First Team All-Ontario

 

C Eric Cunningham, Tecumseh .454/.545/.598/1.143, 1 HR, 34 RBI

1B Matt Lahn, Milton .412/.510/.622/1.132, 2 HR, 48 RBI, 15 2B, 23 BB

2B Keegan Murphy, Brampton .430/.500/.533/1.033, 1 HR, 25 RBI, 11 SB

3B Justin Randall, Sarnia .432/.497/.744/1.241, 6 HR, 48 RBI, 17 SB, 17 2B

SS Jordan Grant, Niagara .350/.469/.542/1.011, 3 HR, 30 RBI, 12 2B, 24 BB

OF Julian Service, Sarnia .504/.613/.940/1.554, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 15 2B, 23 BB, 13 SB

OF Alex Thrower, Etobicoke .432/.506/.446/.952, 18 RBI, 60 H, 32 SB

OF Mike Damchuk, Sarnia .330/.424/.604/1.028, 5 HR, 30 RBI, 14 2B, 17 BB

DH Chris Novia, Erindale .402/.503/.721/1.225, 11 HR, 47 RBI, 24 BB, 49 H, 44 R

RHP Joel Pierce, Tecumseh 9-2, 2.10 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 64.1 IP, 50 H, 18 BB, 16 R, 15 ER, 56 K

LHP Steve Teno, Windsor 7-1, 1 SV, 0.90 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 60 IP, 44 H, 19 BB, 14 R, 6 ER, 63 K

RP Quinn Cumming, East York 18 GP, 0.72 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 0 GS, 6 SV, 25 IP, 12 H, 12 BB, 2 R, 2 ER, 33 K

 

 

Cunningham rebounded from a subpar season for his standards and had a big year for the Thunder. This is his third all-star nod; he was a 2014 third teamer in the OF and a 2015 first teamer at C. Lahn returned to Milton and promptly made his third team. He was a 2014 2^nd team DH and a 2015 2^nd team 1B. He tied for the province lead in RBI and added 15 doubles. Murphy had a tremendous season for the Royals and helped shore up their infield defence. Randall – the former pro – is one of the best hitters in the province, and showed it with some big numbers. Grant falls somewhat under the radar at the SS position, and he finally cracks his first list. His great season also resulted in his addition by the Twins for the Nationals. Service is one of the best players in Ontario, and his talent was on full display with some insane numbers in 2017. Thrower impacted games in many ways for the Rangers, finishing second in the province in H, and second in SB while finishing in the top ten in AVG and OBP. Damchuk showed that he’s not just a big arm on the mound; he’s also a middle of the order big bat for Sarnia. This is second all-star nod and his first as a hitter. Novia is arguably the biggest and most consistent power threat senior baseball has seen. He wins himself another HR crown. He makes his seventh all-star team in a row (2011 1^st team DH, 2012 1^st team DH, 2013 1^st team DH, 2014 1^st team DH, 2015 3^rd team DH, 2016 1^st team DH). There might be some guys around with slightly better numbers than Pierce, but he gets his second straight first-team nod after putting up some big wins (Stars twice, Selects, Twins, Sarnia, Strathroy). Teno as a first-team all-star is the easiest thing to pencil in every year. This might be the best season yet from the now seven-time all-star (2010 1^st team LHP, 2011 3^rd team LHP, 2012 2^nd team LHP, 2014 2^nd team LHP, 2015 1^st team LHP, 2016 1^st team LHP). Cumming was about as automatic as it gets for East York. He closed out a lot of big games for them.

 

 

 

Second Team All-Ontario

 

C Marco DiRoma, Brampton .390/.483/.577/1.061, 4 HR, 36 RBI, 48 H, 22 SB

1B Drew Roberts, East York .355/.474/.677/1.151, 8 HR, 28 RBI

2B McKenzie Maxwell, Sarnia .395/.480/.492/.972, 2 HR, 39 RBI, 18 BB

3B Sean Molony, Pickering .418/.451/.574/1.025, 3 HR, 44 RBI, 59 H, 11 2B, 19 SB

SS Jamie Smith, Mississauga SW .415/.479/.523/1.003, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 14 SB

OF Kyle Moloney, Windsor .333/.411/.562/.973, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 7 SB

OF Jay Woodford, Erindale .348/.376/.631/1.007, 10 HR, 44 RBI, 10 2B

OF Danny Beaver, Niagara .466/.500/.685/1.185, 14 RBI, 15 SB

DH Joe Ferreira, Brampton .416/.531/.753/1.284, 4 HR, 31 RBI, 12 2B

RHP Nick Baljeu, Sarnia 9-0, 1 SV, 2.28 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 71 IP, 48 H, 10 BB, 19 R, 18 ER, 75 K

LHP Anthony Shepherd, Sarnia 8-0, 2.87 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 59.2 IP, 39 H, 28 BB, 26 R, 19 ER, 62 K

RP Kyle Breitner, Etobicoke 22 GP, 5-1, 4 SV, 3.00 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 60 IP, 54 H, 28 BB, 28 R, 20 ER, 75 K

 

 

