Brandon Meawasige
Assistant Sports Editor
The McMaster women’s basketball team announced this week that local standout Danielle Boiago, point guard at Hamilton’s St. Thomas Moore Catholic Secondary School, has committed to spend her university basketball career as a Marauder.
Boiago is the first recruit to commit to the women’s program this year, and will join a team that is loaded with young talent at the guard position.
“Danielle was our #1 recruiting priority and we are extremely pleased that she has committed to McMaster. There may be other players to add in coming days but none to report at this time,” said head coach Theresa Burns about Boiago and the plan for recruiting.
“We feel that we have added a key piece of the puzzle with Danielle. Player development over the summer will focus on individual skill development that will help address team needs particularly in the area of perimeter scoring.”
As a highly touted recruit, Boiago will be expected to make an impact immediately, something that Burns believes is quite possible for the freshman, who will be studying Kinesiology at Mac.
“I do believe Danielle will make an impact right away, and play significant minutes right away. Like all first-year players she will go through a learning and adjustment period at this level but I think she will adjust fairly quickly.”
The signing of top recruit like Boiago is a victory for the Marauders, who have traditionally been a contending team under Burns but have failed to make noise in the OUA playoffs over the past three seasons.
“McMaster is a school that has so much to offer. Coach Burns and her coaching staff have done an incredible job in developing the women's basketball program and the Kinesiology program is a perfect fit for me. I feel privileged that all of the things I was looking for in a school happened to be in my hometown,” Boiago told the Sil this week.
On the court, Boiago brings with her an intriguing skill set, according to coach Burns.
“She has a complete skill set; she is strong offensively, defensively and has great work ethic and will to compete. She is a great teammate, positive, supportive.
“We feel that we have added a key piece of the puzzle with Danielle. Player development over the summer will focus on individual skill development that will help address team needs particularly in the area of perimeter scoring.”
As for the 5’7” Boiago, next season will offer a chance to learn the CIS game and develop as a player, “I'm a calm, but competitive player. I love the fast-paced game that the Marauders play and as a point guard I have the ability to get the ball up the court for easy transition baskets. I also have experience playing the shooting guard position and I'm comfortable taking the outside shot,” says Boiago.
Boiago lists her favorite CIS player is Jacklyn Selfe, a University of Western Ontario guard who ironically helped eliminate the Maroon and Grey from the OUA playoffs this past season, but has high hopes to make her own impact in the CIS this year.
“I know I will learn a ton from the coaching staff as well as the other girls on the team and I hope to make a quick and smooth transition. As far as goals for the next five years, I haven't really thought that far ahead yet. I'm just excited to be moving on to a new chapter in my basketball career,” says the high school standout.
Boiago is no stranger to the spotlight, as she competed and brought home gold medals for both team Ontario at nationals and the city of Hamilton overseas in Greece. Boiago says it’s for the Hamilton born recruit, to be pursued by her hometown school.
“It is an honor to be pursued by a school like McMaster that has a reputation for excellence both on the court and in the classroom,” shared Boiago.
Holding up that reputation of excellence should require no transition for Boiago, who averages 23 points per game for her Hamilton club team, Blessed Sacrament in the provincial JUEL league, leading all scorers with those numbers.
For a team like the Marauders, who made the playoffs last season, adding a player like Danielle Boiago could potentially make the difference between simply making the playoffs and being a serious championship contender.
With this signing being the first of several according to Burns, next season could see a shakeup at the top of the OUA West standings.
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
Lindsay Carson has battled for the better part of two years to find her health and her running stride, but that struggle was met with resounding success on Mar. 9.
The fourth-year member of the Marauder squad topped the field in the 3000m event at the CIS National Track Championships hosted by the University of Manitoba. The golden finish stands as a remarkable achievement for an athlete whose health issues had held her out of competition at the national level during the fall cross-country season.
Carson’s podium-topping performance during the Friday session of the three-day event was one of three medals garnered by the Marauders. The other two came by way of Katie Anderson, who won silver medals in the 1000m and 1500m races on Mar. 9 and 10, respectively.
The combined efforts of the Marauder women over the course of the weekend were enough to place the team ninth in the national field of 21 squads.
For her part, Carson indicates that winning her long-distance event was far from her mind as she entered competition in Manitoba, as her priority lay in performance alone.
“My approach to the race wasn’t associated with a place, it was associated with an effort,” said the fourth-year runner. “So my strategy was to run as relaxed as I could and by doing so I could save energy in my legs and save energy mentally. If I could do that I could really get up for the last few laps.”
Carson’s first reaction upon crossing the finish line was to assume that she had lost, ignorant of the fact that gold medal favourite Tamara Jewett had dropped out of the race midway through.
“To be honest, when I crossed the line I knew that I had given it my all but I sincerely thought that I had come third,” said the veteran Marauder. “I didn’t know that Tamara had dropped out, and I think not knowing actually boded well for me during the race. I didn’t have the pressure of knowing that I could actually win.
