Knights reach OHL Final; Lightning semi vs. Sudbury; FC women win big
Gameday in 5: A look to the week ahead — and a recap of the week that was (Apr. 29-May 8) — for London’s teams and athletes.
The FC London women have opened their season with a pair of home wins. (Photo: Barry Field Photography).
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The Knights captured the Western Conference championship title by beating the Saginaw Spirit in six games — closing the series out Sunday to advance to the OHL Finals.
Holding a 2-0 series lead heading Monday (Apr. 29), the Knights fell 6-2 to Saginaw on the road. The Spirit took an early lead on the power play, while the Knights responded at the 7:55 mark of the first. Ruslan Gazizov scored the tying goal, and then London built off their momentum to take the lead at the 15:16 mark with Landon Sim scoring his third of the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Knights, those two goals were all they managed to muster, and Saginaw scored five unanswered goals in the second and third periods to claim the win at home.
Looking to bounce back Wednesday (May 1), the Knights wasted no time, taking the lead 28 seconds into the game thanks to Sam Dickinson. Sam O’Reilly then doubled the lead 2:29 into the game. The Spirit responded shortly afterward, but the Knights closed out the period with their lead intact. They set the tone early again in the second period with Landon Sim putting the team ahead by two. Saginaw responded less than two minutes later, but Oliver Bonk restored the Knights’ two-goal lead, at 4-2, with the eventual game winner on the power play at the 10:17 mark . Saginaw cut the lead to one with a power play goal of their own, but then it was all London, as the visitors scored three times in the third period (Easton Cowan, O’Reilly, Isaiah George).
Looking to close out the series at home on Friday (May 3), the Knights fell short in a 4-2 contest at Budweiser Gardens. Down 2-0 in the second period, Oliver Bonk scored a power play goal to bring London within a goal. Saginaw restored their two-goal lead late in the period, but Easton Cowan scored 26 seconds later to give the Knights a fighting chance. But that’s as the Knights would come, as the Spirit scored the only goal of the third period to secure the win and force a Game 6.
Back in Saginaw Sunday, London flipped the script, beating the Spirit by a 4-2 margin to end the series and punch their ticket to the OHL Finals. Playing short-handed late in the first period, Easton Cowan’s solo effort put the Knights ahead with 50 seconds left in the frame. The Spirit scored the only goal of the second, and the teams entered the third knotted 1-1. London set the tone early in the final frame with Sam O’Reilly scoring at the 1:25 mark. Saginaw tied the game at the 7:35 mark, but London responded less than a minute later thanks to a Jackson Edward goal that served as the game winner. Cowan added an empty netter in the final minute to secure the win.
Up next:
The Knights, for the second straight year, now find themselves in the OHL Finals. This time, they’ll face the Oshawa Generals, who won their Eastern Conference final series, 4-3, over the North Bay Battalion. Action gets underway in London Thursday (May 9).
Game 1: Thurs. May 9 (7:00pm @ London)
Game 2: Sat. May 11 (7:00pm @ London)
The Lightning got their first round playoff series off to a strong start on Saturday (May 4), as they took Game 1 over the Sudbury Five, 106-101, on home court at Budweiser Gardens. London led 27-23 after one quarter, but the teams headed to the dressing room tied 52-52 at the half. The teams swapped the lead a number of times in the third period, with the Five leading by three entering the final quarter. But Chris Jones and Jermaine Haley Jr. took over in the fourth, scoring 10 and 11 points, respectively, in the frame to give London the Game 1 win. Defensively, the Lightning held the Five to just 19 fourth-quarter points. Jones finished the night with a game-high 30 points with eight rebounds. Haley Jr. scored 23 with nine rebounds and 6 assists, while Billy White had a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double.
In Game 2 Monday in Sudbury, the Lightning were always one step ahead, and they earned a 100-92 win to take a 2-0 series lead. After a high-scoring first quarter (31-30 in favour of London), the teams managed just 19 points apiece in the second. The Lightning pulled ahead by five after three quarters, and then they managed to hold onto the lead the rest of the way. Sudbury’s Ja’Myrin Jackson hit a pair of free throws with 1:18 left in the game to bring the Five to within one at 93-92, but Jermaine Haley Jr. hit a three-pointer for London that served as the dagger in the ballgame. Haley Jr. scored 18 on the night. Devon Baulkman had a big game, producing a team-high 20 points. Billy White had another double-double (14 points, 13 rebounds).
