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Men’s basketball: Wolves cap Senior Night with an emphatic win

The Wolves took over the court and won 74-58 over the George Brown Huskies, dominating for all four quarters thanks to a great performance from the bench

Jackie Beeston

Photos: Jack Beeston

February 6, 2025
Revised: February 6, 2025 12:02pm

Photo: Jack Beeston

Matteo Mongroo, left, and Chris Lachapelle ahead of their final home contest at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.

The Algonquin Wolves men’s basketball team overpowered the George Brown Huskies 74-58 at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre on Jan. 31.

It was Senior Night, a time for the Wolves to celebrate their graduating varsity athletes.

This also happened to be the final home game for the Wolves’ regular season, meaning it would be the final regular season home contest ever. CJ Gallaza, Jansen Balmaceda, Simon Desta, Ted Braden, Gezim Pjetergjokaj, Matteo Mongroo and Chris Lachapelle are within their final year of eligibility for OCAA basketball.

Before the match and player introductions, Wolves head coach Trevor Costello addressed the crowd and players, celebrating the graduating Wolves with personalized gifts and a few words for each of the senior athletes.

The Wolves made sure to celebrate Senior Night by exclusively starting senior players. Algonquin started guards Simon Desta and Jansen Balmaceda with forwards Ted Braden, Chris Lachapelle and Matteo Mongroo.

The party started with Braden winning the tip off. The Wolves took an early lead thanks to Desta’s three-point shot, followed by another three-pointer by Balmaceda.

Braden made sure to finish his career at the ARC in style, with two slam dunks in short succession that brought the crowd and Wolves bench to their feet. Desta had assists on both.

The Wolves kept their foot on the gas pedal, finishing the first half up by 10 points.

The second half was a textbook performance from the Wolves, continuing the pressure against the Huskies, and forcing multiple fouls.

The Wolves entered a flow state as they kept the offence scoring at incredible rates, blocking shots routinely.

Huskies’ guard Raheem Roberts received a technical foul after taunting the audience after draining a three-pointer. This made Roberts enemy number one in the ARC for the rest of the match.

Roberts was benched for a minute, with Huskies coach Jason Dawkins having a quick one-on-one with Roberts on the sideline. This resulted in one of the loudest roars of the night, only to be rivalled by Braden’s two slam dunks.

Roberts headed back onto the court and was visibly frustrated. He was not able to find his groove again and seemed affected by the crowd, missing passes and ultimately sitting for the rest of the match.

The Wolves were relentless, separating the lead margin even further thanks to a three-pointer from Albert Opena and players from the bench.

The Wolves eventually took home the win in front of friends, family and a fantastic student crowd to improve to a 10-6 record this season. They have two regular season games left on their schedule, one against Loyalist at the Kente Building Gymnasium in Belleville and their final contest against St. Lawrence at the Kingston Campus Gymnasium.

Sports & Recreation

Jackie Beeston

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Ford government promises Ontario takeover of Ottawa LRT if re-elected

Top stories in your community and world on Feb. 4 presented by journalists at the Algonquin Times.

Gavin Oregan

Photos:

February 5, 2025
Revised: February 5, 2025 2:58pm

Local

CTV: Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford made his first visit of the Ontario election campaign Tuesday morning, announcing that a re-elected PC government would take control of Ottawa’s LRT system.

“A re-elected PC government would upload the Ottawa LRT, subject to due diligence, and integrate its operations under Metrolinx,” the party said in a statement Tuesday.

Ford said transferring the LRT to Metrolinx would save the city $4 billion over 30 years.

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe called the promise a “big win” for the city, saying Ottawa deserves to be treated like other Ontario municipalities.

National:

CBC: U.S. President Donald Trump has put a hold on his promised tariffs for at least 30 days after speaking with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday.

Trudeau made a series of commitments to improve border security, including proceeding with a previously announced $1.3-billion border security plan that includes new helicopters, technology and personnel.

“Proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together,” Trudeau said in a social media post after speaking with Trump by phone.

That means Canada can breathe a sigh of relief for now, with hopes of a deal being reached within the time frame.

International:

CP: El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, has offered to accept deportees from the U.S. of any nationality, including violent American criminals.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said late Monday that El Salvador’s offer was “significant.” However, the U.S. government cannot deport American citizens, and such a move would likely face legal challenges.