“I was gunning for second or third and finally started believing in myself in the last five metres of the race. I tried to out-lean [Guelph’s Andrea Seccafien] and I didn’t think that I got her. I thought that it was a valiant effort but that she got me at the line. It ended up being a photo finish and on paper we had the same time. That rarely happens in a distance race.”
The closeness of the finish aside, Carson finds herself in possession of a CIS gold medal after a lengthy period littered with injuries had the Marauder veteran doubting her running future. She indicates that the result – coming as it does after such struggle – is particularly sweet.
“It was very satisfying,” said Carson of her podium moment. “I was extremely happy with it from the finish but I think it became more satisfying each and every time another person came up to me and was genuinely happy with the performance. It’s not the fact that I won but the fact that a lot of people know and recognize the adversity that I’ve faced for the last two years.
“They know that I’ve struggled and to break through with this performance makes it all the more satisfying.”
Carson was lent support in that protracted struggle by her teammates, who formed a formidable long-distance squad for the Maroon and Grey this season. While the competitive environment of the track ultimately makes the Marauders’ efforts individual ones, the presence of strong training companions pushed Carson and her teammates forward.
The veteran member of the Maroon and Grey argues that the training benefits offered by her team were particularly potent this season as multiple representatives at the 3000m distance qualified as late as the CIS meet. That meant continued high-level companionship as Carson laboured toward nationals.
“It does help having more than one maroon singlet on the line and we had three in that race,” said the veteran of her medal-winning race in Manitoba. “Approaching the race itself it’s a very individual process, but throughout the season is where your teammates help. For your practices and workouts it really helps having others around you working at the same distance.
“Also, the fact that we had three at the CIS meet meant that we trained together longer throughout the season. If you’re done after OUAs, then you’re not training any more. With all of the girls making it to the CIS level, we kept that big, vibrant group. We use that energy during races, but there’s so much to think about during a race that you have to focus on yourself.”
In the wake of her national triumph, Carson is determined to take the wave of momentum she is currently riding into the spring and summer outdoor track season. Having built a measure of stability and race readiness through the indoor season, the veteran is confident in her ability to achieve even more outdoors.
“Right now I have a pretty clear view of my goal going forward,” said Carson. “I used the indoor season as a stepping stone to get me back on the circuit, get me back into racing and get me back into a positive relationship with running. Thankfully I ended the indoor season on a positive note and I can take that into the outdoor season.
“With that outdoor season approaching in May and June I’ll be getting some longer intervals in before the sharpening comes before competition.”
With another year remaining in her tenure with the Maroon and Grey, Carson hopes that continued success on the track will translate to the cross-country sphere.
After what she and her teammates believed to be a disappointing cross-country campaign this past fall, Carson and the Marauders will be looking for an all-around improvement on the trails.
“For McMaster, hopefully I’ll have a great outdoor season and be able to take that momentum into the cross-country season,” said the fourth-year veteran. “Because I think I can talk on behalf of the rest of the McMaster girls when I say that we were very disappointed in our finishes across the board.
“I think we’re all very hungry for next year and ready to improve.”
If indeed Carson can find another gear on the track, she has frightening potential in her final year of competition for the Maroon and Grey.
Brandon Meawasige
Assistant Sports Editor
Before each CIS football season, programs from coast to coast compete in a recruiting frenzy for the nation’s premier high school in order to develop for the future and address team needs with hopes of building the next Vanier Cup contender.
For the McMaster Marauders, as defending Vanier Cup champions, this year’s recruiting season provides an opportunity for the coaching staff to establish connections with high school players based on a winning reputation alone. Adding to their already youthful lineup, head coach Stefan Ptaszek and his staff has been aggressive, making waves recently by releasing a star-studded list of 16 defensive prospects from around Ontario.
“It is all about personal relationships and getting to know the best players around the country. Certainly the big trophy in my office and the Vanier cup rings may help break some of the ties in the competitive recruiting wars, but there is still allot of elbow grease in getting to know these kids around the country” said Ptaszek.
It would appear from the announcement that the emphasis lies on the defensive side of the ball for the Marauders, especially on line, which was one of the most experienced units for Mac in their Vanier Cup run.
“Defensive line is an area that we need to address. There are three or four young men coming to camp that will provide some depth, help keep us afloat and in the long-term become excellent football players,” said Ptaszek.
“One kid in particular to note is Zach Intzandt from London, he is one of the best D-lineman in that city and it is good to get him away from the evil empire [the rival Western Mustangs] down there is a big victory for us,” he continued.
Intzandt, a 6’4” 275 lb. beast from London’s St. Thomas Aquinas leads the group of defensive recruits, but offensively there remains some grey area for Ptaszek and his staff.
“We are going to announce some receivers in the coming weeks that are going to add some value,” he shared staying tight lipped about both the remaining targets and players that have already committed.
As expected, there are plenty of question marks surrounding certain offensive positions, namely at quarterback, with pivot Kyle Quinlan on CFL draft boards after competing at this month’s combine in Toronto. Regardless of whether he returns for his final year of eligibility, the Marauders are beginning to prepare for life after their star, which may be an easier transition that originally thought.