DiRoma has established himself as the most consistent catcher in the province, and arguably the best. This is his third straight all-star selection (2015 2^nd team C, 2016 3^rd team C). Roberts returned to form this year, after a subpar 2016. He was among the league leaders in HR and OPS. Maxwell was one of the top performers on Sarnia, and earns his first not. Molony has really helped solidify the middle of the Pickering lineup and he finally gets credit for it with his first all-star team. He was one of the leaders in AVG, RBI, H and SB. Smith is the best SS in the province and this is his fourth all-star nod (2011 2^nd team SS, 2013 1^st team SS, 2016 1^st team SS). Moloney put up nice numbers in a league filled with quality pitching and big yards. This is his fourth all-star appearance (2012 2^nd team OF, 2013 1^st team OF, 2014 2^nd team OF). There aren’t many bigger power threats than Woodford, who makes his third all-star team (2013 3^rd team OF, 2016 1^st team OF). Beaver helped propel the Metros from an ordinary team to a threat. They were a different team with him in the lineup. Not only is Ferreira a big part of the Brampton offence, but he makes his third straight all-star team (2015 1^st team DH, 2016 3^rd team DH) while also serving as the Royals’ most reliable SP. Baljeu had a ridiculous season on the hill and deserves every bit of his first all-star selection. Shepherd dominated SWBL teams in 2017 and provided the Braves with a very reliable southpaw arm on the hill. Breitner makes his third all-star team (2014 3^rd team RHP, 2016 1^st team RP) after spending a lot of time navigating through some tough waters late in games, in addition to the dominant starts he had in big games.

 

 

Third Team All-Ontario

 

C Tanner Young-Shultz, Etobicoke .297/.430/.525/.955, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 3 3B, 27 BB, 11 SB

1B Jesse Dynes, Pickering .386/.446/.624/1.070, 4 HR, 27 RBI (2010 3^rd team 1B, 2011 1^st team 1B

2B Pip Murray-Smith, Erindale .359/.434/.407/.841, 27 RBI, 38 R, 52 H, 15 SB

3B Ryan Panas, Etobicoke .361/.435/.420/.855, 33 RBI, 26 BB, 61 H, 10 2B

SS Wade Babula, Sarnia .342/.435/.432/.868, 1 HR, 26 RBI, 17 BB, 9 SB

OF Peter Ricciardi, Pickering .389/.479/.522/1.001, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 50 R, 34 SB

OF Daniel Murphy, Etobicoke .379/.444/.510/.954, 2 HR, 39 RBI, 11 2B, 15 SB

OF Alex McLean, Sarnia .435/.558/.638/1.196, 2 HR, 31 RBI, 17 BB

DH AJ Iafrate, Etobicoke .368/.419/.564/.983, 4 HR, 43 RBI, 11 2B

RHP Jake Gallo, East York 4-2, 1.56 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 40.1 IP, 31 H, 7 BB, 9 R, 7 ER, 34 K

LHP Andrew Mullin, Erindale 6-2, 1 SV, 3.58 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 70.1 IP, 70 H, 27 BB, 50 R, 28 ER, 64 K

RP Peter Joseph, Thornhill 18 GP, 3-1, 3 SV, 1.96 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 18.1 IP, 9 H, 10 BB, 6 R, 4 ER, 18 K

 

Young-Shultz makes his first all-star team after a big season overall and great performances in big games. Dynes – the veteran slugger – made his third team and first since 2011, showing how good he’s been for so long. He was a 3^rd team 1B in 2010 and 1^st team 1B in 2011. Murray-Smith had a very solid all-around season for the Cardinals. The versatile infielder was among the league leaders in SB, R, and H. Panas has been a mainstay as an all-star since winning the rookie of the year in 2012. Last year was the only year of his six in senior baseball that he didn’t make one of the teams (2012 1^st team 3B, 2013 1^st team 3B, 2014 2^nd team 3B, 2015 1^st team 3B). The versatile Babula is one of the top two-way players in the province. This is his first all-star nod. Ricciardi was the SB leader in Ontario, but wasn’t just slapping his way on base, as evidence by his 1.001 OPS. Murphy continues to put up solid season after solid season. This is his fifth all-star selection in the last six years (2012 3^rd team OF, 2013 1^st team OF, 2015 3^rd team OF, 2016 2^nd team OF). McLean makes his first all-star team as some Braves are recognized for monster individual and team success. Like Dynes, the veteran Iafrate makes his third team, as well as his first since 2010 (2009 2^nd team 1B, 2010 2^nd team 1B). He has persevered and overcome some serious injuries to continue to remain a threat. On a team filled with good pitchers, Gallo just might be the best of the bunch. No other lefty had more strikeouts than Mullin, who gets his second straight all-star selection (2016 2^nd team LHP). The newcomer Joseph gave the Reds a very reliable arm in the back end of games.

 

 

 

 

MVP - Julian Service, Sarnia .504/.613/.940/1.554, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 15 2B, 23 BB, 13 SB

 

Julian Service spent time playing D1 ball at Southeastern Louisiana, and has been drafted by an MLB team three times, but I’m certain being named the Senior Baseball MVP in 2017 is right up there for him in his long list of baseball accomplishments!! In all seriousness though, one look at Service’s stat line shows how much of a no-brainer this decision was. Not only did Service lead the province in AVG (.504), OBP (.613), SLG (.940), and OPS (1.554), but he was second in HR (10) and fourth in RBI (45), coming very close to capturing a triple-crown. More important than just putting up numbers was the fact that Service helped turn Sarnia from an up-and-coming team to one of the best in the province. The Braves went 38-3 overall, and a lot of that was due to the Service of their star centre fielder. Congrats to Service and the Braves on a season for the ages.

