Parkside's X marks the spot on top

 

   Sauer takes novice boys 100 and 200 and ties best height in high jump,

   one of 13 local athletes moving on to OFSAA track and field

 

May 30, 2026

 

 

 

 

By Rob J. Ross 

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. - Xavier Sauer made his mark.

The Grade nine Parkside Stampeder finished first in both the novice boys 100 and 200 metre sprints and placed second in high jump, but tied for the best height cleared of 1.75 metres, at the OFSAA West regional track and field meet May 27-28 at Hespeler secondary school in Cambridge.

Sauer set personal best times winning the 100 in 11.25 seconds and the 200 in 23.14 seconds.

At the high jump mat, Sauer was one of three competitors, including St. Joe's Hayden Siemans, to clear 1.75m. Sort the positions came down to misses at previous heights.

"Feels really great. For high jump I could have done better, but I tried my hardest,' Sauer said. "I felt I ran really well. The tougher one was the 200. At the curve, I felt I needed to change gears."

Sauer has leaped 1.80 metres in high jump.

"I've worked on a lot of things with coach Harry (Stantsos) and I have a lot of support," said Sauer said. "My fav is the 200, just coming off of the curve, feeling really fast."

Known as X to teammates, Sauer is one of five Stampeders heading to OFSAA, June 4-6 at the Niagara Olympic Club in St. Catharines.

Amy Williamson has three events, landing second in junior girls long jump (4.89m), third in triple jump (10.66m) and sprinting to fourth in the 100-metre dash (12.86 sec.).

Nash Okkerse won the novice boys 1500 metres and finished second in the 800 metres.

Emma Percy won the visually impaired girls shot put with meet record of 4.88m.

Mehkai Arnold placed second on a best throw of 56.50m in junior boys discus.

The top four in each event qualify for the high school provincial meet, one of the largest in North America.

"I'm excited about OFSAA and super grateful for the opportunity to compete in three events," Williamson said. "I don't know if I'm jumping at my absolute best, but I've been working hard and feeling consistent going in to the meet."

A medal or at least a top five placement is a goal for Williamson, who says the 100 is her favourite event.

Okkerse had battles with Nicklas Gage from Marantha Christian school in Windsor, in both the 800 and 1500. Okkerse won the 1500 in four minutes and 14.28 seconds (4:14.28), while in the 800, Okkerse shaved his PB to 1:59.76, but was edged at the finish line for first place.

"The 800 started off really fast. I was third or fourth and I tried to get in a better position, making it to second," said Okkerse replaying the race. "By the last turn of the race I had to run on the outside, to try to get around him, so I covered a bit more distance. I kicked, but I didn't have enough to get pass him."

The Dorchester Beavers send four athletes, all senior boys, Kirk Hallman, in the 1500 and 3000 metres, Aiden Hartmann in long and triple jumps, Will Downing, in the 110-metres hurdles and Andrew Urquhart, in shot put.

A trio of St. Joseph's Rams move on, Ethan Atkinson, in senior boys pole vault, Flourish Nmor, in the senior girls 800m and Hayden Siemans, in novice boys high jump.

Henry Scott will represent the East Elgin Eagles in the senior boys 100, 200 and 400 metre sprints, although he's dropping the 100, to focus on the other two sprints.

At OFSAA, the 100, 200, 800 and 1500m races have heats, followed by finals.

Makayla Varallo of Thorndale, with Medway High, knocked five seconds off her personal best time, winning the junior girls 1500m in four minutes and 57.15 seconds (4:57.15).

 

LOCAL REGIONAL RESULTS                                                                                   COMPLETE OFSAA WEST RESULTS   

 

 
Varallo, Hartman, Siemans, Sauer, and Okkerse, will be all attending their OFSAA debuts.

Meanwhille, Hallman heads to his eighth one, four times in both cross country and track and field.

"I'm definitely very proud to qualify for my eighth OFSAA. Not one of them has been a sure thing to qualify for, so each took a lot of hard work and tactical racing," said Hallman. "The most memorable OFSAA had to be either Grade nine where everything was new and I didn't know any of my competitors yet, or OFSAA track hosted in London two years ago."

Hartmann will spend his time in the sand.

"I'm happy to be going to OFSAA," Hartmann said. "I PB'd in long, which is awesome, but I faulted my second and third. A little annoying.

Hartmann had jumps that looked to be further than his 6.53 metre best which placed him fourth, but was over the board.

In triple a best effort of 13.40 landed Hartmann third.

"Triple I saved everything until my last jump."

Downing qualified third in the senior boys 110-metre hurdles (14.64 sec.), while Urquhart had the third best measure of 14.43m, in senior boys shot put.

Scott had a meet to remember.

Scott won the 400 in a PB time of 47.91 seconds. Then set another personal best time of 21.19 seconds finishing second in the 200m, behind a regional record of 20.76 seconds, by Noah Horspool.

In a photo finish for the 100m final, the hundredth of a second was required, placing Horspool first (10.771 seconds) and Scott second (10.778).

After missing his Grade 11 season due to injury, Scott was highly motivated to return to the track, for his best sport.

"Coming back and having a good season feels very good," Scott said. "It's very exciting to PB here."

Three years ago in Grade nine, Scott anchored the Eagles OFSAA bronze medal winning 4x100-metre relay team and made the 100 final.

Siemans surprised himself with a berth at OFSAA, attaining a PB of 1.75 metres in high jump, up from 1.71m.

"I came in to this with doubts, but I'm speechless. My goal was OFSAA West and I didn't think I had a shot at OFSAA," Siemans said. "I'm so excited. At 1.65m, I thought I might have a shot at (qualifying). After that I was feeling good."