During this past season backup Marshall Ferguson, who was a highly touted recruit in his own regard, emerged as a more than suitable successor to fill the large shoes left by Quinlan.
McMaster is also interested in a pair of quarterback recruits, including local standout Alex Hill from Stoney Creek’s Cardinal Newman. The Marauder missed out, however, on local standout quarterback Will Finch, who chose the Mustangs after a successful high school career at Burlington’s Nelson High School.
Traditionally, recruits are forced to choose between playing time on the field and program prestige, which is not the case at Mac.
“All six years that I have been here, we have had at least 15 or more true freshman dress and play every single year, this year was no exception with players like [Linebackers] Aram Eisho, Nick Shortill and [Running Back] Chris Pezzetta starting and playing every down,” offered Ptaszek.
Looking to continue with his tradition of developing talent through experience Ptaszek is sticking to his faith in youth.
“McMaster’s philosophy has always been if talent is equal, the young man who is going to be here the longest is going to get the majority reps. We are hoping to bring in a talented group where 15 or more can dress and contribute again. I’d suspect well have some that are pushing to start right away,” he added.
In most cases, schools are looking to improve on their results from last season. For the Marauders, sticking to their philosophy of emphasis on youth seems to be the most effective strategy, as it paid off in 2011 eclipsing the pinnacle of CIS football in 2011.
For Ptaszek and his staff, rounding up recruits for next season’s squad lends itself to the old adage “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.”
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
The results didn’t fall their way, but for the youthful Marauder contingent there was much to be learned from their experience at the CIS Championships.
Hosted at McMaster’s Burridge Gym from Mar. 2-4, the tournament brought the top women’s volleyball teams in Canada to Hamilton and saw the Maroon and Grey come face-to-face with fierce out-of-conference opposition.
While they dropped both of their contests over the course of the weekend – losing a four-set decision to the no. 1 ranked Alberta Pandas on Mar. 2 before succumbing to the Saint Mary’s Huskies in five the next afternoon – the Marauders raised their fair share of eyebrows with their performances.
Expected by many observers to be easily dismissed by the competition on the national stage, the Maroon and Grey posed a stern test for the Pandas and should likely have polished off the Huskies after building a two-set advantage.
For their part, the Marauders expressed their satisfaction with the effort put forward at the CIS tournament, which silenced those who doubted McMaster’s credibility in the lead-up to the event.
“I was really happy with it [McMaster’s performance], because I thought that it showed that we could play with the top teams at an event like the nationals,” said rookie middle Taylor Brisebois.
Fellow first-year hitter Lauren Mastroluisi argued that the team’s showing augured well for the Marauders’ future, adding, “Knowing that we came in as the underdogs and proved so much against Alberta, we have a chance to compete next year.”
McMaster’s large rookie class had the most to learn at the national event, and both Mastroluisi and Brisebois indicated that they had taken away important lessons from the challenge of competition against Canada’s best.
Mastroluisi argued that the greatest benefit of the tournament was done to the Marauders’ mentality, teaching the players that setbacks are inevitable against top-tier teams.
“You definitely take something away from it,” said the outside hitter of the event. “Having the opportunity to play at the CIS tournament is something that doesn’t come around very often. The opportunity to play against the best teams in the country really teaches you how to be patient with yourself.
“You know that you’re going to get blocked and that there are going to be big kills against you. But you have to push through that and play to the best of your ability. You can’t focus on [your opponent], you have to focus on yourself.”
Brisebois emphasized the team-building element of competing at such a high level, where building an ever-stronger understanding with teammates becomes a necessity.
“I think we learned a lot as a team about how to play well together,” said the rookie middle hitter. “We’ve done that kind of thing before, but I thought that we were really cheering each other on and celebrating the little things. So I think that really helped us play as a whole.”
That added chemistry should be transferable for a Marauder team that may well return all of its athletes next season. With the squad’s two seniors Meagan Nederveen and Shannon McRobert both contemplating a fifth year, an already promising lineup could be given another full year to grow together.
McMaster’s rookie standouts both expressed their excitement at the prospect of competing alongside an intact Marauder lineup next season, and have high hopes for what that squad can achieve given what it has already accomplished.
“It’s definitely going to help a lot,” said Mastroluisi of the team’s lack of turnover. “We have a great opportunity to show people that we’ve finally come together and I honestly think we have a great chance to win next year.
“Our chemistry improved so much throughout the year,” added Brisebois. “We had a little bit of a rocky start but at the end it was amazing how far we had come, and so I see really great things on the horizon for next year.”
That next season will see the Marauder rookies return as sophomores, a move that brings with it a new level of responsibility and expectation. For her part, Mastroluisi is confident that she and her fellow first-years have the proper attitude to continue to excel both on court and in the classroom.
