BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
From winning a Stanley Cup to making national
sports teams, the 2004 calendar year for the Sudbury sports
scene was incredible. In June, SudburyÂ's Ryan Belec, an
assistant to the general manager with the Tampa Bay Lightning
won professional hockeyÂ's top prize, the Stanley Cup, after
the Lightning disposed of the Calgary Flames in a thrilling
seven-game final.
 |
Sudbury post-secondary institutions also
enjoyed solid years in 2004.
By far, Laurentian University was the big
winner, highlighted by womenÂ's basketball rookie Cassandra
CarpenterÂ's huge season.
Carpenter took the university loop by storm
and was the top rookie in the province and the country.
The Laurentian swim teams were also a huge
success, with numerous members winning medals throughout the
year. The season was highlighted by OUA gold-winning
performances by Marshall Bonner and Stephanie Kuhn in the
50-metre backstroke and 100-metre butterfly. Laurentian sent no
less than five swimmers to the nationals.
The womenÂ's soccer team became the darling
of the city when they made an impressive march to the OUA Final
Four, where they finished fourth.
Cambrian College was on top of the world back
in early 2004 when Glendon Thomas and Stacey Michaels won the
national mixed badminton championship. Thomas was also named
OCAA Male Athlete of the Year.
Long time swimming coach Jeno Tihanyi and
running star Robert Esmie were inducted into the Canadian
Olympic Hall of Fame in April. Tihanyi played an instrumental
role in guiding swimmer Alex Baumann to two gold medals in the
1984 Summer Olympics, and Esmie won a gold medal in the menÂ's
4X100-metre relay in the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Another blockbuster was the news of local
boxing legend Gord Apolloni stepping down as head coach of
CanadaÂ's Olympic Boxing Team in February.
Citing personal differences, Apolloni bowed
out, but still maintained a great relationship with officials
at Boxing Canada, who respected ApolloniÂ's decision, despite
the fact it was only months before the 2004 Summer Olympic
Games.
The Sudbury Wolves made it back to the
playoffs in 2004 with rookie head coach and GM Mike Foligno
controlling the show. The Wolves, however, were bounced in the
first round, in seven games, to the Toronto St. MichaelÂ's
Majors.
It was an emotional year for Danny Battochio,
a goalie who played for the Ottawa 67s in the OHL in 2003. A
blood clot in his brain, which sent him into violent
convulsions on Christmas Day, forced him to have surgery and
miss the rest of the season. Battochio made a triumphant return
to the OHL in September 2004, making 37 saves in a 3-1 loss to
the Wolves on Sept. 24.
Tessa Bonhomme was in the news all year.
BonhommeÂ's smooth skating and superior skill landed her a spot
on CanadaÂ's National WomenÂ's Team for the Four NationÂ's Cup
back in November. Canada won gold thanks to a 2-1 win over the
United States.
Another local female hockey star, Katie
Johnston, was also in the news, as she got to play in the NCAA
Championship game with Harvard against the University of
Minnesota.
Harvard lost.
The high school scene was hectic as usual
with two local female wrestlers busting out in 2004.
ChelmsfordÂ's Alyssa Unwin and Sudbury SecondaryÂ's Marissa
Brown each won a gold medal in their respective weight
divisions at the provincial championships. They were the first
two Sudbury female wrestlers to win provincial gold
medals.
Chelmsford high school student Sarrah Day
proved her powerful will can overcome anything. Day won a
provincial gold medal in gymnastics after major surgery on her
leg to rebuild her main artery. Day had been told by doctors
she might never walk properly again.
The year was also highlighted by LevackÂ's
Eric Wohlberg making his unprecedented third appearance at an
Olympic Summer GamesÂ' event. Wohlberg competed in two events,
but failed to win a medal.
Figure skating was also a big hit in 2004, as
Jeffrey Buttle won a silver medal at the 2004 Grand Prix Final
in Beijing, China in December.
WaldenÂ's Meagan Duhamel won gold at the 2004
International Skating Union Junior Grand Prix in Courchevel,
France in September.
Keep up the great performances in 2005!
