Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
With the OUA Championships looming, it appears that the competition is wary of the Marauders.
For the past few weeks, McMaster has engaged in dual meets – short, one day-long events with a small field – and has come up against competition with the most serious of mindsets. The upper echelon squads of Toronto and Ottawa were sporting their $500 racing suits and were fully shaved in preparation.
In the opinion of the Marauders’ sophomore swimmer Cory Helie-Masters, such preparations hint at a shared fear on the part of the competition, a fear of their inability to overcome the athletes of the Maroon and Grey.
“They took more time to be physically prepared for it,” said Helie-Masters of McMaster’s opponents. “They took days off of training, shaved down and put on their $500 racing suits. We saw it as a sign that they needed to do these things because they didn’t believe that they had a chance of beating us.
“We show up having done five hours of training the day before. Although we’d taken the time to be mentally prepared, we haven’t taken the rest because we’re focused on the OUA Championships and the CIS event.”
For McMaster’s swimmers, the dual meets of the past few weeks function primarily as practice runs. They allow athletes to perfect the racing technique necessary to succeed at the more meaningful events that conclude the season.
“There are a number of meet-to-meet goals, but these races are chances to practice everything that you need to do while you’re fully rested,” said Helie-Masters. “It’s a chance to find out if you’re doing everything properly. It allows you to check and to get a coach’s feedback instead of waiting until the OUAs and finding out too late that you’re doing something wrong.”
For the Marauders’ leading male swimmer Cameron Bailey, the dual events are simply steps on a season-long progression that points inevitably to the OUA Championships.
“It’s basically a matter of progression,” said Bailey of the events’ value. “What we try to focus on in these dual meets is using them as dress rehearsals of sorts. We go into them tired from hard training, so they’re a chance for us to race tired which we will be doing come OUAs.
“We’ll have to perform while we’re tired, so that’s what we practice in these races.”
A vital part of that progression to the conference championships came in the form of the Marauders’ holiday training camp in Jamaica, an intensive period of training that saw the Maroon and Grey spend five hours in the pool each day.
“The training effects of Jamaica have been very apparent,” said Helie-Masters. “One of the best things was that we were completely taken away from every sort of distraction and the coach was able to say, ‘We’re going to swim five hours a day, every day, and you’re going to like it.’
“The training effect has been seen and been presenting itself in a lot of races. When we came back, we didn’t slow down, even though we don’t have as much access to pool time here as we did there.”
With the conference championships only two weeks away, the Marauders are each pursuing their own goals in order to properly peak at the most important stage of the season.
Bailey explains that his own path is simply one of continued compliance with the training schedule outlined for him by coach Andrew Cole. He is confident enough in his coach’s planning to believe that adherence to the schedule will suffice to put him in the position to mount the podium at year’s end.
“My own goal is to follow the program,” Bailey said simply. “Andrew has spent hours creating individual programs for people, so what I have to do at this point is follow what he has for me. If I do that, I know I’ll succeed. I’ve done everything leading up to it and it’s now just the finer details that I have to follow.”
For his part, Helie-Masters looks forward to the next few weeks as an opportunity to sort out the details of his life outside of the pool that will otherwise affect his ability to perform.
“I’m looking to finally catch up on some sleep,” said the sophomore with a wry chuckle. “Every Tuesday and Thursday we’re at the pool by 6:30 am. We’ve had meets every single weekend, which really eliminates the idea of resting on the weekend.
“So I’m looking to fully rein in my studies, catch up on the schoolwork and be in bed by 9 o’clock every single night. If I can do that, when we start our taper I’ll be feeling good and moving really fast.”
The preparedness is essential, particularly in a season ripe with opportunity, with the Marauders eagerly eying the top two positions in the province. Both Bailey and Helie-Masters are confident that McMaster can overcome opposition from teams such as Western, Guelph, and Ottawa to claim team silver on the men’s side.
“Toronto will be a bit harder for us to overcome, but I think that we have a great chance this year of coming second in the OUA,” said Bailey. “The traditional second would be Western. Guelph is there and the Ottawa men’s team is quite good. But so are we.”