“I think we’re pretty goal-oriented as a group,” said the rookie outside. “So if we set out a goal for ourselves then we’re going to achieve it whether it’s for school or for volleyball.”
Brisebois indicated that growing into the sophomore role would entail assuming a mentorship role for the Marauders’ fresh crop of rookie players, much like the role that her teammates have played for her this season.
“If we ever need help with something we can always go to someone on the team,” said the middle hitter. “We’ll have new rookies next year and now having been rookies ourselves we know what it’ll be like and we can go to them and help them through it.”
With a long offseason looming in the wake of the national championship tournament, the Marauders have the opportunity to work on their respective games in the absence of competition. Mastroluisi signals that her priority and that of her teammates will be on all-around fitness as they look to become stronger and more capable in the layoff period.
“I think that over the summer we’re really going to work on our fitness to become stronger hitters and jump higher,” said the first-year outside. “Rather than anything specific to volleyball, it’s going to come down to general fitness.”
Brisebois however has a very specific goal in mind for her offseason training. She believes that she must become quicker if she is to advance as a player and plans to work to speed up her game.
“For me it’s about speed,” said the middle hitter. “I found myself a bit slow coming out to block or to hit in transition. So I’m going to work on my speed over the summer and hopefully that improves.”
The Marauders now have the chance to work toward such improvements, and look to achieve ever-greater things as they move forward together.
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
The season hadn’t been completely seamless for the Marauders, but as they entered the OUA Final Four the Maroon and Grey appeared well equipped to compete with their semifinal opponents from Queen’s.
However, over the course of four sets on Feb. 24 in London, McMaster struggled to find form and consistency and paid the ultimate price on the scoreboard. Though they appeared the stronger team for long stretches of the Friday night contest, the Marauders committed far too many errors against a game Gaels squad.
First-year middle hitter Alex Elliot – named this season’s OUA Rookie of the Year on Feb. 22 – bemoaned his team’s spate of mistakes against a foe they knew well.
“That was really tough,” said Elliot of the Marauders’ inefficiency. “Because for the past couple weeks, those were the things we had been doing best and we had been managing our errors. In practices and in other games those things hadn’t gone wrong. The serving errors have always been there, but not as pronounced as they were during those four sets.
“That was the toughest part. The things we usually do best were the things we weren’t doing well.”
The nature of the Friday night defeat may sting most for the Marauders, as their opponents hardly blew them off the court with superior play. Rather, the Queen’s side was the steadier one, and allowed the Maroon and Grey to self-destruct from rally to rally.
Elliot expressed his frustration with what he views as a missed opportunity on his team’s part. Unsurprised by the approach taken by the Gaels, the Marauders were nonetheless unable to answer the bell when it mattered most.
“I felt that they were playing the same way they’ve played all year,” said the rookie middle of the opposition from Queen’s. “They were the exact same team we expected them to be. We just didn’t take advantage of what we should have.”
The Maroon and Grey’s failure to capitalize on their semifinal opportunity ends their bid for silverware this season, but it may prove instrumental in the growth of McMaster’s young squad in the long term. For rookies like Elliot, the defeat was a crucial first taste of Final Four volleyball, and the middle believes that he and his teammates will be all the better for it.
“Building up to the event, I wasn’t really sure how I was going to feel,” said Elliot. “People were asking me if I was nervous, and I realized that I wasn’t until they brought it up. Going into the match I was jacked up and ready to go, and I think most of the guys were.
“I didn’t really feel nerves, because I knew the opponent and I knew what they were going to do. [The match] will help a lot in the future, because I’ll know what to expect next year and how it’ll feel. It’ll be better because it’ll help the team calm down a little more as we go through a match.”
While the present may be bleak, the future appears bright for a Marauder team that received a litany of honours courtesy of the OUA’s year-end awards. Three members of the Maroon and Grey were named as conference Second Team All Stars (Jeremy Groenveld, Kevin Stevens and Jori Mantha) while Elliot and fellow McMaster first-year Dan Groenveld were included in the OUA’s All-Rookie squad.
It was the young middle who made the largest splash however, being singled out as the premier first-year in the province. Elliot expressed his surprise and gratitude when considering a field chalked full of worthy candidates.
“I was surprised, because there were a couple of guys who’ve played very well like [Waterloo outside] Erich Woolley and Dan, who has had a great season too,” said the Marauder middle. “Going into the season I didn’t know what to expect or how much playing time I would get.
“Being able to get a lot of playing time was really good and it was an honour to be named Rookie of the Year. It was a lot of fun and a great first year.”
Elliot’s achievement is particularly remarkable given his previously documented struggles to fit into the Marauder lineup in the early going. Being asked to play on the outside, the rookie floundered in practice, and saw very little of the court in the opening half of McMaster’s season. But when given the chance to return to the middle, Elliot flourished and has yet to look back.
“It really came into my mind as the second half started that I belonged,” said the young hitter of his turnaround. “Through the Saskatchewan trip and the first few games of the semester it really hit me. It was completely different from the first semester because I started on the outside and it was so strange.