Siemans trains on his own, an elementary school graduate of St. Thomas Community Christian.

"I never had any real competition. I was always the best high jumper. So it was good to go against people who have helped me do better," said Siemans, who will work on his form and fitness leading in to OFSAA. "At the beginning I wasn't arching my back, I wasn't leaning away, but I'm so much cleaner now," Siemans explained. "I'll work on being tired while jumping. I felt on my last jump I was exhausted. I definitely have to work on my conditioning."

Atkinson will be leaping for another OFSAA medal, to add to his two silvers, in his first year at the senior level. No doubt, Atkinson will again see Christian Futo.

"I felt good about my first competition back at my full approach," said Atkinson, the regional champ. "I cleared 4.65. so a good height. This was a good meet."

A year ago as a junior, Atkinson brought home silver and broke the OFSAA junior boys record of 4.45 metres, clearing 4.50m. However, Futo took gold, by setting the new junior OFSAA record at 4.65m.

"Hopefully we have another battle," Atkinson said. "There's going to be nine guys (who have jumped) over 4.50."

The OFSAA senior boys record is 4.88m.

Nmor set a PB finishing her 800 in 2:17.18, good enough for fourth place.

 

 

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    Local Regional results (Elgin county schools and Dorchester) regional qualifiers in bold

 

    DORCHESTER BEAVERS

 Four Beavers to OFSAA.

Senior men:  Kirk Hallman, second, 1500m (3:53.39), third, 3000m (PB 8:41.37); Will Downing, third, 110m hurdles (14.64 sec.), eighth, 400m hurdles (PB 58.66 sec.); Aiden Hartmann, third, triple jump (13.40m), fourth, long jump (6.53m); Andrew Urquhart, fourth, shot put (14.43m), sixth, discus (42.21m); 4x4, ninth (3:37.17)

Junior men: Curtis Willick, ninth, 800m (2:07.30), 13th, 1500m (4:27.32);

Novice men: Miles Maude, 12th, 400m (56.23 sec.)

Novice women: Addy Lehouillier, fifth, 100m (13.16 sec.), seventh, long jump (4.63m); Fynnley Monk, sixth, javelin (27.35m)

  

    EAST ELGIN

Scott to OFSAA in three events

Senior men: Henry Scott, first, 400m (PB 47.91 sec.), second, 200m (PB 21.19 sec.), second, 100m (10.78 sec.)

Junior women: Louisa Begeman, fifth, discus (PB 28.41m), 10th, javelin (27.27m), 12th, shot put (9.91m); Ellie Portlock, ninth, javelin (27.85m); Bridget Woolley, 10th, high jump (1.40m)

Junior men: Mike Dennis, 12th, triple jump (11.78m).

Novice women: Brianna Scott, fifth, 200m (26.73 sec.), sixth, 400 (1:01.96), 10th, 300m hurdles (50.75 sec.); 

    PARKSIDE

Five Stampeders to OFSAA.

Junior men: Mehkai Arnold, second, discus (56.50m), sixth, shot (14.92m); Brady Congdon, eighth, discus (42.63m); Charlie Halpenny, 13th, 100m hurdles (15.91 sec.), Jack Rice, 15th, 3000m (10:17.86); Tristan Spaulding, ninth, long jump (5.38m); 4x1 relay (Sauer, Jack Moore, Charlie Halpenny)

Junior women: Amy Williamson, second, long jump (4.89m), third, triple jump (10.66m), fourth, 100m (12.86 sec.); 13th, 4x1 relay (Williamson, Hannah Kish, Cadence Baitz, Raya Alkadri) second (52.75 sec.).

Novice men: Xavier Sauer, first, 100m (PB 11.25 sec.), first, 200m (PB 23.14 sec.), second, high jump (1.75m); Nash Okkerse, first, 1500m (4:14.28), second, 800m (PB 1:59.76); Kaleb Charette, 11th, javelin (37.54m).

Novice women: Maddy Wright, 12th, 800m (2:33.02)

Visually Impaired women: Emma Percy, first, shot put (4.88m - meet record).

 

    ST. JOE'S

Three Rams to OFSAA.

Senior men: Ethan Atkinson, first, pole vault (4.65m)

Senior women: Flourish Nmor, fourth, 800m (PB 2:17.18), 11th, open girls 2000 steeplechase (PB 7:51.77).

Junior women: Jane Hewitt, 11th, triple jump (10:07m), 12th, long jump (4.46m)

Novice men: Hayden Siemens, third, high jump ( PB 1.75m); Michal Hejna, seventh, 100m hurdles (15.53 sec.), sixth, 300m hurdles (43.95 sec.); Shay McCready, 16th, javelin (30.44m)

 

WEST ELGIN

Junior men: Reece Burke, 13th, 300m hurdles (PB 43.89 sec.)

 

 

    LOCAL (Elgin County or Thames Centre resident, attend TVRA school elsewhere)

Makayla Varallo, Medway High, novice girls, first, 1500m (PB 4:57.15)

 

    ST. THOMAS LEGION (train with club, compete at non Elgin county schools)

Alayna Sloetjes, Strathroy DCI, novice girls, fourth, 80m hurdles (12.87 sec.)

Alicia Weaver, CCH,  open mixed 4x4 relay, third (PB 3:45.62), senior girls 4x1 relay, fourth (49.38 sec.), senior girls, 11th, 200m (26.24 sec.), 12th, 400m (1:02.37)

Ethan Brown, Glendale, novice boys, ninth, 1500m (4:30.79)

 

 

 

        rob@hometownplay.ca