With Chris Jones serving a one-game suspension Wednesday back in London (for derogatory remarks made towards fans in Sudbury in Game 2), the Lightning struggled to run a consistent offense — and contain the Five’s AJ Mosby — and lost Game 3, 128-118, which forced a Game 4 back in Sudbury on Friday. A big third quarter from the visitors had them up by eight heading into the final quarter. Jachai Taylor had his best game of the season, in a losing effort, scoring a team-high 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting (including eight made three-pointers). Jeremiah Mordi had a triple-double (22 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists), while Billy White had 16 points and eight rebounds.
Up next:
The Lightning, ahead 2-1 in the best-of-five semi-final series, will head to Sudbury Friday for Game 4. If a Game 5 is necessary, it’ll be back London on Sunday. The winner of this series will face the winner of the KW Titans-Newfoundland Rogues series in the inaugural BSL Finals.
Game 4: Fri. May 10 (7:00pm @ Sudbury)
Game 5: Sun. May 12 (2:00pm @ London) (If necessary)*
The Lightning in action versus the Sudbury Five Wednesday, May 8 at Budweiser Gardens. (Photo: Barry Field Photography).
FC London
For the second straight week, the FC London women’s team came away victorious — this time, with a convincing 6-0 win over Blue Devils FC at Tricar Field.
Charlotte Cromack opened the scoring in their Sunday match, knocking home a penalty kick in the 13th minute. In the 44th minute, captain Julia Benati made it 2-0 with her third goal of the season, and then Cromack struck again just before halftime. In the second half, Benati scored her second of the match in the 60th minute. Ahead 4-0, Ally Rowe extended FC London’s lead in the 80th minute, and then Jen Milligan potted a late-game goal for the 6-0 final. The women will take their 2-0 record into a tough road match against NDC-Ontario on Friday (May 10).
On the men’s side, FC London claimed a 3-1 win Friday night (May 3) over BVB IA Waterloo on the road. Logan Rieck scored for Waterloo in just the 7th minute, but Dante D’Oria responded in the 8th minute to tie things at 1-1. The rest of the scoring was London’s. Bai Essa Coker put the visitors ahead in the 35th minute, and then he scored again three minutes later. That’s the way it would end after a scoreless final 52 minutes plus injury time. The win improved FC London’s record to 2-0.
Up next:
Men
Sun. May 12 (7:00pm @ Unionville Milliken SC)
Women
Fri. May 10 (9:00pm @ NDC-Ontario)
London Majors
The London Majors played a pair of exhibition contests last weekend in preparation for their 2024 season. It was Hamilton on Saturday and Brantford on Sunday. Everyone saw action, and the Majors came away with wins in both contests in the season tuneup.
In a 5-1 win Saturday over the Cardinals, the Majors rapped out 11 hits. Outfielder Starling Joseph and backup catcher Brad Verhoeven had two apiece, while Kaiden Cardoso, Victor Plaz, Cleveland Brownlee and Gibson Krzeminski each had a hit and an RBI. Daniel Gore tossed three scoreless innings on the mound, while Travis Keys, who was credited with the win, allowed just a run while striking out three in three innings of work.
On Sunday, in a 5-4 win over the Red Sox, Cardoso had another two hits, along with two RBIs and a walk. Shortstop Tommy Reyes-Cruz also had a pair of RBIs. Eduardo de Oleo and Krzeminski both reached base twice. On the mound, import starters Jose Arias and Victor Payano both saw two innings of work. Arias allowed just one hit and recorded a strikeout. Payano allowed a run but struck out three. Braeden Ferrington allowed a run in three innings with four strikeouts.
London will open their regular season Sunday, May 12 (2:00pm) on the road in Toronto. Their home opener is set for Friday, May 17 (7:35pm) against the Welland Jackfish.
Natalie Thirsk, a para athlete, has become a Canadian record holder in three short years. Her cerebral palsy doesn’t define her, but she’s a passionate advocate for persons with disabilities. Will she one day compete at the Paralympics?