“Getting back into the middle and playing brought me into a comfort zone and I felt like I was meant to be in that spot. It was a great feeling and I settled in and went with the flow.”
Rather than resting on his established laurels, Elliot sees the end of the season as an opportunity to improve on several facets of his game. Chief among those is his physicality, as the rookie hitter hungers for more power. But as he points out, any addition to his strength must be augmented by speed.
“There’s a ton things that I want to get better at in the offseason,” said Elliot. “I want to get a bit bigger and stronger in my upper body, but I always want to be faster and up my foot speed so that I can close down those outside blocks quicker. I want to be able to be more physical at the net, and that’s the biggest difference between someone who’s in fifth year and someone who’s in first. It’s the size.
With the Marauders returning to the proverbial drawing board as a team, Elliot will have several months to do such fine-tuning. The summer’s coming provincial competitions should also provide the middle with yet another opportunity to demonstrate his growing skill.
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
Katie Anderson’s meteoric comeback on the track has been nothing short of remarkable this season, and that journey reached a new peak on Feb. 25.
Having excelled at the longer distances throughout the season, the Marauder veteran ran a personal best on route to a gold medal in the 1500m event at the OUA Championships. Running the race in 4:26.66, Anderson beat out her nearest competitor by nearly three complete seconds to cap a dominant performance.
Speaking in the wake of her gold medal finish, Anderson indicated her surprise at her ability to outpace the remainder of the field. Expecting a tighter pack, the Marauder found herself in only the most elite of company as the race played out.
“I didn’t really expect that,” said the fourth-year competitor. “It’s tough, because I thought that I could run 4:30 again, but I also thought that more of the girls who were running could run that. So I was surprised by how spread out the field was and by how comfortable I felt running that time. It was a huge personal best for me, both indoor and outdoor.”
Marauder coach Paula Schnurr noted that Anderson approached the OUA event wanting only to run to the best of her ability, unsure of what that would translate to in the standings. But with the provincial gold under her belt, Schnurr expects her star distance runner to take aim at a medal at the national level.
“She certainly has had a phenomenal year and it’s true that we’ve always kept in mind that the goal was always the CIS meet and a medal there,” said the coach. “That’s still the goal. Katie went into the OUAs just wanting to run fast and if that meant that she was going to win a medal, then great.
“I think she’ll probably take the same approach into the CIS meet but things are a bit different. When you get to that level, you’re racing to win and if the times are fast, that’s a bonus. So I think there’ll be a little bit more tactics involved. But Katie’s sights are set on a medal.”
Anderson echoed her coach in her belief that the CIS event will demand a more strategic approach. That necessity largely derives from the more evenly matched talent pool at the national level, where separating oneself from the pack is a much tougher affair.
“The OUA level has a very talented group of girls running and the thing about the CIS level is that you’re getting even more talent and even more girls running the same time,” said the Marauder veteran. “So you really have to figure out what your strengths are and pace it out that way.
“I know for example in the 1000m that there are a bunch of girls that can out-kick me through 600m or so, so I have to consider that tactically.”
In terms of a concrete goal at the upcoming national event at the University of Manitoba, Anderson stated that she would aim solely to achieve a personal best, and hope that such a time would stand her in good stead against the field on offer.
“My goal for every race has been to get a PB, because I feel that a personal best for me generally puts me in a fairly good position,” said Anderson. “So I would be happy if I could PB again. Even if I was dead last, if I was running 4:25, I’d be happy. It’s entirely new territory for me.”
While Anderson’s gold medal performance was the high point of the Marauders’ OUA efforts, the talent-laden women’s 3000m unit also made a splash over the course of the weekend, with Victoria Coates claiming a bronze at that distance.
Several McMaster runners are nationally ranked in that event, and Schnurr believes that the highly competitive nature of the Marauders’ longer-distance squad will stand them in good stead at the national championships.
With Coates, Lindsay Carson and Sarah Haliburton all slated to compete in the 3000m event in Manitoba, McMaster has a legitimate hope of reaching the podium at the distance.
“The CIS event will be the first time that all three girls will have run the 3000m at the same race,” said Schnurr of her long distance specialists. “Victoria and Sarah ran together at Notre Dame and Victoria came out on top, and then Sarah ran it a bit faster in Boston. It’s hard to know who’s got the upper hand but all of the girls are very fit and again it will probably come down to a bit of strategy.
“They want to get some energy from each other and there’s going to be some benefit from that. However, they’re going to want to beat each other as well, and they have to treat each other as competitors.”
On the men’s side, long distance standout Graham Bowes continued his outstanding season with a fifth-placed finish in the 3000m event, and notched eighth position in the 1500m. Schnurr explains that Bowes’ 3000m result in particular represented a shattering of his personal best, as he continues his rapid ascent up the national rankings.
“That was a huge personal best,” said the Marauder coach. “He ran 8:28 at Notre Dame and that was converted to 8:32 on the oversized track. For him to come back at the OUA Championship and run at 8:23 was unbelievable. After running that first PB he knew that he could run faster, but there just weren’t any chances.
