Feature photo: Hoyas Senior Boys Basketball Team (back from left) Coach Kelly Picken, Liam Mullen, Scott MacDonald, Bronson Boyko, Jake Austin-St. John, Steven Grigorov, Eric O’Brien, Austin Kernohan, Greg Sutherland; (front from left) Isaiah Holmes, Dwight Pacardo, Aaron Sutherland, Tommy Giblin, Tyler Pearse, and Jacob Schnurr. (Photo courtesy of Kelly Picken)
Both the Junior and Senior Boys Huntsville Hoyas Basketball teams won the MPS (Muskoka Parry Sound) Championships on Thursday, February 15 at Bracebridge Muskoka Lakes Secondary School (BMLSS).
The Huntsville Hoyas Junior team worked together bringing their hard work and determination to each and every game which earned them an undefeated regular season. In the MPS semi-final game, the Hoyas “defeated Almaguin Highlands handily,” said Coach Barber which secured them a spot in the finals against Gravenhurst High School. The Hoyas pulled ahead and won with a score of 60 to 38. The team’s high scorer was Zack Boyko with 19 points. Way to bring it, Hoyas!
Hoyas Junior Boys Basketball Team (back row from left) Celeste Dupuis (team manager), Tyler Blair, Collin Hungerford, Jarred Sutherland, Zack Boyko, Matt Stayer, Ethan Tye, Jack Solecki, Morgan Aubin-Vardy, Kyler Campbell, Spencer Hewitt, Charlie Lalonde, Coach Terry Barber, and Abby Fawcett (team manager); (front from left) Seth Cooper, Jeremiah Martin, Mitchell Collins, and David Laughton (Photo courtesy of Terry Barber)
The senior boys played against Almaguin Highlands for the Muskoka Parry Sound championship in a hard-fought match in which the Hoyas kept the lead but Almaguin pushed the team to play with intensity until the final seconds. Huntsville came away with a win 46 to 41, earning them a berth in the finals against BMLSS.
In the finals, the Hoyas were “the underdogs, having lost to BML twice in the season,” said Coach Kelly Picken. The score was close early on but by half-time Bracebridge had pulled away with a 10-point lead. In the third quarter, the Hoyas knew what they had to do even when BMLSS took another five points. The Hoyas fought back and tied up the game with four minutes remaining on the clock.
In the final minutes, “the boys continued to play with poise and patience as the players moved the ball around to find the best shot and did not let the close score change how they played at both ends of the court. Some excellent shooting by the leaders on the team, Tommy Giblin, Aaron Sutherland and Bronson Boyko, and great control of the ball by point guard Dwight Pacardo, kept us in the lead,” said Picken. The Hoyas took the win by two baskets, 58-54. It took the entire team, on and off the bench, staying focused and bringing their best to be the best. Congratulations, Hoyas!
Both Hoyas teams headed to the GBSSA (Georgian Bay Secondary School Association) Championships on Friday, February 24, 2017.
The junior boys played an extraordinary semi-final game against the host school, Barrie North Collegiate Institute, winning the game 56-46. Matt Stayer took over the game and led the Hoyas in scoring with 18 points, Jarred Sutherland added 16 points, and Zack Boyko was close behind with 15 points.
By the time the final game arrived, many of Huntsville’s key players had fallen ill. The remaining teammates met their match against St. Joseph’s head to head but could not take the lead, losing 59-46.
“It was very unfortunate our boys fell ill but St. Joseph’s played a fantastic game, shooting the ball extremely well from the three point line. I am very proud of our season,” said Coach Barber. “Despite having such a young team, we had some very good wins against extremely high ranked teams, including Ogorman High School from Timmins and St. Joseph’s, and a second place at the Orillia Blackball Tournament.” Well done on a great season, boys!
The Senior boys also had a fantastic semi-final game against Barrie North. “The team played the best defense of the season,” said Coach Picken in a game they won 46-35.
Moving on to the finals, the senior Hoyas were strong contenders in their match against St. Joseph’s, but their opponents pulled ahead to take the lead and defeated the Hoyas 72-53.
For both games, the leading scorers were Tommy Giblin with 32 points, Bronson Boyko with 30 points, Aaron Sutherland with 15 and Scott MacDonald with 11. Coach Picken said, “The whole team contributed to the great showing of HHS Hoyas at the GBSSA finals.” Congrats to the Senior boys on a great 2017 season!
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