McMaster continues its road to the provincial championships this coming weekend, participating in a quad meet on Jan. 29.
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
It was the first step on their competitive journey for McMaster’s track athletes, and the results speak to the potential that both squads possess.
The Marauders men’s and women’s track teams took part in the annual Can Am Meet in Windsor from Jan. 13-14, and while both teams combined for only three medals over the course of the event, coach Paula Schnurr was encouraged by what she saw from her athletes in their first action.
“This is the first time out,” said Schnurr of her message to her runners. “Let’s keep things in perspective. You get a chance to see where you’re at, and coaches get the chance to see the same thing. Who gets to go on to the next meets is determined on the performance in the first one.
“Was there a lot of pressure? Not really. It just motivated people to do some work over the holidays. It’s hard when you go home and have a bit of a break through exams. I think people continued to work hard and it showed.”
Schnurr singled out veteran distance runner Graham Bowes for particular praise, whose time in the 3000m event in Windsor stands as a personal best and has him currently ranked seventh in the country at that distance.
“I think we were very pleased as a coaching staff, particularly with Graham Bowes. It was his first time out and he ran a [personal best]. Last year unfortunately he didn’t make the CIS event but this year he could definitely have a shot at making it to that stage.
“He was up against two Guelph guys who were part of their national championship winning cross-country team. So it was a good race, and a perfect time for him to take advantage of a good pace and hold on to it.”
Two other Marauder men set personal bests in the 3000m race, as Andrew Bysice and Cory McCurry finished seventh and eighth respectively.
On the women’s side, McMaster had success in the 1500m event, where a number of veteran runners give them substantial depth. The race saw the return to action of Lindsay Carson and Katie Anderson, who finished second and third respectively after lengthy injury layoffs.
Schnurr expressed her satisfaction in seeing both women return to the competitive fold, both of whom should figure prominently in the Marauders’ late-season medal push.
“Lindsay’s definitely getting there,” said the coach of her star distance performer’s rehabilitation process. “She’s going in the right direction and she’s been healthy, which is a huge bonus for her with her past. Training is going well but this was her first race in quite a while.
“Katie Anderson was out last year, having had mono through the indoor season. She didn’t run at all, so it’s been a really long time for her. Based on her training I could tell that she was ready for a good race. Was I surprised? Not really. But I think she was quite happy with it and a little surprised herself.”
The two veteran returnees are part of a deep pool of McMaster women at the 1500m distance, a group that will undoubtedly challenge for silverware at the highest levels this season.
“The strength on the distance side is in the 1500m between Lindsay, Katie, Jill [Wyman], Victoria Coates and Sarah Haliburton,” said Schnurr. “We’ve got five girls who could be in the top 10-12 in the country. Lindsay is third, Katie is fourth and Jill is sixth at this point.”
Much of the women’s squad remains a work in progress at this stage, as several runners strive to return from injury and the team tutors a sizeable rookie class in the sprint distances.
“When we looked at the women’s side and the number of women we left behind due to injury, it was almost half of the team we had last season,” said Schnurr of her Windsor contingent. “Victoria Coates is coming back and will race this weekend. Stephanie MacNeill is out with a bit of an injury. Courtney Patterson is coming back. Sara Giovannetti and Rachel Lamb are injured.
“There’s five girls there that were a big part of the team in the past three, four years. But they’re starting to come around.
“Our women on the sprint side are generally rookies, so in terms of improvement it comes down to being consistent with their training. This is a year where you want to keep people healthy and training, and building to their second, third and fourth years.”
The Marauder men also find themselves dealing with a few nagging injuries, but Schnurr remains confident that McMaster’s sprinters will be in a position to improve their record-setting pace from last season.
“We’re looking forward to the 4x200m and 4x400m teams to be back up and competitive again this year,” said the coach. “I know that they want to improve on last year’s time. Jimmy [Tat] and Scott [Hutchinson] are both looking to improve their times in the 300m.”
The Marauders will have a chance to demonstrate such improvement this coming weekend, as they travel to London to take part in the Don Wright Track and Field Challenge on Jan. 21.