“He knew he would have to put it all out there at the OUAs. It really paid off because now he’s off to the CIS event.”
Anderson, Bowes and the rest of the Marauder contingent will wrap up their season in Manitoba when they compete at the CIS National Championships from Mar. 8-10.
Ben Orr
Silhouette Staff
It is fitting that the Marauders would finish the season with an 11-11 record, as the 2011-12 season was as up-and-down one sometimes defined by a struggle to compete with the elite in the OUA.
Still, much can be said for a young women's squad winning 11 games and earning a playoff berth, and undoubtedly the atmosphere surrounding the program heading into the off-season is a positive one.
The season would begin at Burridge Gym in the form of a loss to a strong Carleton Ravens team which would go on to win 17 games and capture second in their division. It would end on the same floor with a loss to the rival Western Mustangs, as the Maroon and Grey would fail to advance to the conference quarterfinals. The Marauders jockeyed for position all season long with the Mustangs, who finished with an identical 11-11 record.
Notably, Coach Theresa Burns was unable to be on the sidelines for her team’s final game after suffering a concussion while playing pick-up hockey.
The Marauder women struggled all season long to capture positive momentum and put any kind of streak together. It was indeed a season characterized by mediocrity, as the squad was never far below .500, but never surged up the standings either. The team suffered numerous injuries, especially in the new year, most notably to rising star Abby Hurd. Coach Burns struggled with putting a consistent starting five on the floor night in and night out.
The injuries forced the youth of the team to rise to the occasion, and rise they did. Along with Hurd, a rookie, Liz Burns, Vanessa Bonomo and Hailey Milligan all had strong campaigns in their third season competing for McMaster.
The brightest spot of the season came in the form of fifth year senior and captain, Taylor Chiarot. After a standout season which saw her average 17 points a game and grab 126 defensive rebounds, Chiarot was named an OUA West First-Team All-Star for the first time in her illustrious career at Mac. Her 1,289 career points are good enough for 13th all time in OUA history and make her the all-time leading scorer for the McMaster Marauders women's program.
Jessica Clemençon of Windsor won her second straight Player of the Year award and her coach, Chantal Vallée took home Coach of the Year honours. The Lancers completed the season with a 20-2 record, the best in the in the province.
Not surprisingly, the top four teams from the regular season will compete at the OUA Final Four at the University of Ottawa this weekend. In the semi-finals, the Brock Badgers will take on the hosting Gee-Gees and the Carleton Ravens will take on the aforementioned Lancers, who look to defend their title. OUA supremacy will be decided on March 3 at 8 pm.
The Marauders may have to watch from home, but the promising young squad will surely be motivated to add their name to the marquee at next year's Final Four. And with a solid combination of youth and leadership, the Maroon women might just be the surprise of the OUA come next season.
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
It’s not often that a team loses a quarterfinal and finds themselves in a national championship a few short weeks later, but that’s exactly what the Marauders are looking forward to this coming weekend.
Despite being roundly beaten by the Toronto Varsity Blues in an OUA quarterfinal on Feb. 18, the Maroon and Grey will compete in the coming CIS national championship tournament from Mar. 2-4 having secured an automatic entry as this year’s hosts.
That reality creates an interesting situation for the Marauders and their coaching staff, who have been tasked with overcoming the deflation of the playoff defeat and preparing for the country’s best.
McMaster coach Tim Louks believes that the relatively lengthy preparation period afforded to his team has been a saving grace, allowing them address technical and tactical issues at their own pace.
“Process-wise, the biggest thing is that we’ve been afforded some time to deal with our issues,” said the Marauder bench boss. “If we had to turn around and play again the same week, I think my anxiety level would have been at an all-time high. Because we just wouldn’t be allowing ourselves the time to process the information.”
The most obvious priority for the Marauders is a vast improvement in their efficiency on court, as they look to rein in the litany of errors that cost them so dearly against the Blues. Louks and his players are well aware that a clean match is a necessity, especially as they face up to a national quarterfinal against the country’s hottest team in the form of the Alberta Pandas.
“The information that Alberta is going to throw at us is going to come as fast as we’ve ever seen it,” said the coach. “We have to recover from 32 unforced errors and 16 balls off hands against the Blues. Of Toronto’s 75 points, we handed them 48. We’ve got to be better with regards to block interpretation and block execution.”
In winning the Canada West title, the Pandas dealt a rare loss to the four-time defending national champion UBC Thunderbirds. The odds are about as long as they could get for the Marauders, but Louks believes that his squad can make adjustments to at least challenge their upcoming opposition.
“Alberta will create far more one-on-ones based on their speed of play and ability to defend, and probably their ability to pass as well,” said Louks. “But we still have to be better at interpreting the block and being faster, to lower the number off hands for points. If they’re hitting around our block then fine, let’s dig.”
While the Pandas pose a daunting task for the tournament hosts, the Marauder coach points out that they are far from invincible.
