Barb Thibault front had a major stroke five years ago this Oct. 6. She noted the support of speech therapist Alison Mack left granddaughter Maleeka Fortier and husband Bob Wilson in helping her to recover and deal with the challenges of aphasia an acquired communication disorder that impairs a person's ability to process language. /SUE TIFFIN Staff

Spartans stop Hawks’ two game win streak 

By Darren Lum

Published Jan. 23 2018

When the Spartans of Lindsay came to town the Red Hawks senior basketball team just didn’t have the answers for the top team of the Kawartha West Boys Basketball League.
It wasn’t from a lack of effort so much as focus and discipline for  the A categorized home team who lost 54-32 on Thursday Jan. 18.

Hawks coach Paul Longo acknowledged the quality of his opponents but believed his team had the potential to be at least 10 points closer to the AA team if some easy shots had fallen.
A contributor he said to the misses was frustration which was rooted in a lack of maturity and an inability of his team to avoid needless fouls.
The Hawks will work to regain their winning ways in time for the playoffs when they play in a tournament in Bracebridge during the Feb. 2/3 weekend.
Haliburton who entered action Thursday with a two game win streak dropped to 4-5 on the season while the top-ranked Spartans improved to 8-1. The Spartans lone loss was to the west’s second place Wildcats of I.E. Weldon Secondary School.
The Hawks are entrenched in fourth place in the west behind Fenelon Falls by four points.
They dropped below .500 with this loss. However the team has been solid on both ends scoring 367 points and giving up 366.

Spartans coach Greg Walling commended the Hawks for their tough physical play a common trait of teams in red and white.
The long-time coach said he always expects a physical game from Haliburton and this one wasn’t any different despite the large margin for victory. He admits this win was important for his team and was the reason he kept many of his starters on the floor for much of the game including instructions for his team to never let up. The win guarantees the Spartans the top seed in Kawartha and one more win against a Peterborough school will ensure a berth to the COSSA championship. There are only two berths for COSSA.

Haliburton is currently the top A team with eight points four more than the next team the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School Titans. Last place Bulldogs of Brock the third A categorized school in the west will come to Haliburton to finish the regular season after the exam break on Tuesday Feb. 6. The juniors will play at 3 p.m. followed by the seniors.
*Information accurate as of Friday morning Jan. 19.