Local Athletes Medal At NAIG

Several local athletes returned from the 2014 North American Indigenous Games in Regina, Saskatchewan with hardware, as many Walpole Island, Moraviantown, and Chatham-Kent athletes won medals.

The U19 basketball team, featuring former Wallaceburg basketball all-star Kayla Riley, won gold, beating Team Manitoba 63-49 in

the gold medal game. On the U16 basketball team, Legacie Blackbird and Keahna Riley managed a bronze medal.

Wallaceburg Lacrosse products, Preston Whiteye, Kaid Hart, and Wade Riley won silver with the U16 lacrosse team, falling 11-9 to Team New York in the gold medal game. An assistant captain on the U19 Lacrosse team, Wallaceburg Red Devils goalie Noble Jacobs backstopped Team Ontario to a bronze medal, defeating Team Saskatchewan 10-4. Wallaceburg intermediate player Colton Hart was also on the team.

In softball, Ridgetown’s Cynthia Hopkins and Karleigh Hopkins play for the Ontario U19 softball squad, beating Team New York 12-4 for a bronze medal.

Floritia Avina, a UCC Lancers athlete, won silver in U19 Javelin. Avina was also 6th in the 100m.

Trenton Hopkins of Walpole Island won a bronze in the U19 Long Jump, while Hopkins also finished 4th in the mens 100m race.

Chelsey Johnson, the WDSS Walpole Island Female Athlete of the Year last year, took bronze in 200 IM U16. Johnson was also 6th in the 50m freestyle and 100m backstroke.

Mackenzie Taylor-Noah (U19 Girls Softball), Kealy Taylor- Noah (U16 Girls Softball), and Bailey Whiteye (U19 Boys Softball) all took Bronze medals.