 

Honourable Mention: Justin Randall, Sarnia; Chris Novia, Erindale

 

 

2009: Geoff Cullen, Erindale

2010: Justin Pennell, Thornhill

2011: Evan Baglieri, Niagara

2012: Kevin Mailloux, Windsor

2013: Brett Sanders, Etobicoke

2014: Sean Bignall, Mississauga SW

2015: Paul Lamantia, Tecumseh

2016: Chris Novia, Erindale

 

 

 

PITCHER OF THE YEAR –Steve Teno, Windsor 7-1, 1 SV, 0.90 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 60 IP, 44 H, 19 BB, 14 R, 6 ER, 63 K

 

Steve Teno captures his third Pitcher of the Year award, after winning it in 2010 and in 2015. Teno had arguably his best season on the mound for a Windsor team that really needed his efforts. Teno went 7-1 for one of the best teams in the province, but his value really shows when you realize that their record in all non-Teno decisions was just 16-12. Teno’s seven wins, 1.05 WHIP, 60 IP and 63 K all rank in the top ten in the province, and his 0.90 ERA was a half run better than the next best SP and only a tick below reliever Quinn Cumming. Teno had wins against Tecumseh, the Selects and East York, and the two games his team lost when he pitched were no fault of his own. In a game against the Thunder, he allowed seven runs but just two were earned in six innings. The other loss was against Strathroy, in a game in which he pitched nine innings of two run (one earned) ball. Teno was consistent throughout the season, and helped carry the Stars at times. It was a great year for a great pitcher, and he becomes a well-deserved first three-time recipient of the Pitcher of the Year in Ontario.

 

Honourable Mention: Joel Pierce, Tecumseh; Nick Baljeu, Sarnia.

 

2009: Dane Little, Windsor

2010: Steve Teno, Windsor

2011: Steven Carter, Windsor

2012: John Picco, Windsor

2013: Steven Carter, Windsor

2014: Mitch Kramer, Tecumseh

2015: Steve Teno, Windsor

2016: Joel Pierce, Tecumseh

 

 

 

 

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Alex Thrower, Etobicoke .432/.506/.446/.952, 18 RBI, 60 H, 32 SB

 

Alex Thrower joined the Rangers in 2017 and instantly became an integral part of their offence and defence. The full-time starter at the University of Buffalo (D1) didn’t need any time adjusting to the wood bats and experienced players in senior, and he dominated from day one. Thrower was one of the leaders in the province in AVG and OBP and barely missed leading Ontario in H and SB. Thrower was one of the best performers around by any standard, and not just that of a rookie.

 

Honourable Mention: Keegan Murphy, Brampton; Danny Beaver, Niagara

 

2009: Davey Wallace, Leaside

2010: Sean Cunningham, Oshawa

2011: Ricky Ferri, Niagara

2012: Ryan Panas, Etobicoke

2013: Zack Breault, Tecumseh

2014: Phil Steer, Niagara

2015: Skylar Janisse, Windsor

2016: Josh Appel, Thornhill

 

 

 

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER – Quinn Cumming, East York

 

2016: 5-2, 3 SV, 4.36 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 43.1 IP, 51 H, 33 R, 21 ER, 18 BB, 33 K

2017: 0-0, 6 SV, 0.72 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 25 IP, 12 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 12 BB, 33 K

 

Even though Quinn Cumming was a valuable member of the East York staff last year, he really carved a niche in 2017 and it was the best thing for him and his team. Cumming spent time as a starter and reliever in 2016, and it resulted in mixed results. In 2017, he served strictly as a reliever and he dominated in his role. He led the province with six saves and a 0.72 ERA. He struck out just as many batters as he did in 2016, but he did it in 18.1 less innings. Cumming established himself as the best RP in senior baseball, and he is a worthy recipient of the Most Improved Player award in 2017.

 

Honourable Mention: Drew Roberts, East York; Adam McBride, Etobicoke; Andrew Ziedins, East York.

 

2009: Justin Czorny, St. Catharines

2010: Drew Roberts, Oshawa

2011: Adam Morton, Leaside

2012: Brad Crone, Thornhill

2013: Chris Pittaway, Milton

2014: Rob Blunck, Tecumseh

2015: Sean Sutton, Thornhill

2016: Jay Woodford, Erindale

 

 

 

MANAGER OF THE YEAR – Steve “Whitey” Breitner, Etobicoke Rangers

 

Steve Breitner – the legendary Etobicoke Rangers manager – had one of his finest seasons at the helm in 2017. “Whitey” missed the early part of the season due to health reasons, but when he returned to the third base box, it culminated in a big run for the Rangers. They rode a big winning streak to the top of the COBA standings, and even threw in a big Hap Walters tournament victory this year. They went into Monday at the elims as the lone undefeated team, but had a heart-breaking end to their weekend and just missed their first Nationals berth since 2004. The team then rebounded to capture the COBA playoff title, capping off a great 2017. Congratulations to the legend Breitner and his Etobicoke Rangers.

 

Honourable Mention: James Grant, Sarnia; Jamie Kell, Tecumseh

 

2009: Greg “Bison” Brandes, Leaside

2010: Ron Smith, Windsor

2011: Ron Smith, Windsor

2013: Bob Kulchyk, Mississauga SW

2012: Kerry Hedden, Niagara

2014: Jamie Kell, Tecumseh

2015: Ron Smith, Windsor

2016: Derek Bloomfield, Strathroy

 

 

 

 

1 Tecumseh Thunder

2 Etobicoke Rangers

3 Mississauga SW Twins

4 Sarnia Braves

5 Strathroy Royals

6 Thornhill Reds

7 East York Bulldogs

8 Windsor Stars

9 Pickering Red Sox

10 Erindale Cardinals

 

Honourable Mention:

 

Milton Red Sox

 

Niagara Metros

 

AVG

 

Julian Service, Sarnia .504

Danny Beaver, Niagara .466

Eric Cunningham, Tecumseh .454

Alex McLean, Sarnia .435

Alex Thrower, Etobicoke .432

Justin Randall, Sarnia .432

Keegan Murphy, Brampton .430

Noah Koffman, Leaside .429

Sean Molony, Pickering .418

Joe Ferreira, Brampton .416

 

OBP

 

Julian Service, Sarnia .613

Alex McLean, Sarnia .558

Eric Cunningham, Tecumseh .545

Joe Ferreira, Brampton .531

Jason Schneider, Milton .522

Matt Lahn, Milton .510

Alex Thrower, Etobicoke .506

Chris Novia, Erindale .503

5 tied with .500

 