“We’re playing the best team currently in Canada West and irrefutably one of the top three or four teams in the country all season long,” said Louks of the his team’s coming opponents. “Coach Eisler has them ready to play, game in and game out. But they still have six losses in their season. So how did that happen?”
In a David and Goliath situation, the Marauders’ only option is to throw caution to the wind and get up for the challenge at hand according to their coach.
“Fear no evil,” said Louks philosophically. “I’m not a religious man, but can you play with some abandon? Let’s call a spade a spade, we’re seeded eighth and it’s a lucky eight. We’re going in as the bottom seed and we know it. For us to improve our tournament standing, we have to take care of some points regardless of who our opponent is.
“If we don’t play in a way in which we’re managing our own game and our mental position then we’re not even giving ourselves the chance to find out if we can win. Let’s find out.”
Win or lose, the Marauders have a rare opportunity to gain match experience against the very best teams in Canada over the course of the national tournament. That practice has value in itself for a team that typically plies its trade in the frankly inferior OUA.
“This is such a marvelous opportunity, and we don’t play in these types of matches often enough,” said Louks of the competition at the national event. “I think the OUA is getting better and better and maybe we’re looking to the point where we’re seeing these kinds of matches more regularly, but we’re not there yet.”
The prospect of action on the national stage is especially inviting for the Marauders given their promising rookie contingent, two of whom – outside Lauren Mastroluisi and Taylor Brisebois – were named to the conference’s All-Rookie Team on Feb. 21. For her part, Mastroluisi was honoured further on Feb. 29, being named to the CIS All-Rookie Team during the national championship awards banquet.
With regards to his rookie hitter’s recent recognition, Louks was pleased to report that Mastroluisi will feature prominently in the weekend tournament and has earned that position on the strength of her continued development.
“You’re going to see her [Mastroluisi] start on Friday and that tells you something,” said the Marauder coach. “She’ll start because she deserves to. She’s practicing well, shaping some of her passing great and getting a grip on her service mechanics. Her level of comprehension has been outstanding and now it’s just a matter of continuing to develop her patience.”
There’s no better stage to develop and challenge oneself than the national championship, and Mastroluisi and her teammates will look to do just that this weekend. The Marauders’ quarterfinal matchup with the Alberta Pandas is slated to get underway at 8 p.m. in the Burridge Gym.
Brandon Meawasige
Assistant Sports Editor
By defeating the Windsor Lancers in Burridge Gymnasium this past weekend, the McMaster Marauders extended their winning streak to nine games, clinching not only a chance to pay in the final four but also a chance to compete for the national championship.
That chance, however, requires the upstart Marauders to head down the highway to Waterloo where they will play against the storied and CIS top-ranked Carleton University Ravens who have not lost a game this season.
To the Final Four, Mac head coach Amos Connolly brings with him a group of rookies that have impressed this year with their play on the court and development outside of the gym.
Guards Adam Presutti and Joe Rocca have received attention for their big play, leading the team in scoring on multiple occasions each. Going generally unnoticed until Saturday was the play of Aaron Redpath, a third rookie guard who has mad a contribution for the Maroon and Grey this season.
“He has done a very good job stepping up in Victor’s [Raso] absence, as has Joe Rocca. That was evident in the Windsor game. Both of them are getting a little more playing time because of the minutes that are available and I think in that game both of them capitalized on it. Aaron obviously made the biggest play of the game, arguably the play of the year in executing that steal,” said Connolly about the freshman.
With the Marauders leading by six points and just a minute to go in the game, Redpath came up with a steal that all but secured McMaster’s victory.
The absence of Raso, the third-year guard who is also the team’s emotional leader, has put the play of the three rookies under an even greater microscope. However, against a perennial powerhouse such as Carleton, one cannot help but think the Marauders would love to have Raso on the court for what is amongst the most important games in the history of McMaster’s basketball program.
“Looking at him not playing last Saturday, I think it drove him absolutely crazy. For him I think it was on the verge intolerable to not play in a game like that. Given this opportunity, that for us this is our biggest game that we have had and the biggest game of his career,” said Connolly of watching Raso on the bench for Saturday’s 77-67 victory of Windsor.
The coach quickly added “Concussions are something you have to be delicate with.”
With or without Raso, one thing is clear: the McMaster Marauders have proven to the entire conference that they can play basketball with their own physical and gritty style.
In the game against Windsor, the Marauders executed the team’s game plan, something Connolly hopes will translate into success against the top-ranked Ravens.
“Making sure there is a focus on being physical and getting boards, that’s going to be highlighted just as much if not even more on Friday,” he said.
The Marauders will tip off against Carleton as an underdog on Mar. 2 at 8 p.m. In sports, that can go one of two ways. A team can become inspired by their underdog status, but a team can also crumble underneath pressure and intimidation.
“For us it is trying to stay with what is working and focusing on ourselves,” said Connolly. “That being said, I stressed to them last night that my intention is not to lose to Carleton every year in the final four and feel like we have accomplished something.
