Centre Dufferin Royals send two basketball teams to CWOSSA

Written By BRIAN LOCKHART

It's not often a high school sends two championship basketball teams to regional competition at CWOSSA.

It is now two years in a row that Centre Dufferin High School in Shelburne sent both the junior and senior basketball teams to the competition.

Juniors

The Royals junior team had a stellar year going undefeated in ten games over the regular season.

The squad scored 696 points while allowing only 338 against giving them an almost 50 percent for / against average.

In the District 4 playoffs the Royals dispatched Emmanuel Christian High School 70 – 22 in the semi-final, then knocked out Westside Secondary School 86 – 36 in the final game to earn the District 4 title and earn the right to represent the region at CWOSSA.

At CWOSSA the Royals were up against the best teams from championship schools from around the region.

They gave up a 72 – 69 loss in their first game against Monsignor Doyle.

The squad rebounded in the next game with a 55 – 48 win over Glenview Park.

Making the semi-final round, the Royals advanced to the final with a 52 – 39 win over Our Lady of Lourdes.

In the final, the Royals were squeezed out with a 65 – 48 loss to Monsignor Doyle from Cambridge.

Monsignor Doyle will now advance to provincial competition at OFSSA.

A notable performance on the court came from Royals' forward, Aaron Cunningham, who was the top scorer in the CDDHS's first two games including a tournament highlight of being the top scorer with 47 points in the team's first game.

Cunningham's total sets a new school record for points in a game by a single player.

“The junior boys had a great CWOSSA tournament,” said CDDHS junior coach Shane Trainor. “They played disciplined, high-level basketball in all four of their games. Unfortunately, we fell short against a very skilled and poised team from Monsignor Doyle out of Cambridge. Our boys showed a lot of maturity in the championship game, falling behind by as many as 18 points and finding a way to fight back and gain the lead in the fourth quarter. Foul trouble and some untimely missed shots ended up being the difference t the end of the game. The team appreciated the great leadership of Amari Jones and the incredible rebounding of Griffin Ladner. Myself and coach Chris Sales are extremely proud of the season that the junior boys had. We would like to thank the players, parents, and supporters throughout our very successful season.”

Seniors

The Royals senior boys basketball team had a successful year winning all six regular season games.

They won their semi-final playoff game with Norwell District Secondary School with a 70-35 home court win on February 19.

The District 4 championship remained in Shelburne when the Royals claimed the title with a 70 – 40 win over Wellington Heights Secondary School on February 24.

At CWOSSA the Royals came out on top in their first game with a 63 – 51 win over St. Davids.

Royals forward, Mark Taylor was top scorer for the game and the tournament with 26 points recorded in the game.

The second game saw the CDDHS team deliver a 79 – 29 win over Grey Highlands.

In the semi-final the Royals knocked out St. Mary's with a 67 – 54 win to earn the right to advance to the championship game.

In a tight battle, the Royals lost 48 – 42 in the final game.

“The boys battled hard and played together and for each other,” said Royals coach, Matt Barlow. “Different players stepped up in different games. We had some great moments in the tournament but unfortunately came up short against a great team. The support we had of former students and players along with teachers coming to watch was very encouraging. Win or lose the boys are truly a family and although we came up short of our ultimate goal, the bond they have is forever.”