The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

he Sir John A. Macdonald I Highlanders senior boys rugby team‘s run to the quarâ€" terfinals of the OFSAA champiâ€" onships didn‘t go unnoticed by the recruiters for Team Ontario. Four members of that team have been selected to play for the provincial team. Keaton Jones, Andrew Bogdanis and Richard Lebel have been named to the underâ€"18 team, while Adam Fitzâ€" patrick was named to the underâ€"17 one. Two members of the Highâ€" landers junior program also got the nod, with Mac Forristal and Nameer Fleifel named to the underâ€" 15 provincial team. Highlanders storming the ranks of Team Ontario "Our success at OFSAA really opened people‘s eyes," said James Montgomery, the head coach of the Highlanders senior boys proâ€" gram. "That opened the door for them, and people could see how they play." The commitment to rugby at the school started three years ago, said Montgomery, who is also an assistant coach with the University of Waterloo Warriors men‘s rugby team. That commitment paid off this year when the Highlanders By Bos VrBanac Chronicle Staff The Sir John A. Macdonald Highlanders Keaton Jones, Richard Lebel and Andrew Bogdanis have all been selected to Ontario‘s underâ€"18 men‘s rugby team that will be playing for a national championship in Newfoundland in August. sos vmeanac rxoto won WCSSAA championships at The seniors went on to the â€" province‘s No. lâ€"ranked team. The the junior and senior levels, as _ CWOSSA finals, where they nearly _ senior Highlanders went on to lose both teams completed undefeated _ upended Brantford‘s St. John‘s in a _ in the quarterfinals at OFSAA, but seasons in Waterloo County play. tough twoâ€"point loss to the â€" they had some impressive rugby SPORTS The seniors went on to the CWOSSA finals, where they nearly upended Brantford‘s St. John‘s in a tough twoâ€"point loss to the TA® province‘s No. lâ€"ranked team. The senior Highlanders went on to lose in the quarterfinals at OFSAA, but they had some impressive rugby WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, July tour wins under their belts includâ€" ing winning the Cherry Blossom tournament in Washington, D.C., to open the season. Some of it‘s been coincidence and luck, said Montgomery of the school‘s success. They had a group of coaches that played the game, and a crop of talented athletes willing to learn it. The boys not only bought into the demanding training regime of Montgomery and junior coach Andy Lavelle, they also adopted their high expectations for the program. "When we started the program we had the goal of not only being competitive in Waterloo County, but to be competitive at the provincial level. "When we started the season we just didn‘t want to beat Forest Heights (who they beat in the WCSSAA finals}, we wanted to beat the better teams in the province." But why stap at the provincial level. Why not make an impact on the national stage if they can. Now Jones, Bogdanis and Lebel, who will be trying for a national title as they travel to Newfoundâ€" land in August for the Canadian championships, can also earn themselves a spot on the national Continued on page 24 L1. 2007 + 21