Ursuline's Katrina Squazzin, left, is chased by Lambton Central's Andie Hunter during the SWOSSAA 'AAA-AAAA' girls hockey semifinal yesterday at Thames Campus Arena. Ursuline lost the game, 2-1. The Kent girls hockey teams didn't fare any better than the boys teams in the SWOSSAA playoffs.

The Ursuline Lancers and McGregor Panthers exited the post-season yesterday with losses in the girls semifinals. Ursuline lost 2-1 to the Petrolia Lambton Central Lancers in the ' AAA-AAAA' game. McGregor lost 5-2 to the Sarnia St. Clair Colts in the 'AAA' contest. On We d n e s d a y , the Wallaceburg Tartans ('A-AA') and the Chatham-Kent Golden Hawks ('AAA-AAAA') lost in the SWOSSAA boys semifinals. Lambton Central 2, Ursuline 1 At Thames Campus Arena, Jessalyn Martin of Ursuline opened the scoring with 8:36 left in the first period. Katie Jacklin answered with two goals for Lambton Central. She scored the tying goal in the first and the winner with 8:09 left in the third. "It was a great hockey game, back and forth the whole game," Ursuline head coach Brad Twigg said. The Kent champions were making their SWOSSAA debut against a deep Lambton Central squad. "We didn't look out of place at all," Twigg said. "We belonged. ... "Our kids competed hard and played well. I'm very proud of them." Ursuline will graduate four seniors - Brooke Ludolph, Alison McMahon, Alyssa Taylor and Christina Marchand - from a young lineup that included five Grade 9 regulars. Lambton Central will play Windsor Holy Names next week in the SWOSSAA final. St. Clair 5, McGregor 2 At Sarnia, Jen Dienesch scored both goals for the Panthers. St. Clair will play Leamington next week in the SWOSSAA final.

Anthony Praill of Ursuline begins the OFSAA wrestling championships today in Brampton. He made history at the SWOSSAA meet recently by becoming the first Kent competitor to win the Sandro E. Grana Memorial Award as the most outstanding wrestler from the Lambton Secondary Schools Athletic Association. Each time Anthony Praill pins another opponent on the mat, he helps put the Ursuline wrestling program on the map. 

He's the lone Lancer at the OFSAA championships that start today in Brampton. He'd like to see some Lancers follow in his footsteps. "We have a small team, so our name is not really out there," said Praill, who is in Grade 12. "If someone says they're wrestling someone from Ursuline, they're not scared. But we're hoping to change that. We want to put Chatham on the map." Ursuline is the only school with a wrestling team in the Kent County Secondary Schools Athletic Association, so the Lancers have to compete at the Lambton Secondary Schools Athletic Association meet. They're considered LSSAA athletes at the SWOSSAA meet, where Praill made history recently. He became the first Kent wrestler to win the Sandro E. Grana Memorial Award as the meet's most outstanding LSSAA wrestler. The trophy has been handed out for more than 20 years. "There were some other kids who did well from LSSAA, but he was just a consistent force," Lancers coach Chris Parent said. "He's never wavered this year." Praill has a 16-2 record. He was sick for one loss and has avenged the other. He won the LSSAA and SWOSSAA championships at 83 kilograms by pinning every opponent he faced. He's a great wrestler because of his "determination and no quit attitude," Parent said. "I've never seen him shut down or give up in a pin situation." This is Praill's second trip to the OFSAA championship. He placed in the top 10 last year after winning the LSSAA title and finishing second at SWOSSAA. He's aiming for a top-four result this week. "Last year I didn't know what to expect, being my first time," said Praill, 17. "Now I know." For example, he needs endurance when facing OFSAA-calibre wrestlers. They're in a different league than most of the competition he's seen this year. "Normally my matches don't go three rounds," he said. "But I think last year every one of them went three rounds." Praill, a 2007 Ontario cadet champion, has wrestled for four years. He's trying to pick a university - and a sport - for next season. "I'm torn between football and wrestling. Ideally both," said the all-star linebacker.

The Ursuline Lancers didn't want to play tonight, but they're awfully glad they are. 

Mark Mitchell of the Catholic Central Comets leaps over teammate Matt Nuna and Ursuline Lancers' Bryce Cumming (3) as Bill Hastings of the Lancers watches during the SWOSSAA 'AAAA' senior boys basketball final last night at Ursuline. 

They'll get a second chance to do what they couldn't last night: earn their first trip to the OFSAA 'AAAA' boys basketball tournament. The Lancers host Lakeshore St. Anne at 7 p. m. in a challenge game after losing the SWOSSAA championship 61-43 to the Windsor Catholic Central Comets. " It was disappointing, but thankfully we have that challenge game," Max Allin said after the Lancers' fourth straight loss in the SWOSSAA final. "We weren't planning on playing. We weren't looking for that game, but it's nice that we get it, though." Tonight's winner joins tournament host Catholic Central at the OFSAA championship March 911 in Windsor. " We have to rebound tomorrow - mentally and off the glass," Lancers head coach Jim Dunlop said. The Lancers win the battle of the boards when they're playing well, but the athletic Comets out rebounded them at both ends of the court. "We didn't rebound as well as we'd like," Allin said. "I think some of our players were intimidated." Lancers all-star guard Bryce Cumming said they lacked confidence on offence. Too many players passed on open shots they'd normally take. " People were just too timid," Cumming said. "Even Max missed a couple lay-ups that he never, ever misses." Bill Hastings led the Lancers with 16 points, including nine in the third quarter. Cumming and Adriano Deabreu scored seven apiece. The Comets held Allin, the Kent league's MVP, to just nine points. " Maintain Max Allin, that's the key," Comets guard Tarrence Crawford said. "Contain him, you contain the team." Allin sank only three field goals while being harassed by the Comets up and down the floor. "They didn't guard four people," Dunlop said. " They decided to guard Max with five. I think that's rather insulting to my team, but they proved themselves right tonight. "I think we're way too talented to do that to, but we have to show it to everyone else." The Lancers were up 17-15 after the first quarter, but the Comets outscored them 15-2 in the second for a 30-19 halftime lead. The Comets led by at least seven throughout the third quarter. They took a 44-34 lead into the fourth. "We had to bring up the intensity on our press and that's what turned the game around," said Crawford, who scored 17. Matt Nuna added 11 points and Chris Arcangel had nine for Catholic Central.

Chatham-Kent Secondary School and Ursuline College Chatham are moving on to the regional competition of the Sears Drama Festival. CKSS advanced with its performance of Never Swim Alone, written by Canadian playwright Daniel MacIver. UCC's student-written play, MacBraveheart, a combination of well-known works MacBeth and Braveheart, earned the school a berth to the next level. A total of 10 plays were performed during the festival, which was held at Kiwanis Theatre in the Chatham Cultural Centre. The regional drama festival will be held in Brantford during the week of April 20.