Brian Decker
Executive Editor
Saying the McMaster football offence has been potent of late is like saying Lamborghini has built a few cars.
They’re not just moving the ball and scoring points; they’re doing it in brilliant fashion.
In their three playoff games in 2011, they’ve outscored opponents Queen’s, Western and Acadia by a total of 126-53. Even with shaky starts – they trailed 3-0 after a quarter to Western and 14-0 early to Acadia – they’ve been able to put points on the board virtually at will.
But perhaps just as impressive has been their defence, keeping Western out of the end zone in the Yates Cup until the game had been decided and shutting down Acadia after a hot start to let the offence work its magic.
But as much as the Marauders have looked like an unstoppable maroon freight train, they’ll need to be firing on all cylinders as they face the powerhouse Laval Rouge et Or in the Vanier Cup.
Laval is looking to claim a record seventh national title in 15 seasons as a team. They’ve won every Dunsmore Cup since 2002, have never lost in the championship game, and their model of corporate support – the team has its own board of directors apart from the athletic department and operates on a $2-million budget, nearly four times that of McMaster – is influencing football programs across the country.
This year’s edition of the Rouge et Or appears to be no different, cruising to an 8-1 regular season and disposing of Canada West champions Calgary 41-10. Led by a staggering front seven and a powerful running back in Sébastien Lévesque, Laval poses a challenge to McMaster that will require the best the Maroon and Grey have to offer.
Their most recent games suggest the Marauders are up to the challenge.
Despite trailing early to the Axemen in the Uteck Bowl, the Marauders showed off what they can do on both sides of the ball, scoring 38 unanswered points and holding Acadia to little production on offence.
“It’s the same thing we do every week. We play four quarters of football. It doesn’t matter if we go up by 20 in the first quarter or if we go down by 20. We’re going to play four quarters and we’re going to come out with the win,” said linebacker Ryan Chmielewski.
While Uteck Bowl MVP Kyle Quinlan usually gets most of his attention for throwing to OUA MVP Mike DiCroce, it was fourth-year receiver Brad Fochesato – who grew up playing rep football with Quinlan for the Essex Ravens – who was the quarterback’s primary deep threat on Nov. 18.
After the Marauders tied the game at 14 in the second quarter, Quinlan found Fochesato for a spectacular 75-yard touchdown pass to make it 21-14. The pair would connect for more than 140 yards in the second quarter alone.
“That’s what they do. They’re both from Essex, they’ve been playing together a long time. Kyle knows where [Fochesato] is going to be and he gets him the ball,” said Chmielewski.
A win on Friday would constitute an achievement never before reached by McMaster’s football program. They’ve never won the Vanier Cup, having only played for the national title once – 44 years ago, in a 10-9 loss to Alberta.
But with a win or a loss, Mac has now elevated its status as one of the premier football teams in all of the CIS. They’ve gone from struggling, to enjoying extended playoff runs, and now find themselves playing for the national championship. With a deep, young roster the Maroon and Grey could be a strong contender to return to the national title game sooner than later.
“I think [making the Vanier Cup] is huge. We’ve never won a bowl game. I think it’s big for McMaster, it’s big for the Hamilton community and it’s big for Ontario,” said Chmielewski.
HISTORY IN THE VANIER – SORT OF: Mac has one made one national championship game before, but never the Vanier Cup – when they played Alberta for the national title in 1967, it was known as the Canadian College Bowl.
The Marauders were so strong that year because the University offered a one-year Physical Education certificate, which attracted students from across Ontario – especially athletic, football-playing ones – to the school to help work towards teaching careers.
The Marauders looked to be in position to win until a last-minute turnover deep in Alberta territory doomed their chances, and the Golden Bears walked away with a 10-9 win.
BOOKENDS TO TWO SEASONS: McMaster and Laval have some history against each other, including the two teams’ first action of the year – a preseason game on Aug. 28 in Quebec City. The Marauders led 10-5 at halftime before both teams sat their starters for the second half and the Rouge et Or finished with a 24-10 victory.