HR

 

Chris Novia, Erindale 11

Jay Woodford, Erindale 10

Julian Service, Sarnia 10

Drew Roberts, East York 8

Justin Randall, Sarnia 6

Mike Damchuk, Sarnia 5

Jake Gallo, East York 5

Dave Davidson, Niagara 5

Ryan Laird, Niagara 5

8 tied with 4

 

RBI

 

Matt Lahn, Milton 48

Justin Randall, Sarnia 48

Chris Novia, Erindale 47

Julian Service, Sarnia 45

Jay Woodford, Erindale 44

Sean Molony, Pickering 44

AJ Iafrate, Etobicoke 43

Daniel Murphy, Etobicoke 39

McKenzie Maxwell, Sarnia 39

Marco DiRoma, Brampton 36

 

Runs

 

Julian Service, Sarnia 53

Peter Ricciardi, Pickering 50

Justin Randall, Sarnia 47

John DeWolfe, Erindale 46

Daniel Murphy, Etobicoke 45

Chris Novia, Erindale 44

Ryan Panas, Etobicoke 43

Alex Thrower, Etobicoke 42

Eric Cunningham, Tecumseh 39

4 tied with 38

 

 

BB

 

Tanner Young-Shultz, Etobicoke 27

Ryan Panas, Etobicoke 26

Mark Capone, Etobicoke 25

Jordan Grant, Niagara 24

Sean Sutton, Thornhill 24

Casey Boutette, Tecumseh 23

Julian Service, Sarnia 23

Matt Lahn, Milton 23

Brett Medland, Milton 23

Alex Thrower, Etobicoke 22

Jesse Carriere, Tecumseh 22

Peter Ricciardi, Pickering 22

 

SB

 

Peter Ricciardi, Pickering 34

Alex Thrower, Etobicoke 32

Gianfranco Morello, Thornhill 24

Marco DiRoma, Brampton 22

Yannick Rickli, Brampton 21

Sean Molony, Pickering 19

Justin Randall, Sarnia 17

Anthony Buonaiuto, East York 16

Travis Skelton, Leaside 16

Jack Malone, East York 16

 

Hits

 

Ryan Panas, Etobicoke 61

Alex Thrower, Etobicoke 60

Sean Molony, Pickering 59

Julian Service, Sarnia 59

Daniel Murphy, Etobicoke 55

Justin Randall, Sarnia 54

Matt Lahn, Milton 49

Keegan Brandon, Sarnia 49

McKenzie Maxwell, Sarnia 49

Marco DiRoma, Brampton 48

 

OPS

 

Julian Service, Sarnia 1.554

Joe Ferreira, Brampton 1.284

Justin Randall, Sarnia 1.241

Chris Novia, Erindale 1.225

Alex McLean, Sarnia 1.196

Danny Beaver, Niagara 1.185

Drew Roberts, East York 1.151

Matt Lahn, Milton 1.132

Jesse Dynes, Pickering 1.070

Marco DiRoma, Brampton 1.061

 

 

WHIP

 

Nick Baljeu, Sarnia 0.82

Jake Gallo, East York 0.94

Jordan Petruska, Mississauga SW 0.98

Andrew Ziedins, East York 1.00

Wade Babula, Sarnia 1.02

Steve Teno, Windsor 1.05

Joel Pierce, Tecumseh 1.06

Shaun Slemko, Pickering 1.06

Brent Cleland, Etobicoke 1.07

Eric Carducci, Tecumseh 1.11

 

ERA

 

Quinn Cumming, East York 0.72

Steve Teno, Windsor 0.90

Andrew Ziedins, East York 1.46

Jake Gallo, East York 1.56

Wade Babula, Sarnia 1.69

Jordan Petruska, Mississauga SW 1.91

Joel Pierce, Tecumeh 2.10

Nick Baljeu, Sarnia 2.28

Nick Subramaniam, Niagara 2.34

Joe Ferreira, Brampton 2.43

 

 

K/9 IP

 

Bryan Pyper, East York 13.93

Billy Hurley, Mississauga SW 13.38

Tomas Rincon, Mississauga SW 12.77

Mike Damchuk, Sarnia 12.34

Quinn Cumming, East York 11.85

Jeff Gibbs, East York 11.47

Kyle Breitner, Etobicoke 11.25

Dustin Lawson, East York 11.13

Matt Lahn, Milton 10.80

Andrew Ziedins, East York 10.46

 

Wins

 

Adam McBride, Etobicoke 9-0

Nick Baljeu, Sarnia 9-0

Joel Pierce, Tecumseh 9-2

Wade Babula, Sarnia 8-0

Anthony Shepherd, Sarnia 8-0

Mike Damchuk, Sarnia 8-2

Steve Teno, Windsor 7-1

Dylan Perego, Niagara 6-0

Daniel Lehmkuhl, Thornhill 6-1

Andrew Mullin, Erindale 6-2

Mark Cheeseman, Pickering 6-3

 

IP

 

Nick Baljeu, Sarnia 71.0

Andrew Mullin, Erindale 70.1

Jeff Gibbs, East York 66.2

Ian Zettle, Milton 66.1

Joel Pierce, Tecumseh 64.1

Dan Estey, Erindale 62.2

Adam McBride, Etobicoke 62.1

Mike Damchuk, Sarnia 62.0

Steve Teno, Windsor 60.0

Kyle Breitner, Etobicoke 60.0

Jason Schneider, Milton 60.0

 

Strikeouts

 

Jeff Gibbs, East York 85

Mike Damchuk, Sarnia 85

Kyle Breitner, Etobicoke 75

Nick Baljeu, Sarnia 75

Dustin Lawson, East York 68

Andrew Mullin, Erindale 64

Steve Teno, Windsor 63

Anthony Shepherd, Sarnia 62

Wade Babula, Sarnia 61

Billy Hurley, Mississauga SW 58

 

 

 

 The Tecumseh Thunder win an incredible fourth straight provincial championship (and fifth straight finals appearance), by beating a familiar foe in the finals. The Thunder ousted the Mississauga SW Twins 17-12 in the final game. That came after the Thunder beat the Etobicoke Rangers 5-1 in the semi-finals. Tecumseh won their opening game 2-0 versus Strathroy, and then they promptly got drilled 11-4 versus Etobicoke. With their backs against the wall, they reeled off wins against East York (4-1), Strathroy (4-3), Niagara (7-0) and Ilderton (16-6).

