February: Month in Review

Gallardi enjoying the ride

By Bill Potrecz - February 22, 2022

It’s safe to say no one is appreciating the high school hockey season more than Matthew Gallardi.

The 18-year-old Niagara Falls native came back for Grade 12B this year and suiting up for the Saint Michael Mustangs varsity boys hockey team was at the top of the list of reasons.

“I stayed another year back to play high school and to get my grades up,” Gallardi said after the Mustangs edged the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 8-5 in a Niagara Catholic Athletic Association game Tuesday afternoon at Welland Arena. “I changed my mind what I wanted to do and one of my favourite things in high school is to play hockey.”

Gallardi, who still isn’t exactly sure academically where he will land next year, was thrilled when high school sports were given the green light recently after another COVID lockdown early in 2022.

“It’s great,” he said. “It’s amazing playing back here. It sucked staying at home all the time. It’s great that we can do something other than just around the school.

“It’s awesome getting out and doing stuff now.”

Gallardi, who plays both forward and defence, is relishing his role as a leader.

“I’m the oldest and I’ve played a couple of years so that kind of gave me the role of leader the team and I love taking over and helping the guys out and leading them on to play the best they can,” he said.

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February 4th - Buses are cancelled, Schools Open

Message From Niagara Catholic

Buses are cancelled but schools are open today (Fri., Feb. 4). Most main roads are reported cleared, but if you have to travel today, please take your time and be safe. If you're keeping your children home, please report their absence through School Messenger.

OFSAA pulls plug on February/March championships

By Bernie Puchalski - January 28, 2022

The Saint Francis basketball community’s hopes of hosting the 2022 Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations boys AA basketball championships March 7-9 in St. Catharines have been dashed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Thursday, OFSAA announced it would be cancelling its winter championships scheduled for February and March. It will be the second year in a row that OFSAA has cancelled boys basketball and girls volleyball championships and the third year that the pandemic has prevented OFSAA from staging boys and girls hockey championships. Denis Morris was set to host the boys AAA championships March 23-26 in St. Catharines.

By Bernie Puchalski - January 28, 2022

Also cancelled are alpine skiing, nordic skiing, snowboarding and curling. Earlier OFSAA announced there would be no swimming and wrestling championships in 2022 because the host organizing committees for both events withdrew and no replacements stepped forward.

“We are thankful for the commitment shown by our convenors and host organizing committee members who volunteered their time during the planning stages of the OFSAA winter championships and festivals,” OFSAA president Carolyn Chesney said in a statement. “Despite this cancellation of February and March OFSAA events, we again wish to reiterate our continued support for sports and activity for the benefit of students’ physical and mental well-being. School sports play a vital role in education and in the lives of students.

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