Sports notes: Lincolns advance to Sutherland Cup, Tunks breaks Canadian record, Mitchell gets first international goal

1.St. Marys Lincolns win GOHL West Final 2. Teen sets new Canadian discus record 3. Chase and Sydney Brown hold football camp

The St. Marys Lincolns are headed to the Sutherland Cup final after a dramatic 4-2 come from behind win over Stratford in game seven of the West Final.

Trailing 2-0 early in the third period, the Lincolns ripped off three straight goals in the span of 2:06 to take a 3-2 lead in front of a sellout crowd at the Pyramid Centre in St. Marys.

They would add an empty net goal and hoist the Joe Thornton Trophy as Western Conference Champions.

“After we lost last year to Chatham, then were down 2-0 in the series and then down 3-2, these kids are unbelievable,” Lincolns coach Jeff Bradley told media after the game.

“I can’t believe we came back and won that game. We had so many returning players and we talked about it for a year. These kids were begging for a second chance and after getting down 2-0 I couldn’t believe it,” he added.

The battle of Highway 7 and Perth County saw the arenas packed every night over the course of the seven games, drawing thousands of fans.

“This is my eighth conference finals, and I don’t remember a run or a final like this at all,” added Bradley. “Every single game was tight. There has to be a loser, but they should be incredibly proud.”

St. Marys will look to capture its first Sutherland Cup championship in 50 years after last winning it in the 1975-76 season. They reached the final in 2024 but lost 4-games-to-one to the Listowel Cyclones.

Julia Tunks sets Canadian record

London’s Julia Tunks has set a new Canadian record in women’s discus.

The 19-year-old Tunks broke her own Canadian U23 and open national record in the discus with a 63.58m (ratified) throw at the Mt. SAC Relays.

She broke her own mark which she set last year (62.95m) while defeating 2023 World Champion Laulauga Tausaga.

A few days earlier, she won an event at Long Beach State in California with a throw of 61.80m, after which her coach and father Jason wrote on Instagram “the surprise was the 65m+ foul at LB. Doesn’t count for much but it’s a nice indication of what’s to come.”

Julia’s younger sister Jenna Tunks (53.04m) finished 10th in Long Beach while competing against some of the world’s best at just 16 years old.

Jenna followed up that performance with another 10th place finish at Mt. Sac with a throw of 49.97m.

Raquelle Mitchell scores international goal

Move over Jessie Fleming and Shelina Zadorsky, London has another international soccer star.

Raquelle Mitchell – a Catholic Central grad who plays division one at Oklahoma State – scored her first international goal for Grenada in their CONCACAF World Cup qualifier against the Cayman Islands.

Mitchell headed home a ball which bounced off the bar during stoppage time to end the first half 1-1.

Grenada would go onto win the game 3-1, their first ever victory in the competition’s history and breaking a 15-match winless streak.

Mitchell has signed to play for Railway City FC in the Ontario Premier League this summer.