AAAA Senior: Gaels Clinch OFSAA Berth; Rens Rally Past Eagles in OT

Photo by Sean Allen / Brant News

Sure, it's only 4 teams this year, but what the CWOSSA AAAA senior tournament lacked in participants it made up for in excitement on Saturday afternoon and evening in Brantford.

It started with the Grand River Renegades rallying from a 6-point deficit with under one minute to play to force overtime against the St. Mary's Eagles, where the Rens would pull out a 71-68 victory.

Chuder Teny (30) and Ahamed Ali (17) led the Renegades, while Tyrick Thompson had 27 and Tesloth Simon 17 for St. Mary's.

In the other first-round game, the JF Ross Royals lost Ryan Stulp to an ankle injury in the first quarter of their game against Cameron Heights, but hung with the Golden Gaels before falling 55-48.

With the new format, first-round losers would play each other (in an elimination game) with the winner advancing to the semifinal.  First round winners would also play each other, with the winner advancing to the final and the loser assuming a spot in the semifinal.

In the elimination game, St. Mary's jumped out to a 34-17 lead at halftime against JF Ross and didn't look back, posting a 66-43 win.  Tesloth Simon (16) and Tyrick Thompson (14) paced the way for St. Mary's, while Kristian Vande Kemp had 20 for JF Ross.

The game for an OFSAA berth was a rematch of the WCSSAA finals (CHCI vs. GRCI) played just three days prior.

Just like the WCSSAA final, both teams traded blows, with the Rens striking first.  They used an 8-0 run to start the 2nd quarter en route to a 30-24 halftime lead, only to see Cameron Heights use an 8-0 run of their own in the 3rd quarter to tie things up at 41-41 --- ironically, the same score that the WCSSAA final was after three quarters --- heading to the 4th.

With the score 54-49 and just under one minute left in the game, Grand River coach Tolly Henderson picked up a second technical foul and was ejected from the game.  With no assistant coach to replace him on the bench, Grand River was forced to forfeit.

With the win, Cameron Heights secures a spot in "AAAA" OFSAA next month as well as a berth in Monday night's CWOSSA final (7pm at Assumption College in Brantford).

Grand River will take on St. Mary's (noon today) for the other OFSAA berth and a shot at a CWOSSA title.