“President Nayib Bukele has agreed to the most unprecedented, extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world,” Rubio said at a ceremony in San Salvador.

Rubio was visiting El Salvador to press the government to do more to meet Trump administration’s demands for a major immigration crackdown.

He will also visit Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic this week in hopes of further tightening U.S. immigration control.

News

Gavin Oregan

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Career fair seeks to increase Indigenous workforce participation

Career fair attendees, including students from other post-secondary institutions, cited housing, trauma and red tape as barriers to employment

Kevin Clasper-Inglis

Photos: Kevin Clasper-Inglis

February 5, 2025
Revised: February 5, 2025 2:30pm

Photo: Kevin Clasper-Inglis

An Algonquin student explores the content of a first responder's kit with Ottawa paramedic Jacynthe Picard.

Algonquin College’s Mamidosewin Centre held the fourth annual Ottawa Indigenous Student Career Fair on Jan. 28, connecting First Nations, Métis and Inuit students with job opportunities.

The career fair, which was in the C-Building, also welcomed students from Carleton University, the University of Ottawa and La Cité. The event was open to anyone despite the focus on Indigenous employment. It was the first time the Mamidosewin Centre hosted the career fair.

An Algonquin student speaks with an Ottawa police Constable Abid Nasim.

Indigenous people who have moved to Ottawa for their studies, often from other parts of the province or country, face various barriers to entering the job market.

Bowashgusin (full name), a carpentry apprentice at Algonquin College and member of the Hesquiaht First Nation on Vancouver Island, believes that for Indigenous students, employment and housing challenges are intricately tied.

“Having trouble with housing means you have trouble with credit. Back in my early 20s, I didn’t even have a credit score, so I didn’t have anything for someone to check. I also didn’t have a driver’s licence” she said. “So, there was no record of me. So yeah, I struggled to get an apartment. People just had to trust me even though I had two minimum-wage jobs and paid my rent every month.”

Bowashgsusin, an Algonquin carpentry apprentice from the Hesquiaht First Nation on Vancouver Island. Photo credit: Kevin Clasper-Inglis

She says that being locked out of housing opportunities greatly increases the difficulty of finding work.

Summer Wabasse, the events and communications officer for the Mamidosewin Centre, cited trauma and family-related challenges as barriers to Indigenous students finding employment

“There’s also intergenerational trauma. You know all that stuff kind of trickles down and affects employment as well. A lot of our students here are also mature students, they might have kids, and a lot of employers subconsciously have a bias against that, unfortunately,” Wabasse said.

Wabasse said all the employers present at the career fair are committed to hiring Indigenous people.

Emergency and community services at the career fair included the Ottawa Paramedic Service, the Ottawa Police Service, various tribal police forces, federal agencies such as the Bank of Canada and CSIS, as well as construction companies offering blue-collar and trades-focused careers.

Corey Kinsella, who leads an all-First Nations team with Cambium Indigenous Professional Services, cited missed opportunities for First Nations in major infrastructure projects.

“All this economy and all this work is happening in our traditional territories,” Kinsella said. “It’s happening for a long time, and you know as part of reconciliation our people want to be involved and we want to benefit from these projects and create good paying jobs and set themselves and their families up for success.”

Kinsella was sharing his booth with Arup, a global consulting agency promoting the Alexandria Bridge replacement project, which includes an Indigenous action plan.

He feels that a massive infrastructure project like a bridge replacement can be a major source of employment for Indigenous people from a wide radius around Ottawa.

“Different communities have different capacities and different strengths. We’ve had lots of different conversations with lots of different communities,” Kinsella said. “Not just Algonquin, but some of the Mohawk nations to the east as well, they’re really tied to the structural steel and iron works, they’re really skilled at that.”

He says it’s about building relationships and having conversations so people know what’s coming and they’re not blindsided.

“Part of our work too is understanding what kinds of barriers exist for Indigenous people to get involved,” he said.

Kinsella believes on the individual level there is a lot of red tape that gets in the way of economic participation such as certifications, training, and union requirements to get involved in projects like the Alexandria Bridge replacement. Cambium advises the federal government on addressing regulatory hurdles for increased First Nations involvement in major infrastructure projects.

