Winterfest showcases basketball, hockey and swim talent

Winterfest showcased UCC’s basketball, hockey and swim talent
Winterfest annually presents an opportunity for Upper Canada College’s community to come out and support the majority of the school’s basketball and hockey teams all on one day. Students, staff and faculty members, parents and other fans showed their UCC spirit by wearing blue and white clothing on Jan. 25 at locations around the campus.
Upper School boys got pumped up for the event with an afternoon assembly in Laidlaw Hall, which included a surprise appearance by recently retired English teacher Blair Sharpe wearing the ICE the Husky mascot costume.
 
An informal meet featuring swim team members from the Prep School provided a sense of summer as the boys lapped the pool in their trunks as snow and frigid temperatures outside kept folks bundled up.
 
On the courts, UCC’s two U13 basketball teams kicked off Winterfest at 1:15 p.m. in the north and south Lett gyms with games against Crescent School. UCC’s A team won 59-35 while the B team squeaked out a 46-44 victory.
 
Two of UCC’s U10 basketball teams also claimed victories over Crescent, with the A team winning 36-20 and the White team winning 32-12. The Blue team came out on the losing end of a closely contested 28-24 decision with Crescent.
 
UCC’s U11A basketball team defeated Crescent 37-36 by scoring a basket in the final two seconds. The U12B team had an easier time of it, beating Crescent 41-11. The U14 team also came away with a victory over Crescent, this one by a score of 53-46.
 
UCC’s U16 teams split their games against Crescent, with the A team losing 71-49 and the B team winning 58-38.
 
A healthy-sized crowd turned out for the 4 p.m. varsity basketball game that used the full Hewitt Athletic Centre, and its enthusiasm spurred the Blues on to a good start that saw the two rivals tied early in the second quarter. The Blues’ collective shooting eye went missing later on, however, and they fell to Crescent by a score of 57-33.
 
Both rinks in the William P. Wilder ’40 Arena & Sports Complex hosted hockey games. Outside, food trucks serving Beavertails and poutine did brisk business serving hungry fans and players.
 
UCC’s U12 Year 5 team was the first to take the ice in the Eaton Rink and came up against a tough foe from St. Andrew’s College that beat it 5-0.
 
UCC’s U14 Year 7 and Year 8 teams squared off against each other, with the older boys coming out on top by a score of 4-3 in a very close game.
 
Two teams from Nichols School in Buffalo, N.Y. crossed the border to take on UCC’s junior varsity and varsity teams. The junior varsity squad used its home ice advantage and won 3-0.
 
The final event of Winterfest, the varsity hockey game, was a hard-fought match that ended in a scoreless draw after Sharpe (a 28-year junior varsity hockey and rugby coach) returned to drop the puck for the ceremonial pre-game face-off.
 
At least fans got to see a few goals scored when the Ice Chips, featuring UCC’s youngest shinny players, took the ice during the first intermission of the varsity game.
 
Winterfest didn’t end the seasons for UCC’s winter sports teams, however, as they all continue to complete their Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario Athletic Association schedules before the playoffs begin.
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