The Thunder beat a Twins team that they've beaten in three of the past four finals. They lost to the Twins in 2013. Both teams will now head to Victoria, BC for the Canadian Nationals. Both of these teams are so far above and beyond everyone else in Ontario, and they have been for quite some time. In a game of inches, these two squads find ways time in and time out to defy the odds, win when it counts, and just continue to exert their will on teams. Strathroy broke up this bromance last year, but nobody else has been able to for the last five years. This dominance is just like what Windsor was doing to everyone; this is just the more modern version. Not to look too far into the future, but these two gotta be the favourites to be back there again.

 

Thoughts:

The Etobicoke Rangers headed into Monday undefeated and were dealt two devastating blows. They came a hit away from their first Nationals berth since 2003, but ultimately fell short. They have terrific team speed, and a couple of solid front of the rotation arms, but their downfall may have been pitching depth at the back end.

The Niagara Metros were not too far off this year. They didn't have the requisite pitching depth to get it done, but that's something they can address. And with their core intact they can be very good next year.

Something's gotta give with the East York Bulldogs. They came close to a berth last year, but this year they bowed out in three games. Sure, they lost to a couple of tough teams, but it's not really supposed to matter a whole lot who a team this good plays. Until they get it done, they can't really be counted on any more to get the job done.

The Strathroy Royals are definitely elite. They're probably the third best team next to Tecumseh and Mississauga SW. It's almost just unfortunate that they're as good as they are, but just happen to be playing in the Tecumseh/Mississauga SW era. They should be a contender again next year.

With a couple of key additions the Thornhill Reds have an opportunity to be one of the elites. A win against an Ilderton team they're probably better than, and it could have been a different weekend for them.

The Windsor Stars are not the team they once were. In fact, they don't even resemble those teams in any way, shape or form. But you can count on these guys to always field a formidable team.

The Erindale Cardinals probably have some of the deepest pitching they've ever had. They're probably not as far off as it appears. A couple of additions in the bump could have them right in the mix next year.

The Sarnia Braves made the final five in the heels of a successful regular season. They could and should be in the mix once again in a year. They showed that they're to be taken seriously.

 

Round One

1 Niagara 15 (WP - Rhys Tapper) vs Oakville 5 (LP - Curtis Braun)

- this game was tied at five then a touchdown and a field goal sealed it

2 Burlington 1 (LP - Cam Ryerson) vs Strathroy 2 (WP - Craig Steadman)

- the Royals squeeze by the Brants after holding off a late rally

3 Erindale 1 (LP - Dan Estey) vs Mississauga SW 10 (WP - Billy Hurley)

- easy win for the Twins

4 Windsor 2 (WP - Jason Lauzon) vs Pickering 1 (LP - Brad Binns)

- The Stars push a run across late two steal a win

5 Martingrove 3 (LP - Adam Frydman) vs East York 9 (WP - Andrew Ziedens)

- no surprise here

6 Milton 1 (LP - Ian Zettle) vs Etobicoke 4 (WP - Brent Cleland)

- Rangers win in the strength of two Tanner Young Shultz home runs

7 Tecumseh 2 (WP - Joel Pierce) vs Sarnia 0 (LP - Mike Damchuk)

- pitcher's duel results in a Thunder win.

8 Brampton 2 vs Leaside 6 (WP - Laaren Bansette)

- the Leafs win it from start to finish

9 Ilderton 5 (WP - Jordan Townshend) vs Kingston 0

- the Red Army broke open a scoreless game late

10 WAA 5 vs Bolton 3

- the A's came back to steal one from the Brewers

11 Newmarket 1 (LP - Brad Crone) vs Thornhill 10 (WP - Mack Major)

- the Reds set themselves up nicely for a run, destroying the Hawks

 

Round Two (Bye: Niagara, Oakville)

12 Burlington 3 vs Erindale 4 (WP - Andrew Mullin)

- the Cards pushed across a late run to win and earned a bye.

13 Pickering 5 (WP - Peter Nash) vs Martingrove 3 (LP - Steve Roncadin)

- the Red Sox scored early and then cruised to the win. Ageless Dynes homers.

14 Milton 1 (LP - Jason Schneider) vs Sarnia 4 (WP - Nick Baljeu)

- the Braves win to keep their season alive.

15 Brampton 2 vs Kingston 5

- the Ponies jumped ahead early and never looked back.

16 Bolton 3 vs Newmarket 10

- the Brewers no match for the Hawks in this one.

17 Strathroy 8 (LP - Tyler Annett) vs Mississauga SW 9

- the Twins came back to stun the Royals. They've made a habit of this.

18 Windsor 3 (WP - Steve Teno) vs East York 0 (LP - Jeff Gibbs)

- the Stars win in vintage fashion against a tough opponent.

19 Etobicoke 11 (WP - Adam McBride) vs Tecumseh 4 (LP - Brandon Lindquist)

- the Rangers scored six in the first then cruised easily.

20 Leaside 3 vs Ilderton 5 (WP - Dustin Godden)

- the hometown team improves to 2-0.