“We’re not really accustomed to these federal processes, but there’s got to be a way to have flexibility, some leeway so that we can bring in these skilled businesses to get them involved in this project,” Kinsella said.

Corey Kinsella leads an all First Nations team of Indigenous advisory service with Cambrium Indigenous Professional Services. — Corey Kinsella leads an all First Nations team of Indigenous advisory services with Cambrium Indigenous Professional Services. Photo credit: Kevin Clasper-Inglis

Kinsella recognizes that housing challenges are an issue and seeks to ensure that First Nations workers who leave home to work in the city on major projects have access to adequate accommodation. He says it also helps to provide workers with transportation so that they can maintain strong ties to their home communities.

The event, which rotates between different institutions each year, continues to successfully connect Indigenous students with meaningful employment opportunities — something that Bowashgusin has experienced.

She previously worked as a labourer for a non-profit housing agency for Indigenous people. They managed to complete 60 units for people in need during the pandemic, exemplifying the value of workforce participation by Indigenous people.

“There was a lot of satisfaction in that job,” she said.

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Kevin Clasper-Inglis

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Lunar New Year event brings culture and celebration to Algonquin College

Lion dances, traditional foods, and cultural games brought the Lunar New Year spirit to Algonquin College’s Student Commons on Jan. 29

Ana Silva

Photos: Ana Silva

February 4, 2025
Revised: February 4, 2025 1:53pm

Photo: Ana Silva

Lion dancers perform a traditional dance during a Lunar New Year celebration, bringing energy and good fortune to the event.

The Algonquin College community came together on Jan. 29 to celebrate the Lunar New Year with an afternoon of cultural performances, traditional food and festive activities in the Student Commons.

The event featured booths, games, and performances organized by student groups, including the Algonquin College Vietnamese Club and the Chinese Student Alliance. A lion dance captivated people, alongside interactive activities like the Vietnamese dice game (Bầu Cua Tôm Cá) and chopstick pick up challenge.

Alex Murray, a student who attended the event, said she enjoyed the lively atmosphere.

“I think it’s really cool. I really enjoyed the lion dance,” she said. “It was very enthusiastic.”

Murray also took part in the games, winning prizes at both the Vietnamese dice game and the chopstick pick-up challenge.

“It was a pretty lucky day, which I think is pretty crazy,” she said.

Alex Murray smiles while holding the gifts she won from the Vietnamese Dice Game (Bầu Tôm Cua Cá) and the chopstick challenge at Algonquin College’s Lunar New Year event. — Alex Murray smiles while holding the gifts she won from the Vietnamese Dice Game (Bầu Cua Tôm Cá) and the chopstick challenge at Algonquin College’s Lunar New Year event. Photo credit: Ana Silva

The event was a collaboration between the Algonquin Students’ Association and student cultural groups. Tatanisha Riggan, who helped organize the celebration on behalf of the SA, said working with student clubs helped make the event more culturally authentic.

“Between last year and this year, the event has evolved by being co-organized with two student clubs: the Chinese Student Alliance led by Jinying Liu and the AC Vietnamese Student Club led by Linh Ngo,” said Riggan.

Ngo, a coordinator for the event, said planning began just before the winter break.

“The SA reached out just before the break. It first started with an online meeting to learn about what the school offers, the layout, and potential activities,” she said.

Ngo also worked with club members and external partners to bring authentic cultural elements to the event.

“For the Vietnamese team, what I did was talk to the members of the club, search for specific Vietnamese decorations and even talk to the Embassy of Vietnam to borrow decorations and ask for sponsorship from a restaurant,” she said.

Linh Ngo, leader of the AC Vietnamese Student Club and co-organizer of the Lunar New Year event. — Linh Ngo, leader of the Algonquin College Vietnamese Student Club and co-organizer of the Lunar New Year event. Photo credit: Ana Silva

At a booth, T&T Supermarket, the event’s sponsor, promoted its delivery service, while guests sampled traditional Lunar New Year foods such as northern Vietnamese spring rolls, pork egg rolls and kimchi spring rolls. Volunteers handed out red envelopes filled with chocolate gold coins.

For some students, the event was their first experience celebrating the Lunar New Year. Dima Zaidi, a first-time attendee, said it was fun and educational.

“They did a really good job bringing people actually from that culture, and it was really interesting,” said Zaidi.

