Clinton, P.E.I. -
Newfoundland finally got on the medal board at the 2009 Canada Summer Games when rowers Jane Brodie, Alyssa Devereaux, Allison DeLong and Steph Davis won bronze in the women's four on Southwest River outside Summerside Friday afternoon.
The four covered the 1,200 metre course in 4:14.93, three seconds off Ontario's pace, which finished second. B.C. won gold with a time of 4:08.36.
"The Ontario girls told us if there had been another 150 metres," said Devereaux, "we definitely would have passed them."
The four were also part of the JAC Marketing and Advertising Co. crew which won the Royal St. John's Regatta women's championship earlier this month.
B.C., a rowing powerhouse, jumped out to a quick lead with Ontario settling into second place and Newfoundland and Alberta jockeying for the three spot.
Near the end, Newfoundland pulled away and hung on despite a couple of missed strokes, or air strokes as Devereaux described them. And, added Brodie, the bow oar in charge of steering the shell in addition to concentrating on her oar, there were a few, "steering miscues."
Newfoundland entered the race the fifth-ranked crew, but only one second separated that boat and two others in their repechage.
Newfoundland had three other boats in A finals, but the women's pair (Davis and Amanda Ryan) finished fifth, men's four (Paul Hussey, Mark Perry, Josh Sutton and Brent Payne) placed sixth and the men's eight (cox Robert Roach, Tyler Young, Hussey, Perry, Chris Clark, Zachary Meaney, Ben Colbourne, Sutton and Payne) placed sixth. The eights rowed the course in 3:39.31and only one second separated Newfoundland, Quebec and Saskatchewan.
In the men's double scull consolation final, Young and Ben Colbourne finished first among three boats.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Newfoundland could finish fifth, its highest placing ever in Canada Games women's soccer, with a win today against Nova Scotia.
Those two provinces square off in the fifth-sixth place game 11:30 a.m. (P.E.I. time) today in Kensington.
Newfoundland blanked Manitoba 2-0 Friday morning on goals by Katie Dunphy and Rebecca Green.
"Finally, after a couple of tough games (1-0 loss to Alberta and 3-0 loss to Ontario, the latter after giving up goals in the final minute and in injury time) we got an early goal (by Dunphy) which set the stage for us," said coach Mike Power.
"We played sharp and strong after that. Our character came through again.
"Katie Dunphy had a phenomenal performance. She scores the early goal and then drops back into a holding midfield role to shut down the other team."
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Newfoundland equaled its showing in the 2005 Summer Games by placing sixth in the P.E.I. Games following an 100-81 loss to New Brunswick in the fifth-sixth place game Friday.
Fourteen-year-old sensation Hannah Jardine, who's no doubt opened a few eyes at these Summer Games, turned in an outstanding effort with 32 points and 20 rebounds. Kelia Pond, Newfoundland's most consistent scorer through the Games, added 20.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Newfoundland finished ninth following a 62-44 win over the Yukon Territory Friday.
John Dawson led the winners with 17 points and Stephen Smith scored 10.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Both Newfoundland teams finished in 10th place following games Friday.
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