21 WAA 6 vs Thornhill 7 (WP - Josh Appel)

- the Reds had an early lead and hung on late.

 

Round Three (Bye: Erindale)

22 Oakville 0 vs Pickering 9 (WP - Shaun Slemko)

- no shocker.

23 Sarnia 10 (WP - Wade Babula) vs Kingston 0

- no shocker.

24 Newmarket 1 vs Strathroy 12

- this one was never in doubt.

25 East York 1 (LP - Jake Gallo) vs Tecumseh 4 (WP - Shane Courtney)

- the Thunder deal a blow to the Bulldogs and send them packing.

26 Leaside 15 vs WAA 5

- no surprise.

27 Niagara 0 (LP - Justin Ayles) vs Mississauga SW 15 (WP - Jordan Petruska)

- Twins dismantle the Metros.

28 Windsor 2 (LP - Chris Renaud) vs Etobicoke 3 (WP - Andrew Hyde)

- Rangers walk off the Stars in the bottom of the 7th.

29 Ilderton 11 vs Thornhill 5

- minor upset here, but the home team continues to roll.

 

Round 4 (Bye: Sarnia, Ilderton)

30 Erindale 3 (WP - Brendan Fox) vs Pickering 1 (LP - Patrick Vecchiarelli)

- the Cardinals squeeze through in a well-played game on both sides.

31 Strathroy 3 vs Tecumseh 4

- in a repeat of the 2016 elims and national finals, the Thunder produce the same result.

32 Leaside 8 vs Niagara 10

- the Metros beat the Leafs for the second time in a couple of weeks in a topsy-turvy game.

33 Windsor 2 (LP - Connor Mailloux) vs Thornhill 5 (WP - Chadwick Cameron)

- Cameron was in vintage form, knocking off a perennial powerhouse.

34 Mississauga SW 4 vs Etobicoke 5 (WP - Kyle Breitner)

- the Rangers win a thriller against their league rival.

 

Round Five

35 Erindale 5 (LP - Kevin Lucas) vs Sarnia 6 (WP - Mike Damchuk)

- the Braves punch their ticket to the final five in a tight one.

36 Tecumseh 7 (WP - Ben Balitrunas) vs Niagara 0 (LP - Geoff Strong)

- the Metros run out of steam against a formidable foe.

37 Thornhill 0 vs Mississauga SW 4

- The Twins continue upwards and onward, defeating a Reds team that played well.

38 Etobicoke 13 (WP - Kyle Breitner) vs Ilderton 3 (LP - Mitch Lumley)

- the Rangers dismantle the Red Army in the undefeated game.

 

Round Six (Bye: Etobicoke) (FINAL FIVE)

39 Tecumseh 16 vs Ilderton 6

- the Thunder take advantage of an Ilderton team short of pitching depth.

40 Sarnia 3 (LP - Jake Near) vs Mississauga SW 6 (WP - Paul McKenna)

- The Braves just ran into a better team in the later stages. Nothing to be ashamed of.

 

Round Seven (Bye: Tecumseh)

41 Mississauga SW 10 (WP - Jordan Petruska) vs Etobicoke 9 (LP - Kyle Angelow)

- the Twins came back from down 5-1 early. The Rangers made things interesting, bringing the tying and winning runs in scoring position in the 7th before Tomas Rincon got the final out.

 

Round Eight (Bye: Mississauga SW Twins)

42 Tecumseh Thunder 5 (WP - Joel Pierce) vs Etobicoke Rangers 1 (LP - Andrew Perryman)

- the Thunder snatch the Rangers' hopes away from them.

 

Round Nine

43 Mississauga SW Twins 12 (LP - Billy Martin) vs Tecumseh Thunder 17 (WP - Brandon Lindquist)

- the Thunder win their fourth straight provincial championship

 

 

 

Team Rankings

 

1 East York

2 Etobicoke

3 Strathroy

4 Windsor

5 Mississauga SW

6 Sarnia

7 Tecumseh

8 Thornhill

9 Niagara

10 Pickering

11 Erindale

12 Brampton

13 Leaside

14 Milton

15 London

16 Newmarket

17 Burlington

18 Bolton

19 Kingston

20 WAA

21 Martingrove

22 Oakville

 

 

 

Game One: Niagara Metros vs Oakville A’s (12:45 PM, Labatt Park)

 

The A’s are fresh off of a bludgeoning at the Hap. While it’s been a down couple of years for the A’s, they have a history of being an above average team. That could be the case again soon, but not this year.

 

The Metros have a big opportunity to get through round one unscathed. They showed in the Hap that they can contend with the big boys, and just need the right breaks to be a final two team. The Metros made the final five two years ago, and were one run away from a finals berth last year.

 

Game Two: Burlington Brants vs Strathroy Royals (1PM, Emslie Park)

 

The Royals made the eliminations finals last year, and earned a berth in the Nationals for the second team in the last few years. You can count on them being a factor once again.

 

The Brants had an opportunity to be decent when they first combined with the Glanbrook Grizzlies, but they’ve tailed off the last couple of years. This is a tough first-round matchup for them, and it could be a quick exit for them.

 

Game Three: Erindale Cardinals vs Mississauga SW Twins (10AM, Emslie)

 

The Twins have been one of the top three teams in Ontario over the last few years. Despite a down season by their standards, the Twins have the horses to once again showcase their incredible talent in all facets of the game. They made the final five last year, where they came one run short in a heart-breaking loss to Strathroy.

 

 

The Cardinals still swing some big bats, even with Geoff Cullen no longer there. Over the years, they’ve shown that their recipe hasn’t worked in this tournament, and this year that trend will likely continue.

