North Star High School track athletes do well at OFSAA

Wakan Rainville, Ava Mayrand and Emma Rudling were three of the four North Star athletes that competed in OFSAA track and field. Absent from the picture is Tyler Lamarche.

Four track and field athletes from North Star High School competed recently at the OFSAA track and field meet in Toronto.

In the process, some school history was made.

Wakan Rainville won the first OFSAA gold medal in track and field in North Star’s brief history, capturing first place in the junior boys 100m hurdles with a time of 13.9 seconds.

“I feel I ran a good race. I showed up when I needed to,” he said. “I will continue to work hard and hope to do it again next year.”

Rainville said “it feels great” to be the first OFSAA track gold medalist since North Star High School opened.

“It’s hopefully not the last, though,” said Rainville.

Rainville added he enjoys the feeling of running. He also runs with Border City Athletics.

Tyler Lamarche won a bronze medal at OFSAA, as she finished third in the junior girls shot put.

“It was pretty stressful,” said Lamarche. “I was happy to do well this season.”

Lamarche competed in the javelin and discus as well. It was her second year at the provincial meet.

“It’s definitely an improvement over last year,” she said. 

Lamarche added she had one year of experience under her belt and had a better idea of what to expect at this year’s OFSAA track and field championships.

Ava Mayrand won eighth in discus and placed tenth in shot put, both at the junior girls level. Mayrand, who also competes with a track program through the University of Windsor, said it was her first time at OFSAA.

“I feel I did pretty good,” she said. “There was a lot of pressure.”

Mayrand’s future goals are to get a scholarship to a post-secondary institution and continue throwing. She added she enjoys participating in track and field.

“It’s a way to get out of your own head and you get to have fun,” she said.

Emma Rudling finished 19th in steeplechase and 17th in the 3000m at the senior level. While she feels she performed pretty well, she believed she could have done better.

“I feel I could have run a better race,” said Rudling.

The OFSAA experience was still a positive for her, she added.

“Overall, it was good. I’m glad I got the opportunity to race,” said Rudling. “It was a good experience.”

Rudling, a Grade 11 student, said she has been running track since she was in Grade 6.

“I like the community,” said Rudling. “I like how friendly everyone is.”

The athletes thanked their coaches for their support and guidance over the past season.

North Star High School track athletes do well at OFSAA

By Ron Giofu