Zaidi also participated in several activities, including getting her name written in Mandarin calligraphy.

Dima Zaidi, a first-time attendee, holding her name written in Mandarin calligraphy. Photo credit: Ana Silva

“The most fun for me was the chopstick game, where you have to pinch all the candy and then get it in within a certain time limit,” she said. “My thumb cramped up, though, so I did not win.”

Riggan said the event’s goal was to embrace Algonquin College’s diverse community while giving students a platform to share their traditions.

As the celebrations wrapped up, people reflected on the sense of community and cultural appreciation the event fostered.

“It’s great to see the school put effort into events like this,” said Zaidi. “It really brings people together.”

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Ana Silva

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Women’s basketball: Wolves cruise past George Brown on Senior Night

The Wolves dominated the Huskies at home to go 12-0 on the season, as tributes were paid to graduating players

Duncan Roi

Photos: Duncan Roi

February 4, 2025
Revised: February 4, 2025 1:20pm

Photo: Duncan Roi

Piper Hatherall pulls up and drains a mid-range jumper at the Jack Doyle Recreation and Athletic Centre.

The Wolves women’s basketball team delivered a commanding 70-31 win over the George Brown Huskies on Jan. 31, keeping their unbeaten streak alive with a decisive victory at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.

It was another impressive performance from the Wolves as they came out to an early lead in the first quarter and pressed the advantage, quickly taking control of the game.

The Wolves’ defence was frenetic, characteristic of most of their season, cutting passing lanes, getting 15 steals and dominating the glass, out-rebounding George Brown 41-28.

Sydney Moore dribbles through traffic before dishing out the pass on Jan. 31. Photo credit: Duncan Roi

The victory demonstrated excellent ball movement and teamwork, as the team dished out 22 assists.

It was an emotional game as eight senior players played their final regular season home game with the Wolves.

Before the game, head coach Jaime McLean paid tribute to the eight seniors. Fans applauded as he acknowledged each of the seniors’ unique contributions to the team.

In a speech, McLean said: “Coaching all of them has been a privilege. Watching them grow, not just as players but as young leaders, has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my career.”

The graduating seniors include team leaders Dasia McDonald and Sydney Moore, who have been key to the Wolves’ success over their time on the team.

Dasia McDonald looks for passing options at the top of the key. — Dasia McDonald looks for passing options at the top of the key in her final regular-season home game.

“This group is really special. They’ve come in starting right after COVID-19, with a short half-season, and they’ve built from there,” McLean said after the game. “They’ve built such an amazing team chemistry and team culture. It’s really special. So to see this group come through and what they’ve built up, it’s tough to see it go away.”

The other graduating players are Siena Lesaux, Chloe Lapointe, Libby Hirst, Piper Hatherall, Meaghan McNamara and Madison Robert.

pays tribute to seniors in pregame speech. — Head coach Jaime McLean pays tribute to seniors in a pregame speech at the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre. Photo credit: Duncan Roi

Hatherall shined in the game with a season-high 19 points, along with eight rebounds, five assists and three steals. Hatherall drained several impressive mid-range jumpers and some difficult contested layups in the paint, all on an efficient 60 per cent shooting.

Piper Hatherall finishes the layup after receiving a perfect cross-court pass from Dasia McDonald. — Piper Hatherall (#13) finishes the layup after receiving a perfect cross-court pass from Dasia McDonald (#4).

Cianah Miller also played a key role, scoring 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, with six rebounds and five assists, while Libby Hirst contributed to the home victory with 10 rebounds and eight points.

With two games remaining in the regular season, the Wolves are gearing up for the post-season.

“The West is a much more competitive conference, so we’re amping up to play tougher games,” said Hatherall. “But I think playoffs will go well, and I think provincials will go well. I think all of us really want that gold this year, so we’re definitely going to make that extra push.”

Hirst also expressed her excitement about heading into the post-season.

“All the teams in the West are of a higher calibre than the teams in the East, it feels like, so it’ll just be new challenges for us, which is kind of exciting, just to see what we can really do,” said Hirst.

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Duncan Roi

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Commercial airplane and military helicopter collide in the U.S.