 

Game Four: Windsor Stars vs Pickering Red Sox (1PM, Cardinal)

 

The Red Sox have a very solid team, but this is going to be a tough task for them in round one. They’ve constantly come up short in this tournament, and things don’t seem in line for them to go deep this season.

 

The Stars have been one of the top three teams over the last decade, and they were the clear number one for quite some time. They have the pitching to get it done once again, and they’ve also had success in London, proving that they don’t just keep dominating because the Elims are typically held in Windsor.

 

Game Five: Martingrove White Sox vs East York Bulldogs (10AM, Cardinal)

 

You’d have a tough time showing me one team that’s better on paper than the Bulldogs. They’ve been a powerhouse team over the last couple of years, but it’s time to prove how good they are this weekend. It’s finals or bust for them.

 

This is almost unfair for the White Sox; a team that’s competed surprisingly well this season. They have been one of the most outmatched teams in the Elims every year.

 

Game Six: Milton Red Sox vs Etobicoke Rangers (10AM, Byron)

 

The Rangers are fresh off a Hap championship, and they’ll be looking to carry that into this weekend. Their pitching has all of a sudden rounded into form at the right time, and they could be dangerous.

 

 

The Red Sox are a competitive bunch, and won’t be rolling over against their league rival. I don’t think they have enough to make a deep run though.

 

Game Seven: Tecumseh Thunder vs Sarnia Braves (10AM, Labatt)

 

The Braves have been steamrolling everyone this year, but this is the time to see if they’re for real or not. This is a very tough round one matchup for them, but if they were going to win this thing, then they were probably going to have to beat Tecumseh at some point anyway.

 

The Thunder have firmly entrenched themselves as the best team in Ontario. They lost some talent from last year, but they should have enough to at least have a shot to be around in the end. They could be up against a team of destiny though in round one.

 

Game Eight: Brampton Royals vs Leaside Leafs (1PM, Pulham)

 

The Leafs have come close to a Nationals berth a couple of times over the last decade, but this iteration of the Leafs is not as good as those past teams. They should be able to win a couple of games, but the ceiling they once had just isn’t there anymore.

 

The Royals have been the same team year in and year out. They can hit, they can run, but they can’t pitch a whole lot. In this tournament, that usually can only get you a couple of wins.

 

Game Nine: London vs Kingston Ponies (10AM, Pulham)

 

I don’t know a whole lot about the Ponies this year, but chances are that they won’t be making a deep run. If they do, it will be to everyone’s surprise.

 

Team London is the Ilderton Red Army. They have a pretty solid team this season, and have the benefit of playing at home. Anything can happen with this team.

 

Game Ten: WAA vs Bolton Brewers (1145AM, Aldridge)

 

The Brewers left the GTBL for good, and went back to being the cream of the crop in the North Dufferin League. My guess is that this team will be much of the same; a pitcher or two that can win and then done.

 

WAA is no longer the competitive team they’ve been at times. With the Stars and Thunder scooping up the most talented players in the Windsor area, WAA will be behind the eight-ball seemingly forever.

 

Game Eleven: Newmarket Hawks vs Thornhill Reds (9AM, Aldridge)

 

The Reds have been good enough to win a few games, but then they eventually bow out. They have a couple of more arms in the fold that can help steal some wins. With the right breaks, they could make a run.

 

 

The Hawks have been the same team they’ve been for quite some time. They should be good enough to compete, but they likely won’t be around come Monday.

 

 

PREDICTIONS

 

Round One:

1 Niagara (Strong) 7 vs Oakville (Reagan) 3

2 Burlington (Ryerson) 1 vs Strathroy (Annett) 5

3 Erindale (Mullin) 2 vs Mississauga SW (Hurley) 4

4 Windsor (Teno) 5 vs Pickering (Slemko) 0

5 Martingrove (Roncadin) 5 vs East York (Lamanna) 10

6 Milton (Zettle) 4 vs Etobicoke (Cleland) 8

7 Tecumseh (Pierce) 3  vs Sarnia (Damchuk) 2

8 Brampton (Burke) 9  vs Leaside (Frugoni) 7

9 London 6 vs Kingston 5

10 WAA (Gillis) 3 vs Bolton (White) 5

11 Newmarket (Crone) 5  vs Thornhill (Major) 4

 

Round Two: (BYE: Niagara, Oakville)

12 Burlington (Woodjetts) 2 vs Erindale (Fox) 5

13 Pickering (Binns) 11 vs Martingrove (Frydman) 4

14 Milton (Schneider) 4 vs Sarnia (Baljeu) 3

15 Leaside (Goodale) 11 vs Kingston 2

16 WAA (Warnock) 1 vs Thornhill (Appel) 9

17 Strathroy (Ramsdale) 2 vs Mississauga SW (Petruska) 3

18 Windsor (Little) 0 vs East York (Gallo) 2

19 Etobicoke (McBride) 3 vs Tecumseh (Lindquist) 5

20 Brampton (Page) 5 vs London (Townshend) 7

21 Bolton (Barwick) 4 vs Newmarket (Aida) 5

 

Round Three: (BYE: Erindale)

22 Oakville (Braun) 2 vs Pickering (Cheeseman) 10

23 Milton (Cloes) 6 vs Leaside (Mosbaugh) 8

24 Thornhill (Cameron) 1 vs Strathroy (Cook) 4

25 Windsor (Lauzon) 2 vs Etobicoke (Breitner) 1

26 Brampton (McLaughlin) 12 vs Bolton (Pattinaro) 5

27 Niagara (Proctor) 2 vs Mississauga SW (Martin) 4

28 East York (Gibbs) 7 vs Tecumseh (Courtney) 2

29 London 4 vs Newmarket (Simon) 5

 

Round Four: (BYES: Leaside, Newmarket)