The two teams planned to play a preseason game in 2010 before the suspension of Waterloo’s team for the season forced a re-scheduling.
The last time the two teams played was in the 2003 Mitchell Bowl, when Laval escaped Hamilton with a 36-32 victory, advancing to win the Vanier Cup.
TRIPLE CROWN FOR PTASZEK?: McMaster coach Stefan Ptsazek is on the cusp of a rare feat. Having already won the Vanier Cup twice – in 1991 as a player and in 2005 as an offensive coordinator, both times with the Laurier Golden Hawks – he could accomplish the rare feat of having won CIS football’s biggest title as a player, assistant coach and head coach.
RINGS OF SUPERSTITION: Laval’s Glen Constantin hardly has enough fingers for all the Vanier Cup rings he’s won as coach of the Rouge et Or. But even though he could wear a different one each weekday – he’s won five as Laval’s bench boss – he chooses not to wear one at all. For Constantin, wearing a championship ring isn’t as good as the drive to chase another one.
“Some of my kids ask me why I don’t wear my [championship] rings. I go ‘Guys, the best-looking one is the next one,’” Said Constantin at Tuesday’s Vanier Cup press conference.
Brandon Meawasige
Assistant Sports Editor
Striving for the pinnacle of university football in Canada and facing an unknown opponent, Head Coach Stefan Ptaszek and the McMaster Marauders travel to Moncton, New Brunswick this week to represent the OUA as champions in the 2011 Uteck Bowl on November 19.
Ptaszek, in his sixth season as bench boss, has coached the Marauders to the program’s first OUA title since 2003.
The 2003 championship, and Mac’s previous three in a row, were coached by Western’s current head coach Greg Marshall. By winning the Yates Cup, Ptaszek has joined Marshall in the upper echelons of McMaster’s football history.
“Its been a great week, the well wishers from former presidents, former athletic directors, alumni and the greater marauder football family have all taken the time to say congratulations, how impressed they are with the 2011 season and wishing us the best of luck going forward,” said Ptaszek of the accomplishment.
However, as he will tell you, it is not the coaching staff and their accomplishments that will drive this team forward. “It’s not about us [Coaches] lifting a Yates Cup again, it was all about watching these kids lift the Yates Cup for the first time,” he added.
Unfortunately, such is the rigor of CIS playoff football; the Marauders must put the Yates victory behind them and look towards their next game.
Lining up opposite to Mac on Saturday will be Acadia Axemen, who have had an interesting trip to the Vanier Cup semi-final of their own.
Essentially, neither team was touted as the conference front-runner until after the championship game. The losing teams in both cases, Western and St. Mary’s, were heavy favorites prior to and during the season.
That being said, the Uteck Bowl features two very worthy participants this year pitting a Mac team loaded with firepower on both sides of the ball against an Axemen squad that won 5 of 7 major individual awards in the AUS.
“They are a very well-coached, disciplined team with playmakers at every level of both the offence and defence as you would expect from a championship team" Ptaszek said of the Axemen, whose coach, Jeff Cummins, won AUS coach of the year.
Ptaszek and his staff have a very tough team on their hands this week, needing to prepare for something they haven’t faced yet in the playoffs; a star quarterback with the talent and skill set to take control of an entire game.
The case can be made that Acadia’s pivot and AUS offensive most valuable player Kyle Graves will be the toughest test for McMasters defense all season. “He has a strong arm and he can run the ball really well and has had a fantastic year,” said Ptaszek.
“The OUA is one of the best conferences in the country and it gets you ready for all kinds of football. Playing Austin Kennedy and Donnie Marshall gets you ready for a Kyle Graves,” added the coach.
One thing is certain, no matter the success of the 2011 Marauders; it will be difficult to find Ptaszek taking any form of personal credit. Even if his defence does manage to stop Graves and his team wins the game, he will surely find another Marauder whom to credit with an amazing performance. This cohesive, unselfish, team- oriented way of doing things precipitates into the style of play that has made his team so successful.