Need-to-know news stories locally and around the world on Jan. 30

Bradley Richards

Photos:

January 31, 2025
Revised: January 31, 2025 11:50am

Local

CBC: Officers from the Community Youth Unit of the Ottawa Police Service will be appointed to teachers, allowing teachers to call the assigned youth officers and streamline communication.

This comes after seeing an increase in violence in Ottawa’s schools, according to OPS Staff Sergeant Fernando Vieira.

The initiative will be the first in four years since OPS removed all officers from schools because of uneasy relationships between schools and police.

School board trustee Lyra Evans, who voted to remove officers from school grounds in 2020, said she opposes the initiative, expressing concern about police possibly being stationed in schools again and the negative impact it could have on students.

National

CBC: A 30-metre-long fence built between Delta, B.C. and Point Roberts, Washington was not authorized by the International Boundary Commission or the mayor of Delta.

This fence is in violation of the Treaty of Ghent that prevents structures being built within three metres of the international border.

The Canadian Border Services Agency also said it was not involved, directing questions about the fence to the Delta Police Department which said the fence was implemented with help from the city’s engineering team.

The Delta police recommended building the fence to limit people from crossing the border after a senior man in 2023 accidentally crossed it and was found dead a few days later.

Delta Mayor George Harvie proposed a motion to take the fence down that will be brought to the city council on Monday.

International

CTV: Twenty-eight bodies were removed from the Potomac River after an American Airlines jet collided with a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter on a training flight Jan. 28 around 9 p.m., according to the U.S. army.

The jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. The military helicopter had a three-man crew. All 67 are currently believed to be dead.

Investigators are still looking into the crash.

News

Bradley Richards

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Bank of Canada lowers interest rate ahead of potential U.S. trade war

Top stories in your community and around the world on Jan. 29 by Algonquin Times journalists

Duncan Roi

Photos:

January 31, 2025
Revised: January 31, 2025 8:14am

Local

CTV:

Service on Line 1 was temporarily interrupted on Wednesday morning following a vehicle crash that damaged a gas line.

The crash occurred on Highway 174 around 7 a.m. near Blair Station, leading to a five-hour disruption of service. Replacement buses were rushed into operation to accommodate the stranded morning commuters.

The damaged gas line is used to provide power to switch heaters in the area, which caused the interruption in service in the east end.

OC Transpo general manager Renée Amilcar stated that the leak was under control and O-Train Line 1 was approved to resume service as repairs are made on the gas line.

No injuries were reported in the single-vehicle crash.

National

CBC:

The Bank of Canada lowered its key interest rate to three per cent on Wednesday, in preparation for imminent U.S. tariffs.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada, which he says could arrive by Feb. 1.

Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem said this measure was taken to prepare the Canadian economy for the potential impacts of the tariffs. However, Macklem admitted there is only so much the bank can do to offset the effects of the tariffs.

“The reality is the economy is going to work less efficiently. Canada’s going to produce less. It’s going to earn less. Monetary policy can’t change that,” Macklem said.

Macklem highlighted the uncertainty of the tariffs, especially regarding how long they will last and their potential magnitude.

International

CBC:

Health Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was grilled by multiple senators during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

Kennedy, a well-known vaccine skeptic, was questioned about his views on vaccines, abortion and food regulations.

Kennedy defended his position on vaccines, claiming that while he is not anti-vaccine, he advocates for more rigorous testing and research, a claim refuted by multiple Democratic senators.

The hearing was briefly interrupted by protesters who opposed Kennedy’s nomination, highlighting the divisiveness of Donald Trump’s health secretary pick.

Kennedy is due to appear before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labour and Pensions on Thursday, where it is unknown whether he will be approved by the Senate.

News

Duncan Roi

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Local leaders voice concerns about closure of Algonquin College’s Perth campus

One councillor calls it a "lamentable and shortsighted" loss

Ernest Ko

Photos: Ernest Ko

January 30, 2025
Revised: January 30, 2025 5:07pm

Photo: Ernest Ko

Founded in 1816 by Scottish immigrants, heritage and conservation have always been close to Perth's heart.

Local leaders are pushing back against the planned closure of Algonquin College’s Perth campus, warning of severe educational and economic consequences for the town.

Three weeks ago, Algonquin College president Claude Brulé announced the Perth campus would close in August 2026, sparking widespread shock and concern from the college community, alumni and Perth residents.

