Knights start strong; ‘Stangs still undefeated; Majors earn all-star nods
Gameday in 5: A look to the week ahead — and a recap of the week that was (Sept. 25-Oct. 1) — for London’s teams and athletes.
The London Beefeaters junior football team clinched second place and will host a home playoff game Oct. 14, 2023. (Photo: Joanna Kurowski).
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The Knights started their season on the right foot over the weekend, winning both ends of a home-and-home series against the Niagara IceDogs. Opening the year at home Friday, London won a narrow 2-1 contest at Budweiser Gardens. Niagara scored first, just after the three-minute mark in the first, but it would be their lone goal of the night. London tied the game late in the first with Kasper Halttunen scoring his first OHL goal on the power play (assist to Denver Barkey). At the 14:21 mark of the second, Sam O’Reilly scored the eventual game-winner. Goaltender Michael Simpson was impressive in his Knights debut, stopping 34 of 35 shots in the win.
In St. Catharines on Saturday, the Knights completed the sweep of the home-and-home series with a 5-2 win over the IceDogs at the Meridian Centre. Halttunen had another strong game, this time scoring a pair of power play goals. The Knights opened the scoring in the final minute of the first period when Sam Dickinson delivered his first of the season. Niagara responded with two goals in the second and took the lead at the 11:14 mark. But Ryder Boulton tied the game for London, and then it was all Knights in the third period. Halttunen scored twice before the midway mark of the period, and then Kaeden Johnston added a third goal to put the game out of reach.
Up next:
The Knights are back in action Wednesday on the road in Sault Ste. Marie. Then they’ll return home for a pair of games this weekend.
Wed. Oct. 4 (7:07pm @ Soo Greyhounds)
Fri. Oct. 6 (7:00pm vs. North Bay Battalion)
Sat. Oct. 7 (7:00pm vs. Guelph Storm)
Western Mustangs Football
In a meeting between two undefeated squads Saturday, the Western Mustangs came out on top at Alumni Stadium in Windsor, beating the Lancers 21-10 in comeback fashion.
Both teams showed off their defensive prowess in the hard-fought matchup, as only one offensive touchdown was scored in the game. A back and forth affair, Windsor led 10-8 at halftime and had the only touchdown in the first half — an 80-yard punt return for a score.
Still down 10-8 after three quarters, Western put up 13 unanswered points in the fourth to win the game. Quarterback Evan Hillock connected with Seth Roberston for a 30-yard touchdown, while kicker Brian Garrity knocked through a pair of 48-yard field goals (he was 4-for-6 on the day) to add insurance for the Mustangs, who improved to 6-0 on the season. Hillock finished 21-for-28 for 248 yards a score. Robertson hauled in seven passes for 108 yards to lead the receiving corps. Jackson Findlay was big on defense again for Western, intercepting two passes on the afternoon.
Up next:
The Mustangs (6-0) now have a bye week before returning to action Oct. 14 for a home game against the University of Toronto. Then, the next week, they’ll take on Laurier (5-0) at home in their final regular season game of the year.
Sat. Oct. 14 (7:00pm vs. Toronto Varsity Blues)
London Beefeaters
Make it four in a row. The London Beefeaters cruised to a lopsided 64-0 win over the Quinte Skyhawks in their final regular season game of the year Sunday. Having already clinched second place, the Beefeaters now embark on the OFC playoffs, where they’ll host the Hamilton Hurricanes in a semi-final contest.
It was all Beefeaters all day, as London put up 23 points in the first quarter and another 21 in the second to put the game out of reach by halftime. Geoffrey Clubine led the way with three rushing touchdowns for London, amassing 129 yards on just six carries. He was named OFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Up next:
The second-place Beefeaters (6-2) now have two weeks to rest up before taking on the Hamilton Hurricanes — at home — in an Ontario Football Conference (OFC) semi-final game Oct. 14 at City Wide Sports Park.
Sat. Oct. 14 (3:00pm vs. Hamilton Hurricanes) (OFC Semi-Final)
A trio of London Majors players were named league All-Stars last Monday. Owen Boon and Eduardo de Oleo earned First Team All-Star status, while Starling Joseph was named a Second Team All-Star.
Boon, London’s ace pitcher, was named the top right-handed pitcher in the league for his success during the 2023 season. The 30-year-old led the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) in strikeouts (104) during the regular season. He walked just 14 in 11 starts (72 2/3 innings) while posting a 3.47 ERA (fourth-best in the IBL). He’s been the face of the pitching staff for years, but will he be back in 2024?
Catcher Eduardo de Oleo was also named a First Team All-Star. A first-year import player from the Dominican Republic, de Oleo tied for third in the league with 13 home runs -- despite missing nearly a month due to injury. The 30-year-old batted .333 and drove in 41 runs in 27 games.
Starling Joseph, meanwhile, earned Second Team All-Star status for his strong second season in London. The 25-year-old outfielder led the league in extra-base hits (26) and finished with a .304 batting average and 48 RBIs while playing in each of London's 42 regular season games.
The Majors, of course, bowed out of the playoffs in the quarterfinals in 2023 against Kitchener. When the dust settled on the playoffs, it was the Welland Jackfish who won their first IBL title.
There are some familiar faces, but there’s a sense of renewal in London as the Lightning embark on a new season. With a new coach and several new players, is a new era upon us? What to expect in 2024-25 …