OCAA Curling Championship Mixed Doubles Second-Team All-Stars
Men: Nick Lemieux, Niagara
Women: Ashley Verhees, Mohawk