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Polidori and Canadian softball team 1-1 at Olympics

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Brantford’s Erika Polidori and the Canadian women’s softball team are off to a 1-1 start at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

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The Canadian team opened the tournament with a 4-0 win against Mexico, followed by a 1-0 loss against the United States.

Polidori, a St. John’s College graduate and longtime member of the Canadian national team, has yet to register a hit in four at-bats but she does have three walks and a stolen base.

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Six teams are competing in Tokyo, playing a round-robin. The top two teams will play for gold and the third- and fourth-place teams will face off for bronze.

Japan and the U.S. were tied for first Thursday morning at 2-0 , followed by Australia and Canada each owning records of 1-1. Italy and Mexico are 0-2.

Canada rounds out preliminary play with games against Australia on Friday at 9 p.m., Japan on Sunday at 1:30 a.m. and Italy on Monday at 1:30 a.m.

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The gold-medal game takes place on July 27 at 7 a.m. with the bronze-medal game preceding that contest at midnight.

Visit www.softball.ca to live stream Canada’s games.

Filer calls it a career

Brantford’s Mike Filer recently announced his retirement from the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Brantford’s Mike Filer recently announced his retirement from the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Photo by Azin Ghaffari /Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia Calgary

Mike Filer’s career came to an end earlier this week when he announced his retirement from the Canadian Football League.

Filer, a Brantford Collegiate Institute graduate, played his entire career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

After re-signing with Hamilton on May 28, Filer attended training camp before deciding to hang up his pads.

The six-foot-two, 290-pound offensive lineman started 95 of his 112 career games, appearing in two Grey Cup losses with the Ticats.

“Today is one of the hardest days of my life,” Filer said in a statement. “After nine years in the CFL with the Tiger-Cats, it is time for me to listen to my body and heart and hang up my cleats for the last time.”

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Hamilton head coach Orlondo Steinauer had praise for the team’s former centre.

“Summing up Mike Filer in a few sentences is a disservice, but when I think about Mike I think about high character, perseverance, dependability, and leadership,” Steinauer said. “You knew you had a person that was going to put in the time and effort to be ready to play every week.”

Filer is a Mount Allison University graduate who was drafted in the fifth round (31st overall) of the 2012 CFL draft by the Calgary Stampeders. He was released by the Stampeders and signed with Hamilton.

Rex takes scouting job

Brantford’s Scott Rex has accepted a scouting position with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.
Brantford’s Scott Rex has accepted a scouting position with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. Expositor file photo

Scott Rex’s time with the Hamilton Huskies hockey team was short-lived.

The Brantford native and former head coach for the Brantford Minor Hockey Association’s under-16 AAA team has been hired by the National Hockey League’s Los Angeles Kings as a scout.

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The 55-year-old will be working in the team’s professional scouting department evaluating talent in the America Hockey League’s North Division.

Rex was hired by the Huskies earlier this year to be the organization’s under-16 AAA coach. That job has been taken over by another Brantford native, Andrew Fritsch, who is former Ontario Hockey League player.

Rickwood commits to Clarkson

Brantford’s Ellis Rickwood has accepted a scholarship to attend NCAA Division I school Clarkson University to study and play hockey for the Golden Knights. Rickwood played in the British Columbia Hockey League this past season with the Victoria Grizzlies, winning his pod’s rookie of the year and most valuable player awards. The former Brantford Collegiate Institute student is ranked as the 144th North American skater for the National Hockey League draft, which is set to take place Friday and Saturday.

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Woods re-signs with Toronto

Burford’s Emma Woods has re-signed with the Toronto Six of the NWHL. Submitted
Burford’s Emma Woods has re-signed with the Toronto Six of the NWHL. Submitted SunMedia

Emma Woods is returning to the Toronto Six.

The Burford native was a rookie in the National Women’s Hockey League last season when the Six lost in the Isobel Cup final to the Boston Pride. The 25-year-old forward recorded four assists in four regular-season games during the league’s bubble season.

“I am thrilled to have another shot to win the Isobel Cup and bring it to Toronto for the first time,” Woods said in a news release announcing her signing.

“This past season definitely didn’t end the way we wanted it to, and I think that makes me even more excited to get back with the team and prove what we are capable of, and believe we can do!”

An alternate captain in Toronto, Woods is a Paris District High School graduate who attended NCAA Division I Quinnipiac University before playing two seasons professionally in China followed by a single season in Sweden.

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Gurney reclassifies for 2022

Cameron Gurney has decided to re-open his NCAA recruiting process.

The Pauline Johnson Collegiate student originally agreed to attend Arizona State University on scholarship to study and play baseball for the Sun Devils.

However, the school recently changed its coaching staff, hiring former major league baseball player Willie Bloomquist as manager.

In a social media post, Gurney wished ASU the best while announcing he has reclassified and now will be looking for another scholarship opportunity.

Gurney was one of 40 players recently invited to attend Baseball Canada’s junior national team camp this summer.

Junior A lacrosse starting

The Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League, which has a team from Six Nations, gets its season underway on Saturday. All games for all teams will take place at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. Six Nations will play Burlington Chiefs at 11 a.m. and Oakville Buzz at 5 p.m. Preliminary games will be held over two weekends with the playoffs and championship slated for Aug. 7. Visit ontariojuniorlacrosse.com for more information and a schedule of games.

Hole-in-one

Matt Leishman used a seven-iron to ace the 118-yard, sixth hole at Fescue’s Edge Golf Course in Scotland.

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