A quality that may have gone unnoticed if not for the series of setbacks endured by the team this year. Forced to play without Kyle Quinlan for three games, the Marauders had to account for the absence of their offensive heart and soul.
For a team centered on one or two players, losing those players would be disastrous - think about the affect of removing the legs of a table.
Losing their starting running back Joey Nemet, cornerback Joey Cupido and Quinlan just to name a few, Ptaszek needed to work the pieces that remained; a predicament that not only threatened the well being of a few games, but the entire 2011 season. Not for lack of personnel, however, a backup quarterback and rookie running back are not traditional picks to carry a powerhouse team to the championship.
The Marauders not only managed to get by, instead, the team dominated the conference this year, seamlessly transitioning from line up change to line up change.
Going into the Uteck Bowl, Mac is as healthy as ever and Ptaszek will be able to use the full of extent of the weapons at his disposal.
With the focus now on the Vanier Cup, every decision is bigger and the consequences magnified.
It’s not about numbers and achievements for Ptaszek at this point, but about his players and their chance at glory, especially the nine seniors on the roster. Having had a chance to watch them lift the cup was a special moment for the coach. “Watching Matt Peressini lift that Yates Cup, as a fifth-year senior, was about as cool a thing as you will ever see.”
For all involved, lifting the Vanier would be the best possible outcome.
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
For 119 minutes, the Marauders had held off the lauded attack of the Cape Breton Capers and kept their hopes of national hardware alive. In one cruel, final twist of fate those aspirations came crashing to a halt.
With only seconds remaining before the two teams moved on to penalty kicks to settle the result of their CIS quarterfinal on Nov. 10, the Capers found the back of the Marauder net with a driven effort from the edge of the 18-yard box.
The goal provoked polar scenes of jubilation and dejection for the two teams, making a last-ditch comeback for the Maroon and Grey nearly impossible. When the final whistle blew seconds later, the Marauders knew that a golden opportunity to move forward had been missed.
McMaster’s veteran goalkeeper Matt Grant – who himself enjoyed a standout performance in the loss – spoke to the frustration his squad experienced after conceding in the dying moments.
“The reaction on the field showed exactly how we felt,” said Grant. “It was kind of shocking for me because I thought we could have won the game. We were just trying to hold on and get to the penalty shootout, and we’d weathered the pressure for most of the game.
“It’s especially frustrating knowing that it was our last real, competitive match of the season.”
Despite the heartbreaking nature of the Nov. 10 result, Grant believes that his squad gave a good account of itself against one of the premier outfits in the country.
“We played extremely hard,” said the goalkeeper. “There were times in the game where we were trying to find our feet, because it’s a completely different level at the CIS tournament and Cape Breton are a very good team.
“They played very quickly so we had to adapt a lot, but we played them well.”
While the quarterfinal loss ended McMaster’s dreams of medaling at the national level, Grant indicates that the team remained focused on success in the consolation rounds.
There, the Marauders won a Nov. 11 contest against the Montreal Carabins before dropping the fifth-place match against McGill the next day to finish sixth in the field of eight squads.
Grant argues that the Marauders lost none of their edge after being eliminated from medal contention, and aimed to compete to the best of their ability regardless of the nature of the contest.
“A lot of the older guys, myself included, wanted to compete in those [consolation] games because they could be our last match for the team,” said the fourth-year keeper. “We didn’t want to end our careers on a losing note.
“We didn’t want to go out to Victoria just for the vacation. If you’re going out there, you have to go out to win every game.”
While the Marauders remain disappointed with their inability to medal at the event, they can take solace in the knowledge that they will return the vast majority of this season’s successful squad next year.
Only two members of McMaster’s current starting 11 are guaranteed to graduate, as All-Canadian defender Anthony Costa and midfielder Daniel Niksic have exhausted their five years of eligibility.
Two others, defender Garrett McConville and Grant have the option of returning for a fifth season, and have yet to make that decision.
For his part, the veteran keeper indicates that the large core of returning players makes McMaster’s future on the pitch a bright one.
