14 athetes honoured at ACT Awards

The female high school athletes of Sault Ste. Marie took to the stage on Wednesday night at the Marconi Club for the 33rd Annual A.C.T. Female Athletic Awards Dinner.

Jaclyn Cummings of Korah won the top prize by receiving the Percy Bedford Award, symbolic of the female Athlete of the Year in high school sports.

Before the Bedford presentation, seven other local athletes were honoured with individual sport awards and six others took home the Harvey Morrison Award for their overall contribution to the athletic program at their respective schools.

Cummings was a four-sport athlete with the Colts in basketball, volleyball, badminton and track and field. In the fall, Cummings will head west to Kamloops to attend Thompson Rivers University and play basketball.

Cummings edged out nominees Sarah Chiarello (Bawating), Deanna Buonomo (Mount St. Joseph), Lara Stilin (St. Basil), Sara Bullock (St. Mary's), Karli Campbell (Sir James Dunn) and Bridgit Hindermeier (White Pines).

With the basketball team, Cummings was a starter and captain in each of her four years. The three-time school MVP played in three city finals and two NOSSA championship games.

"I was shocked. This is definitely a big honour," said Cummings. "I had played against most of the nominees so I knew what I was up against. They are all very competitive."

In volleyball, her skills caught the eye of scouts from Lake Superior State University and the University of Waterloo. As a four-year starter, Cummings advanced to two city finals and a NOSSA title berth.

"It was between basketball and volleyball (in university). I went out and saw the schools and the deciding factor was the team and the overall atmosphere of the school," said Cummings.

In badminton, Cummings captured a NOSSA bronze in 2004 and was a three-time city finalist. While on the track, the honours student won two city gold and participated in NOSSA and OFSAA.

"I would like to thank my parents and I would really like to thank (Gary) Cormier who was my basketball coach and he was really my inspiration for every year in high school," said Cummings.

The Hazel Morrison Award for track and field went to St. Mary's Kaitlyn Morin. The grade nine star led the Knights with three gold medals at the city championships in the midget 100m, 200m and 400m to win the individual title. At NOSSA, Morin won two gold and the individual championship to earn a berth at OFSAA.

The badminton award went to the Korah duo of Brittany Hogan and Kayla Odorizzi. The pair won the ladies senior doubles championships at both the city and NOSSA levels before finishing fifth at OFSAA.

The Bob Faught Award for curling went to Bawating's Cassie Heppner. Heppner skipped her team to a 24-0 record in local play before capturing the NOSSA championship and then nearly advancing into the playoff round at OFSAA.

White Pines' Ashley Clingen captured the volleyball award for her work with the senior Wolverines. This season, Clingen led the team to second place in the city and a berth at NOSSA.

Kathleen Thorburn was honoured with the basketball award for her role in an outstanding season for the senior Knights. Thorburn led her team in free throw percentage, scoring and three-point shooting. At NOSSA, Thorburn averaged 17 points a game to help the Knights to a AA title and berth in OFSAA, where they advanced to the semi-finals.

The cross-country running award went to Sir James Dunn's Rhiannon Johns. The junior runner, who helped her team to the city title, won the city championship before finishing second at NOSSA.

The Harvey Morrison Award winners were Amanda Whitmell (Bawating), Laura Clement (Korah), Kristy Aloe (St. Basil), Christina Jobst (St. Mary's), Alexis Ambeault (Sir James Dunn) and Alex Miller (White Pines.)

Photos from the evening will be posted later on Thursday.

*** The following is a complete list of award winners and nominees:

CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNING:

Winner: Rhiannon Johns - Sir James Dunn

Nominees:

Sarah Chiarello - Bawating Kirsty (Coco) Mancuso - Korah Heather Bedell - St. Basil Alysha Gjos - St. Mary's Carissa Holley - White Pines

BASKETBALL:

Winner: Kathleen Thorburn - St. Mary's

Nominees:

Sarah Chiarello - Bawating Sara Levesque - Korah Miranda Chiambrone - Mount St. Joseph Lara Stilin - St. Basil Sarah Miller - Sir James Dunn Bridgit Hindermeier - White Pines

VOLLEYBALL:

Winner: Ashley Clingen - White Pines

Nominees:

Jamie Bell - Bawating KT Antler - Korah Deanna Buonomo - Mount St. Joseph Lara Stilin - St. Basil Kyleigh Binkley - St. Mary's Sarah Miller - Sir James Dunn

CURLING: (Bob Faught Award)

Winner: Cassie Heppner - Bawating

Nominees:

Jessica Merrifield - Korah Jamie Sammon - Mount St. Joseph Megan Sinclair - Notre Dames des Grands Lacs Kathryn Oliana - Sir James Dunn Michelle Gillespie - White Pines

BADMINTON:

Winner: Brittany Hogan & Kayla Odorizzi - Korah

Nominees:

Lauren Lidstone - Bawating Deanna Buonomo - Mount St. Joseph Lauren Wozny & Sarah Ooi - St. Basil Emilie Kozak - Sir James Dunn Karen Alexander - White Pines

TRACK & FIELD: (Hazel Morrison Award)

Winner: Kaitlin Morin - St. Mary's

Nominees:

Samantha Nolan - Bawating Cassandra McCaig - Korah Krista Delarosbil - Mount St. Joseph Kaelah Zeppa - St. Basil Kristen Avery - Sir James Dunn Laura Widgett - White Pines

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: (Percy Bedford Award)

Winner: Jaclyn Cummings - Korah

Nominees:

Sarah Chiarello - Bawating Deanna Buonomo - Mount St. Joseph Lara Stilin - St. Basil Sara Bullock - St. Mary's Karli Campbell - Sir James Dunn Bridgit Hindermeier - White Pines

HARVEY MORRISON AWARD: (Top female support person)

Winners:

Amanda Whitmell - Bawating Laura Clement - Korah Kristy Aloe - St. Basil Christina Jobst - St. Mary's Alexis Ambeault - Sir James Dunn Alex Miller - White Pines

***