Bernie Puchalski

Jamie Pagendam was more than willing to have a one-day delay going with his family to the Dominican Republic in late November. The 59-year-old Thorold resident was sent an email Aug. 13 by Boxing Canada informing him of his induction into the Boxing Canada Hall of Fame but for some reason he overlooked it. Sonny Wong called him in October...

Noah Walters of A.N. Myer (7) was named offensive MVP of the NRHSAA Tier 1 football league. Photo by SCOTT WATSON. A.N. Myer’s Noah Walters and Sir Winston Churchill’s Ty Kostyniuk have been selected as the offensive and defensive MVPs of the Niagara Region High School Athletic Association’s Tier 1 football league. Walters, Myer’s quarterback, is the first unanimous winner...

Matt Moxon lost his Grade 12 high school football season because of a broken ankle he suffered playing summer ball with the Niagara Spears. It turned out to be a lucky break. “It was the worst/best thing that could have happened. We ended up moving here (Welland) and I played my Grade 12 season at Notre Dame and now I...

Notre Dame’s Everett Hemauer was named the Niagara Catholic senior football league’s offensive player of the year. The Niagara Catholic Athletic Association senior football champions from Notre Dame swept the offensive and defensive awards as selected in year-end polling by the league’s coaches. Everett Hemauer was named the league’s offensive player of the year while linebacker Breton Pearcey was selected...

The Eden Flyers will be looking to retain their title when the 68th edition of the Welland Tribune Basketball Tournament opens Wednesday at four locations. Eden defeated A.N. Myer 70-55 in last year’s championship game to win the first Tribune title in school history but it will be hard-pressed to retain its title. The Flyers lost some key players to...

Mentoring and developing coaches is the goal of the Niagara College men’s soccer program. “Our group has always done that. You have to share. As a coach, mentoring and sharing is a huge part of your own continued development. It also keeps you honest and fresh as a coach. I am still a mentee in some capacity and I still...

Tribune tournament chair Don Larman (left) and Vince Policella Jr. meet to celebrate Policella Homes becoming the new title sponsor of the Welland Tribune Basketball Tournament. The newest title sponsor of the Welland Tribune Basketball Tournament is a basketball lifer. Forty-seven-year-old Welland native Vince Policella Jr. of Policella Homes, a residential builder in Welland and Fonthill, played basketball in Grade...

After a one-year absence to play prep basketball at Fort Erie International Academy, Eric Kaufmann has made a welcome return to the Saint Paul Patriots senior boys basketball team “You see the difference in professionalism with him,” said Saint Paul head coach Michael Doodeman Wednesday, after watching the Grade 11 student net a game-high 27 points in a 64-34 Saint...

Dylan Klassen came up clutch Wednesday to power the Westlane Spartans to a 58-54 victory over the Saint Michael Mustangs in opening-round action from the 68th Annual Welland Tribune Basketball Tournament at E.L. Crossley. The 18-year-old player scored a team-high 21 points and came up big in the fourth quarter to help the Spartans hold off the Mustangs. Klassen had...

Four straight threes by Saint Paul’s Liam Williams in the first quarter gave the Patriots a lead they would not relinquish versus the Eden Flyers Thursday in the championship quarter-finals of the 68th Annual Welland Tribune Basketball Tournament at Notre Dame. Williams would finish with a team-high 22 points as Saint Paul recorded a 71-61 victory over the defending champion...