Three Owls advance to NWOSSAs!

By Ken Johnston
Editor

The Rainy River High School badminton team did smashing good at last week’s NORWOSSA tournament in Dryden.
Twelve students from the school travelled north to vie for a spot at NWOSSAs. Of those three advanced, including Courtney Hansen who went to the All Ontarios last year where she won a Gold medal in the C Flight!
Coach Guy Arpin said, “If she plays her game she should be going back to the All Ontarios!” Hansen is a senior at RRHS. Hansen went undefeated (5-0) at NORWOSSAs.
Another senior, Justin Moen, finished strong, coming in third place at NORWOSSAs. Usually the top two advance to NWOSSAs. But because of another player from Fort Frances High School not being able to go to the next level (he is away on another school trip), Moen gets to advance. “Justin played his best badminton of the year. He peaked at the right time and if he keeps going at this pace, there is a good chance he could advance to All Ontarios as well,” said Arpin. Moen finished 3-2 at NORWOSSAs.
RRHS freshman Skylar Arpin had a perfect tournament as well, finishing undefeated at 5-0. However, junior level players do not advance beyond NORWOSSAs. She will however travel with the team and compete in an exhibition tournament. Arpin has been playing badminton since she was three and had she been moved up to Senior level may very well been advancing to NWOSSAs and possibly the All Ontarios this year.
Overall both the junior and senior RRHS teams finished in fifth place as teams. NWOSSAs are this Wednesday in Marathon, Ont. The All Ontarios are May 12-14, 2011 in Aurora, Ont.