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28 Sp Sports SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011 Local runners, teams earn trip to OFSAA cross-country "We tried to stay with her, but she gets to the end and pushes so hard. She just pulls away," said Ratcliffe. Even with stiffer competition at OFSAA, Dailey does DUNDAS -- Last year, it was the finish that did in not anticipate a repeat of last year when Guay had Evelyne Guay. After an outstanding start to her high school cross- nothing left at the end. "Her fitness level has increased ten-fold," he said. country career -- she won two of her four races and was runner-up in the other two -- the midget girls' "She should have a better time running with the leaders and with her 400-metre experience Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference (Guay won an OFSAA silver medal last champion got her first taste of compet- "We tried to stay with year), if she can be there in the last ing at provincials. her, but she gets to the kilometer, she's got the best kick of the "OFSAA was her first test where she end and pushes so hard. bunch." was really pushed," said Abbey Park She just pulls away." y While Guay could contend for an coach Greg Dailey. individual medal, Loyola will be seekGuay had to exert a lot more energy ing a medal of its own. The Hawks finthan she ever had before to stay with Loyola runner Alex Ratcliffe, ished fourth at last year's OFSAA meet the leaders at the provincial high school talking about Abbey Park's and their top three finishers from prochampionships. And when it came time Evelyne Guay vincials (Ratcliffe, O'Neill and Isabella for her traditionally strong finishing kick, "I was so dead," said Guay, who still managed to Borea, who was 12th on Tuesday) will be headed back to this year's meet in Ottawa Nov. 5. They'll be joined by finish 10th. Tuesday, as the Grade 10 student prepared to defend Emma Neilsen, who finished 24th at GHAC. Ratcliffe said last year's experience at the provincial her GHAC title at the Christie Conservation Area, it was the start of the race that caused her problems. high school meet will benefit the team. "We were pretty nervous last year and I think our Guay was lining up with her fellow competitors in the junior girls' race when her mom asked if she had her nerves got the best of us,"she said. And just like they did Tuesday, they'll have plenty of f timing chip. Guay didn't. She had left it in her bag with the rest support at OFSAA. "We stick with each other (during the race) and of her belongings. A quick mother-daughter relay got the chip and Guay to the start line just before the gun motivate each other," said O'Neill, the team's top OFSAA finisher (24th) last year. sounded to start the race. Abbey Park will also vie for a team medal after finThat was the last challenge she faced. Guay went to the front of the pack early and stayed there. She ishing just four points behind Loyola at GHAC. Guay crossed the line 25 seconds ahead of Loyola teammates will be joined by Jenna D'Aurizio (11th), Emily Droppo Alex Ratcliffe and Bridget O'Neill, who sprinted to the (15th) and Arielle Zamdvaiz (18th). Kelly Hennessy of St. Thomas Aquinas turned in a finish shoulder to shoulder to finish second and third, remarkable run to beat out a deep field in the senior respectively. "I wanted to go out hard to get a race equal to girls' race. Hennessy posted a 56-second victory over Holy OFSAA," Guay said. "I went as hard as I could." Guay said the presence of the two Loyola runners Trinity's Rachel Bronzovich, who had won seven conhelped push her pace, but the Hawks couldn't contend secutive regional cross-country titles dating back to with their rival's finish. See Hennessy, page 29 By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER SETTING THE PACE: Abbey Park's Evelyne Guay strides towards the finish during Tuesday's Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference cross-country championships in Dundas. Guay won the junior girls' race, joining Loyola's Sarah Nixon (midget girls) and Kelly Hennessy (senior girls) as local event champions.