“We want to play for a national championship, for us that means we have to win on Friday, Carleton can lose that game and get in with a wild card spot but we have to win. We are definitely playing that game with a mentality of putting our best foot forward to win; we are not playing that game with an “it’s okay if we lose” attitude,” said Connolly of his team’s outlook.
Win or lose on Friday, the Marauders have stormed onto the national scene this year with their surprise play and youthful confidence. Losing to the defending national champions would be no shameful conclusion to what has been a bright outlook on the future this season.
That being said, a win of this magnitude against the Ravens can do wonders for a budding program: just ask the Lakehead Thunderwolves, who won their first OUA title over the Ravens in last year’s Wilson Cup at McMaster.
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
There is an inherent pain and longing involved in rehabilitation. Being unable to perform at a level one has become accustomed to brings with it a host of emotions and a hefty dose of anxiety.
But for two members of the Marauders track program, lengthy layoffs from competition have been followed by unparalleled success. Graham Bowes and Katie Anderson – both enjoying career years on the track this season – have each overcome serious ailments to become leading members of their respective squads.
For his part, Bowes battled various injuries to his legs that prevented him from running for any considerable length of time throughout the summer. The advent of the new track season however has seen Bowes emerge as a nationally ranked distance threat, particularly in the 1500m event where he ran a personal best at the McGill Team Challenge on Jan. 27.
His time of 3:53.86 saw Bowes finish fifth at the Montreal meet and move into ninth in the CIS at the 1500m distance. The results are impressive, and a far cry from the struggles that the fourth-year veteran endured over the summer.
“My legs just basically blew up, and it got to the point where I could only run for 5-10 minutes because it hurt too much,” said Bowes of his injury woes. “I thought that taking a few weeks off and getting a bit of physio would solve it.
“It got to the beginning of July and it wasn’t working. So I started getting physio three or four times a week and getting on the bike – doing anything that wasn’t running just to get back on the team again. Even if I’d been healthy the whole time, my goal was just to be on the racing squad, not to lead the team or anything.”
Bowes believes that his time on the shelf may actually have aided him in his success this season, as he indulged in an unusual amount of cardio work while unable to hit the track.
“What helped was that because of the injury I was doing a lot of extra cardio. I was out on the bike twice a day just trying to do anything to be healthy again. I think that paid dividends in the long run.”
Meanwhile, Katie Anderson was hit with the misfortune of mononucleosis in December 2010, and struggled for months to work herself back into competition shape. Her efforts have finally come to fruition however, as Anderson finds herself among the upper echelon in the country at the 1500m distance.
Garnering a silver medal at the McGill Team Challenge, Anderson is now ranked fourth in that event at the national level, one place behind Marauder teammate Lindsay Carson. Her sudden success surprises the veteran McMaster runner, and vindicates her lengthy efforts toward recovery.
“I was diagnosed with mono in December of last year, and it’s taken me the better part of the year since to get back into the swing of things,” said Anderson. “I didn’t have as much success as I would have liked in cross-country, so I’m very happy with the success that’s come. Am I surprised? Probably, yes.
“What I have learned from this is that hard work does pay off. I spent all summer pounding away at mileages and not seeing results. To have worked this hard for a full year and finally have this success is great. It’s been a long journey, but I’m fired up. I’ve never been so ready to race in my entire life. It’s my last year, I’m finally healthy. Everything seems to be aligning.”
While they have already accomplished career-best results at this early stage of their racing seasons, both Bowes and Anderson believe that they are capable of much more.
“That’s what I find most exciting about this season: I have no idea,” said Anderson of what she is capable of achieving this year. “I’ve felt the strongest that I’ve ever felt in races this year. That gives me a lot of confidence and the feeling that maybe I can run faster. How fast? We’ll see.
“I think I’ve got more confidence now,” Bowes added. “The guys who won that race [at McGill] came through in 3:50, and I don’t see myself as being worse than those guys. In my next few races, I’m going to focus less on time and more on being at the front of the pack.”
Anderson is aided in her quest to improve by the exceptionally strong field of distance runners she finds herself immersed in at McMaster. Alongside the breakout veteran are fellow nationally ranked racers Lindsay Carson, Jillian Wyman, Victoria Coates and Sarah Haliburton.
Such a group can only help Anderson get better, and she argues that the support offered by her teammates has been a pivotal part of her growth as an athlete.
“I think it works in a number of ways,” said Anderson of the benefits of her strong team. “It’s great to have a bunch of people to do workouts with. It’s nice to have someone around who’s at the same level. If you have a bad day, they push you. If they have a bad day, you push them. People assume that track is just an individual sport but the team has a huge impact.”
Both Anderson and Bowes have the opportunity to further demonstrate their progression in coming weeks.
The Marauder tracks teams will be splitting time between meets at Notre Dame and York this weekend. The Meyo Invitational in South Bend, Indiana is slated to run from Feb. 3 to 4, while the York meet will be conducted on Feb. 4.