30 Erindale (Estey) 5 vs Pickering (Vecchiarelli) 8

31 Strathroy 2 vs Windsor (Myers) 4

32 Brampton (Ferreira) 3 vs Niagara (Perego) 4

33 Tecumseh (Soulliere) 7 vs London 4

34 Mississauga SW (Rincon) 0 vs East York (Anderson) 8

 

Round Five:

35 Pickering (Horsley) 5 vs Leaside (Morales) 4

36 Windsor (Renaud) 5 vs Niagara (Ayles) 3

37 Tecumseh (Carducci) 5 vs Mississauga SW (Byrnes) 9

38 East York (Ziedens) 8 vs Newmarket (Heaslip) 2

 

Round Six:

(Final Five: East York, Pickering, Windsor, Mississauga SW, Newmarket)

 

BYE: East York

 

Final Three: East York, Windsor, Mississauga SW

 

 

Finals: East York over Mississauga SW

 

 

 

 

 

The Etobicoke Rangers took down the Hap Walters, winning the tournament for the first time since 2003. Between then and now, they made the finals twice but lost both times; this time they got it done. The Rangers have been a force in COBA for quite some time, but were missing a signature win on their resume. The Hap Walters is the second biggest showcase in the province, and a victory here definitely qualifies as that signature win. They'll look to carry that momentum into the Elims in a couple of weeks.

Etobicoke lost a tough 3-2 decision in game one against East York, before reeling off two very easy wins against Ilderton and Thornhill. An impressive six runs against earned them the first wildcard berth, and a date with their league nemesis, Mississauga SW. The Rangers made easy work of them, winning 6-0. They then exacted revenge on East York, by beating them 3-0 in the semifinals. They then capped off the Sunday trifecta by edging the Niagara Metros 6-5 in the finals.

The Metros went 3-0 in round robin play by beating Leaside 9-2, Mississauga North Juniors 6-4 and WAA 9-1. The easy wins earned them the second seed and a bye into the semifinals. There, they met up with Strathroy, and beat them 6-3 to earn a date with Etobicoke. The Metros made things interesting by bringing the tying run into scoring position in the seventh, but ultimately came up just short.

The short-handed Rangers made a very impressive run to the tournament championship. Great work by a team that's been on the cusp of victory on the bigger stages a few times recently.

 

FRIDAY

Brampton 3 (WP - Steve Hough) vs Burlington 2 (LP - Trevor Woodjetts)

Milton 18 (WP - Matt Lahn) vs Oakville 2 (LP - Matt Reagan)

Mississauga SW 7 (WP - Kyle Porter) vs Mississauga N 4

Etobicoke 2 (LP - Brent Cleland) vs East York 3 (WP - Jake Gallo)

Erindale 3 (LP - Dan Estey) vs Newmarket 11 (WP - Brad Crone)

Niagara 9 (WP - Dan Proctor) vs Leaside 2 (LP - Chris Goodale)

Windsor 3 vs Strathroy 4 (13 innings)

Pickering 4 (WP - Brad Binns) vs WAA 2 (LP - Cody Gillis)

Ilderton 2 (LP - Mitch Lumley) vs Thornhill 6 (WP - Josh Appel)

 

SATURDAY

Erindale 7 (WP - Josh Marson) vs Oakville 3 (LP - Alex Hawley)

Milton 9 (LP - James Bruce) vs Windsor 10 (15 innings)

Mississauga 8 (WP - James Byrnes) vs WAA 4 (LP - Kelly Wasylyk)

Etobicoke 11 (WP - Adam McBride) vs Ilderton 1

Pickering 4 (LP - Mark Cheeseman) vs Leaside 5 (WP - Jorge Frugoni)

Erindale 1 (LP - Andrew Mullin) vs Strathroy 2 (WP - Matt Cook) (8 innings)

Windsor 15 vs Newmarket 1 (LP - Ryan Aida)

Niagara 6 (WP - Dylan Perego) vs Mississauga North Jr 4 (LP - Baksh)

Brampton 3 (LP - RJ Page) vs East York 5 (WP - Dave Anderson)

Burlington 2 (LP - Brandon Habibi) vs Thornhill 12 (WP - Daniel Lehmkuhl)

Milton 5 (LP - Chris Cloes) vs Strathroy 15 (WP - Tyler Annett)

Oakville 4 (LP - Curtis Braun) vs Newmarket 5 (WP - Ryan Taylor)

Niagara 9 (WP - Nick Subramanian) vs WAA 1

Brampton 10 (WP - Joe Ferreira) vs Ilderton 0 (LP - Leo Labine)

Mississauga North Juniors 7 vs Leaside 11 (WP - Lee Mosbaugh)

Burlington 0 (LP - Josh Krychowski) vs East York 11 (WP - Andrew Ziedens)

Mississauga SW 15 (WP - Billy Martin) vs Pickering 5 (LP - Steve Horsley)

Etobicoke 6 (WP - Kyle Breitner) vs Thornhill 2 (LP - Mack Major)

 

SUNDAY

Quarter Finals:

#3 Strathroy Royals 3 (WP - Robert Ramsdale) vs #6 Brampton Royals 2 (LP - Steve Hough) (8 innings)

#4 Mississauga SW Twins 0 (LP - Jordan Petruska) vs #5 Etobicoke Rangers 6 (WP - Adam McBride)

 

Semi Finals:

#1 East York Bulldogs 0 (LP - Jeff Gibbs) vs #5 Etobicoke Rangers 3 (WP - Kyle Angelow)

#2 Niagara Metros 6 (WP - Justin Ayles) vs #3 Strathroy Royals 3 (LP - Rob Sydeven)

 

Finals

Etobicoke Rangers 6 (WP - Kevin Breitner) vs Niagara Metros 5 (LP - Geoff Strong)

 

2017 HAP WALTERS TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS - ETOBICOKE RANGERS