GFESS swimmers head to provincials after SOSSA championship wins

Quentin Runge-Rustin and Rileigh Arts from Greater Fort Erie Secondary School (GFESS) have qualified for the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) high school swim championships, after racing at the Southern Ontario Secondary School Association (SOSSA) meet in February.

The qualifiers give Fort Erie a rare entry into a provincial championship in a sport where many competitors come from communities with club programs, coach Kerry Brisbois told Fort Erie Radio. Fort Erie does not have competitive club swimming, so the school team relies on students who often arrive with basic swim lesson experience and build skills through the season.

Runge-Rustin won first place the junior boys 50-metre backstroke and took second in the junior boys 50-metre freestyle, which qualified him for OFSAA in both events. Arts placed fourth in the junior girls 50-metre breaststroke and her time qualified her for OFSAA.

“The whole team was just standing on their feet cheering. That was nice to see,” said Brisbois.

Other GFESS results at SOSSA included a third-place senior boys medley relay and a fourth-place senior boys freestyle relay with swimmers as William Connor, Connor Saari, Logan Mendes, John Li and Anderson Kenna.

Tommy MacAurthur placed fourth in the senior boys 50-metre breaststroke and Chloe Thomas placed fifth in the junior girls 50-metre freestyle.

Brisbois said the season begins in October after Thanksgiving, with practices twice a week after school at the Boys and Girls Club. Zone championships run in December, SOSSA runs in February and OFSAA runs in March.

“They have to convince themselves to get in that cold water, too. It takes a special kind of dedication,” said Brisbois.

During the SOSSA championship, Jackalyn Mason, a graduating swimmer in her fourth year on the team, set a personal best in the 100-metre freestyle.

“She’s been on the team for four years, graduating, had her personal best, and it was all around team high fives and hugs for her. Maybe a few tears from the coach,” Brisbois said.

The OFSAA championships run March 3-4 in Windsor.

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