Brulé attributed the closure to “unprecedented financial challenges,” citing changes made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada last November, impacting international student enrolment starting in the fall 2025 semester.

In a written statement to the Algonquin Times, Perth Mayor Judy Brown said, “Perth is home not only to current students but graduates of the Perth campus who have strong ties to both the institution and the town.”

Brown said Brulé met with town staff before the college’s announcement but has “had limited communication since then.”

According to the mayor, the college has “focused our efforts on exploring opportunities to push for the campus to remain open.”

In a Jan. 15 news release, Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP John Jordan also wrote of exploring “all avenues of discussion regarding the potential for increasing enrolment in a historically unique, but geographically challenging location.”

The final decision to close the campus will come on Feb. 24 during Algonquin College’s Board of Governors meeting.

The sign to Algonquin College's Perth campus, blanketed with snow on a January day. — The main Perth campus building has been operating since its construction in 2011. Photo credit: Ernest Ko

Much of the attention revolving around the closure has focused on the campus’ heritage carpentry and joinery program, which has long carried a strong connection to the town’s traditions of heritage conservation.

Jordan described the program as a unique opportunity for a specialized market, confident that through collaborating with the college, “we can find a sustainable path forward despite the current setbacks.”

However, Perth councillor and Heritage Perth Advisory Panel member Dave Bird is less optimistic. He warns against losing the campus and its educational opportunities.

“The loss of the program as well as the college itself can only damage the already limited communal knowledge of our forebears’ skills, while decreasing the ability to repair, replicate or reproduce heritage structures in the future,” Bird said.

“Algonquin College in Perth (provides) practical learning that is not provided in ‘higher’ levels in academia, and their loss is lamentable and shortsighted.”

According to Isabel McRae, a councillor and board member of the local Business Improvement Area (BIA) Board of Management, education won’t be the only loss Perth stands to face.

Perth may not own the campus but it has invested heavily in its success, contributing $1 million to its 2011 rebuild. In turn, the community relies on the campus as an economic driver.

McRae said the college is so embedded within the town, the loss will be “extremely difficult to measure.”

“Students require goods and services,” she said. “They frequent our fast-food establishments, restaurants and use many of our services within the BIA, as do their families when they visit.

“Most likely, we will not totally understand or feel the sting and negative impact until our community college is gone.”

According to the 2021 census from Statistics Canada, Perth had a population of 6,469. Forty per cent of Perth residents were 65 years and older.

The census also reported 48 per cent of the population moving away from Perth in 2020, a rise of nine per cent above the national average.

Community members and school alumni like Willa Murray and Braeden Suggitt argue that the college creates an influx of young, educated workers in Perth, while providing a post-secondary option for the town.

Suggitt, an alumnus of the heritage carpentry program, started an online petition following the closure news. Named “Save Algonquin College Perth Campus,” the petition has since collected over 2,000 signatures.

Grassroots movements like Suggitts’ to advocate for the school is “encouraging,” said Brown.

Brown encouraged concerned Perth residents and the wider Lanark County to sign the petition and continue addressing their concerns to Algonquin College’s Board of Governors and Ontario’s Minister of Colleges and Universities.

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Women’s volleyball: Wolves lose second straight in game against Seneca

The Wolves women's volleyball team fell short for the second game in a row, losing against top-ranked Seneca Sting at the Jack Doyle Athletic Recreation Centre on Jan. 24

Jaiden Martin

Photos: Jaiden Martin

January 30, 2025
Revised: January 30, 2025 4:09pm

Photo: Jaiden Martin

Wolves coach Everton Senior gives players a talk during a timeout against the Seneca Sting at the Jack Doyle Athletic and Recreation Centre on Jan. 24.

The Wolves came up short against the Seneca Sting on Jan. 24 losing in three straight sets at home. It was their second loss in a row after falling to the Centennial Colts.

The Sting got off to a hot start against the Wolves, leading by seven in the first set. The Wolves fought back and tied the game up at 17. It was a back-and-forth match on the scoreboard until the Wolves and Sting hit 22 points.

The Wolves lost the set 25-22, allowing the Sting to take a one-game lead in the match.

The Wolves hit a wall in the second set. What worked in the first set was no longer effective and they started to break down.

