Chatham-Kent Sports Year in Review: September 2014

The Blenheim Bobcats football team shaved their heads for a teammate who has been diagnosed with cancer – Contributed Photo

September marked the kick off of hockey season for most Junior hockey teams, as well as the return of high school sports. Championships were won, and new beginnings formed for many athletes and organizations.

Here’s a look back at the top moments from sports in Chatham-Kent during September 2014:

• South Kent Lightning Strike – With declining enrolment in many of Chatham-Kent’s minor hockey organizations, two towns, Blenheim and Ridgetown came together to form the new South Kent Lightning, an amalgamated minor hockey program. This was a good news story for the two communities.
• Griffith Begins His Incredible Journey – As local sports fans would learn in the months to come, Wallaceburg’s Seth Griffith was just starting an incredible journey with the NHL’s Boston Bruins. Griffith stepped on the ice for Boston’s rookie camp in September, the first of many times he’d wear a Bruins uniform this season.
• Dresden’s Field Keeps Building – Before shovels hit the soil, Dresden’s new sports complex, slated to be built behind the Lambton-Kent Composite School continued to build with funding, as the organizing group received more community money. The new field was a story to watch throughout 2014.
• Van Eerd Heads To Grand Finals – Blenheim’s Clay Van Eerd, a kart driver, qualified for the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Spain, after finishing as one of North America’s top go kart drivers in 2014.
• Golfers Win First LKSSAA Title – UCC’s Brendan Seys and CKSS’ Brooke MacKinnon were the first athletes to win LKSSAA championships in the newly formed high school league. The duo won the boys and girls LKSSAA golf championships respectively.
• Bobcats Battle For Mitch Moore – The Blenheim Bobcats dedicated their season to teammate Mitch Moore, who was battling cancer. In a showing of support, the Bobcats shaved their heads for their teammate, and then continued to rattle off a perfect season.
• Kyle Hope Goes To University – After signing a professional AHL contract in the offseason, Blenheim’s Kyle Hope used his head, choosing to use his OHL education package to attend the University of Windsor, where he suited up with the Windsor Lancers.