“I think it’s very promising looking forward to next season,” said Grant. “We had five rookies starting already this year and a lot of young players seeing playing time. We’ve got a very young core, and it looks promising because Coach [Dino] Perri has done a great job of recruiting.
“So I feel that we can compete just as well if not better next season.”
In the meantime, Grant and his teammates look forward to the relative relaxation of the offseason, where they will work to improve their individual play and tighten the ties that bind together their sporting family.
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
It didn’t come by way of penalties, but the Marauders’ most recent OUA Championship lost none of its luster by wrapping up in 90 minutes.
Playing against the same Varsity Blues squad that they defeated from the penalty spot two seasons ago to claim the provincial title, McMaster notched their second OUA crown in three years with a 3-1 victory in the Nov. 6 final.
The Sunday triumph came in a radically different fashion from that of 2009, as the Marauders convincingly played their way to the top of the provincial field. Unlike their Cinderella run of two years ago, the Maroon and Grey entered play at this season’s Final Four in Ottawa as a known quantity.
McMaster had comfortably beaten the upstart Guelph Gryphons in their quarterfinal contest a week before, and continued their strong play into the provincial championship tournament.
After a hard fought semifinal encounter with the Carleton Ravens saw the team pull through from the penalty spot, the Marauders came up against familiar opposition on the OUA’s highest stage.
Thanks to a pair of goals from sophomore striker Paterson Farrell and a solo effort from rookie Brandon Gutierrez, McMaster’s latest tilt against the Varsity Blues would be much less suspenseful than its last.
For several Marauders, the celebratory scenes on Sunday were reminiscent of those that erupted at the conclusion of the team’s improbable 2009 title run. Team captain Anthony Costa – who was named to the All-Canadian First Team on Nov. 9 – believes that both championships are valuable for their own reasons.
“Our first title was built on the concept of working very hard defensively,” said the fifth-year senior. “Having said that, we had a very strong team spirit as well, and in the first two playoff games we had to come back from behind to win them in shootouts.
“This year, we realized that attack was our best form of defence. I feel that our team perfected the three pillars of football: fluid attacking, solid defending and swift counter-attacking. We made sure that everyone was love and cared about, and the scenes at the final whistle really highlighted that.”
For Costa, the manner of his team’s victory this time around highlights the quality of a squad that has been among the most lethal in the province for the entirety of the 2011 campaign.
“I don’t mind winning games in shootouts, but I was glad that we ended the final this year in regulation,” said the captain. “That should silence the doubters if there were any at this point. We clinched the title in 90 minutes and fully deserved it.
“Our football this weekend was exquisite at times.”
The result of that quality play sees the Marauders jet across the country to Victoria to take part in the CIS Championships beginning on Nov. 10 and ending with the conclusion of the final rounds on Nov. 13.
The Maroon and Grey will take added confidence into their westward journey this weekend as the squad boasts seven players with experience of the team’s 2009 appearance at the national level.
Costa believes that the value of that experience lies in knowing the level of focus and determination needed to compete with the best teams in the country.
“Previous experience in the CIS championships will only emphasize how difficult the tournament will be and that concentration will be needed as soon as the flight lands,” said McMaster’s stalwart defender. “These are the eight best teams in Canada and everyone has an equal shot at the title. We know what needs to be done, and having beaten York and Toronto this season, we feel our chances are good.”
The Marauders’ first opponents will hail from the east coast, coming in the form of the Cape Breton Capers.
The Nova Scotian squad finished their conference season with only a single loss to their name, and was ranked second in the final CIS top-ten of the campaign.
The two teams also have a measure of history, as the Capers dealt McMaster a defeat in the consolation round of the 2009 tournament. Despite the stiff challenge ahead, the Marauder captain argues that opposition counts for little at an event as prestigious as the national tournament.
“To be the best you have to beat the best,” said Costa. “CBU are a very talented team. We lost to them in the consolation round two years ago and they still have a handful of players from that team, including one from an English academy and a couple members of the Bermudan national team.”
“But our style has brought us here as OUA champions, so we need to execute those three pillars of football to the best of our ability. If that happens, I don’t see why we can’t return as national champions.”