Wolves players lined up, holding hands with one another for O'Canada at the Jack Doyle Athletic and Recreation Centre on Jan. 24 against the Seneca Sting. — Wolves players lined up for O'Canada at the Jack Doyle Athletic and Recreation Centre on Jan. 24 against the Seneca Sting.

“We have to learn to be consistent, work on being consistent in our play, not just for three, four points at a time, but for big stretches of the game. That was the difference today,” said Wolves head coach Everton Senior.

The second set ended 25-16 in favour of the Sting. Going into the third set, the Wolves needed to win three straight sets in order for them to win the game.

Carys Tenthorey and Cambria Alford were two standout players for the Wolves.

Tenthorey, who plays on the left side, got hot on both sides of the ball. She finished the game with one ace, seven kills, eight digs and eight points.

Tenthorey wants to learn from the loss and bring the positives into the next game.

“Making sure our team’s morale is upbeat and (that we) keep going with that and reading the block more,” said Tenthorey.

Carys Tenthorey going for the kill against two Seneca Sting players trying to block at the Jack Doyle Athletic and Recreation Centre on Jan. 24. — Carys Tenthorey going for the kill against Seneca Sting at the Jack Doyle Athletic and Recreation Centre on Jan. 24. Photo credit: Jaiden Martin

Alford, who also plays left side, found her stride while serving against the Sting. Alford closed the game with three aces, nine kills and 12 total points.

“Overall, I think I did a pretty good job of keeping my energy high when they got some point runs. I was kind of able to stay out of my head. Taking that mentality into playoffs is going to be crucial,” said Alford.

The Wolves lost the final set against the Sting 25-17. Losing three straight games to the Sting was not in the Wolves’ game plan.

Cambria Alford No.11, serving against the Seneca Sting on Jan. 24 at the Jack Doyle Recreation and Athletic Centre — Wolves player Cambria Alford serving against the Seneca Sting on Jan. 24 at the Jack Doyle Recreation and Athletic Centre. Photo credit: Jaiden Martin

The Wolves bounced back in their next game against the Georgian Grizzlies 3-0 at the Jack Doyle Athletic and Recreation Centre on Jan. 25.

The Wolves will play their final two regular season games on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2 at Fleming College and Durham College, respectively. The Wolves look to add two more wins to finish the season and gain a bit of momentum heading into playoffs.

Sports & Recreation

Jaiden Martin

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Doug Ford calls early election for Feb. 27, less than a month away

Top stories in your community and around the world on Jan. 28 by Algonquin Times journalists

Lara Simard

Photos:

January 29, 2025
Revised: January 29, 2025 4:11pm

Local

CBC: The Ottawa Carleton District School Board is currently facing its fifth deficit.

The board is trying to trim expenses, but the increased cost of living and decrease in enrolments is causing their budget to experience a $15- to 17-million shortfall, according to the board’s chief financial officer.

Students are also increasingly requiring support with emotional regulation within the classroom, and investments in educational assistants are eating away at schools’ finances.

Now the OCDSB is paying about $30 million a year on substitute teachers, up some $12 million from pre-pandemic days.

Board chair Lynn Scott hopes the government will do more to support schools during this financial crisis.

National

Toronto Star: Premier Doug Ford called an early election, which is scheduled to take place in under a month on Feb. 27.

Ford met with Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont to discuss the dissolution of Ontario’s parliament.

The opposition leaders are concerned that the money spent on the “unnecessary election” will take away from controlling the tariff dilemma, preventing unemployment and keeping the economy from crashing.

They estimate billions of dollars will be needed to recover from Trump’s threats, so spending $150 to $175 million on an election may rob the government of that safety net.

International

The Canadian Press: President Donald Trump signed an order to revise the Pentagon’s policy on transgender troops on Jan. 27, in hopes to ban them from serving in the military.

This is not the first time Trump has tried to go through with this motion.

He also attempted to ban transgender troops seven years ago in his first term as president, but was overturned by former president Joe Biden and several legal roadblocks.

Lambda Legal and the Human Rights Campaign, the groups who fought for transgender rights the first time around, are threatening to sue Trump again.

Trump also ordered troops who had left or been kicked out of the military due to refusing the COVID-19 vaccines to be reinstated.

His intentions are to “restore them to their former rank with full pay.” The requirements for military entry will remain the same.

News

Lara Simard

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Lara Simard

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