Staff
The Borderland Judo Club respectfully opened its doors to out-of-towners, then proceeded to wipe the competition mats with them for much of the day.
Local fighters took gold in nine of 17 divisions at the club’s second-annual shiai held Feb. 25 at the Couchiching multi-use facility.
Several of them had not even won a fight, let alone a title, before rising to the occasion at the meet.
Shelby Hunt was one of those in what turned into a terrific best-of-three series against clubmate Emmitt McCrory in the U12 +55 kg combined class.
Hunt and McCrory split the first two bouts before Hunt got the better of McCrory in the rubber match to claim gold while McCrory settled for silver.
Amara Cox won another all-Fort battle for first in the female U10 under-41 kg category against Oasis Millett-Tucker, who wound up second.
The same situation played out in the male U12 under-39 kg combined group as Liam Dent held off Jonathan Gray to take first place.
Other local champs for the day included Mia Woolsey (U12 under 33 kg), Bennet MacDonald (U12 under 36 kg combined), Emma Toriseva (U14 under 57 kg combined), Jaden Woolsey (male U16 under 60kg), Adam LaFroy (male/female U16 under 66kg combined), and Grace Petsnick (female U21 +78 kg combined).
Gray also had another silver in the male U12 under 36 kg division while Morgan Good-Thurber also doubled up on silver in the male U14 under 46kg and male U16 under 46 kg classes.
Other second-place finishes were earned by MacDonald (male U14 under 42 kg), Alex Perreault (male U14 under 32 kg), and Ryan Ball (senior male-novice combined).
Bronze medals were won by Petsnick (male/female U16 under 66 kg combined), Lorenzo Scott (male U12 under 33 kg combined), Jared Galusha (male U12 under 36 kg combined), Alex Galusha (male U14 under 42 kg combined), Joaquin Woolsey (male U14 under 46 kg), and Gaige Dyke (male U16 under 46 kg).
The Rush Mitani Memorial Award for the annual outstanding judoka went to Sensei Pat Vierra from the Thunder Bay Judo Club.
Vierra is the chief instructor at the club and a third-degree black belt.
“Her years of dedication to judo are recognized and appreciated,” said Borderland Judo Sensei Chuck MacDonald.
“This trophy has been around the region since 1952 and Pat is very deservedly they first female to have her name added to this trophy,” he noted.