Costa and his teammates will be hoping that such execution will be good enough to propel them past the best in the country this weekend. They begin their bid for the national title on Nov. 10 against the Capers.
Game time is 7:30 p.m. EST and the contest can be seen online at SSN Canada.
The McMaster women’s basketball team is entering this upcoming season in full force. With key veterans returning, but also with an influx of hungry first-year talent, the ceiling for the squad is high, but the learning curve is steep.
Mac has six first-year players in the lineup, meaning the expectations for this upcoming season are to establish an identity early on and build a winning culture that can carry the program for years to come.
Head coach Theresa Burns believes that a strong work ethic, high levels of fitness, and the amount of depth the team possess will be key to their success as a unit this year.
“We want to push the pace as much as possible but while at the same time maintaining discipline and making smart basketball decisions. We give up a bit of size, but what we lack in size we make up for with endurance and depth,” said Burns.
With the graduation of star centre Hailey Milligan, who will be representing McMaster overseas professionally, guard Danielle Boiago will be expected to maintain her excellent play from last season and lead this team as the expected number one option on offense.
Boiago, a former OUA West Rookie of the Year and third-year starting guard, averaged 16 points while chipping in four rebounds and two assists per game last season.
Burns believes that this class of recruits is one of the strongest McMaster has had in recent years. Throughout the pre-season, the team has shown considerable signs of cohesion and chemistry. According to Burns, the team was a bit too predictable in 2013-14.
“The game plan to play us was really simple. It was face-guard Boiago, limit her touches, pack it in on Milligan, force her to kick the ball out to someone else and we just didn’t have the ability to generate enough offence to win games,” explained Burns.
This year, however, the team has diverse scoring options. With six first-year players in the lineup, one might expect a bit of growing pains to begin the season but coach Burns feels confident that these rookies will be able to contribute significantly and will be able to take the scoring load off of the team veterans. Players of note that coach Burns believes are ready to make a big impact this year are Hilary Hanaka, Linnaea Harper and Allyson Schweitzer.
Hanaka, who had originally accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Vermont, but ultimately chose McMaster, is a strong contender for Rookie of the Year, according to coach Burns. Harper is another young addition to this roster that could have a significant impact. Having been named to Canada Basketball’s Junior National Team, Harper looks to bring that experience and passion for the game to this upcoming season. The junior national team won silver at the FIBA Americas tournament and Harper averaged nearly 20 minutes a contest.
When asked who she feels could be the breakout player to watch out for this season, coach Burns said that Allyson Schweitzer is a player to watch out for. Despite an accident that sidelined Schweitzer for a majority of her grade 12 year, coach Burns believes that Schweitzer shows tremendous potential as a strong force in the post.
“Coming off of a less experienced high school background, we thought it would take a little while for her to adjust to the game, but through six preseason games, she has been outstanding,” says Burns. “Seeing her develop so quickly is really exciting for not just this season but for the future as well”.
Top recruit Jelena Mamic will have to wait another year to make her university debut. Mamic last year was sidelined for the entire season by tearing her ACL and has re-torn that same ligament. Burns feels that while this is a major setback, Mamic is committed to the rehabilitation and intends to come back even stronger next year.
“She is one of, if not the most mentally and physically tough players I have ever coached, so if anyone can overcome that hurdle again, it’s her,” says Burns. “We believe that she has the potential to be a starting point guard in this league and can bring so many different things to the team.”
This is the first year since 2008 that McMaster has been ranked in the CIS top ten for women’s basketball, currently ranked number seven. Having fallen out of the top ten the past couple of years and finally being ranked is a confidence boost for the team, but that also comes with added pressure. Coach Burns will not let this team rest on their laurels and forget that their ultimate goal is the national championship.
“It’s something you have to come to practice every night and live up to that billing and prove to everyone and yourself that we are deserving of that ranking,” said Burns.
With such a young, talented team from top to bottom, the future is indeed bright for the McMaster women’s basketball team. With a strong nucleus that will be able to grow and develop with each other, this young group has all the makings to be something special.
