Sports Briefs: Wolfpaac win opener, London’s Largest Sports Card show, Drewery captures Early Bird

London Wolfpaac Head Coach Shawn Wilson talks to his team at halftime of their 2026 season opener. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

The London Wolfpaac has opened its 2026 season with a victory.

It’s year five for the U19 girls tackle football team in the Ontario Women’s Football League (OWFL) and the Wolfpaac are on a mission to capture the third championship in franchise history.

It’s been a successful run so far for the program, who has reached the final all four years.

“We’re growing and we are up to 13 centers now,” said Scott Knight, president and founder of the Wolfpaac. “There is two divisions this year for the first time, six and seven [in each division]. North Bay, Sudbury, and we have four down Ottawa away, and London and Hamilton. It’s getting bigger all the time. We came really close to having senior women starting this year actually.”

The Wolfpaac opened its campaign without their starting quarterback, who was injured playing rugby. The defence managed to lock down a tough Peel Panthers team, and a kick return touchdown by Taj Thompson proved to be the difference in a 7-0 win.

“It’s very exciting,” said Thompson, who is entering her fifth year with the Wolfpaac.

“It’s a really fun experience, especially seeing all the girls that are interested in playing the sport. When, when I was younger, I was made fun of for playing with a bunch of boys. So, having a team full of girls, it’s just something where you feel very welcome. It’s like a sisterhood,” she added.

Shawn Wilson has returned as head coach, and they have established a culture now in the seven-on-seven league, where they are able to backfill graduating players with “quality people and families.”

“Shawn is a big part of that, the culture that we built here which is super important to us,” said Knight. “We want to get some U16 teams going. We’re doing some things with the flag programs in the high schools and in the public schools right now to kind of build some skills development and then roll them up in the tackle and then eventually senior women’s and there’s a pathway for Team Ontario and Team Canada.”

There is also a pathway for these players to move to the United States for flag football. Knight’s daughter Jessica is headed to Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, TX. in August to play for their flag.

Fort Worth also has the top U.S. women’s tackle program, so Knight can do double duty.

London’s Largest Ever Sports Card Show coming this weekend

A London family is set to host the largest sports card and Pokemon show in the city’s history this weekend.

DGM (Diamond Gem Mint) Cards is preparing for its second annual show at the BMO Centre on Saturday, May 23, 2026.

“We had a great reception the first time and this one is going to be almost double the table count,” said Sam Chams, a Londoner who is organizing along with his brother Ahmed and his cousin Nassar Chams.

Last year they had around 160 vendor tables, and this time they are cutting it off at 250 vendors, despite getting messages hourly about people wanting to get a table.

“We’re expecting double the people coming. We have vendors coming from Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, and Windsor coming here and we’re trying to turn it into a National show,” said Chams. “There is going to be cards varying from a $5 card or a $10 card all the way up to $50,000 cards.”

The goal is to create something where people are attending London, staying in hotels, spending money, and seeing the city.

For those who haven’t been immersed in this card industry, it’s booming.

“For some people, it’s their entire portfolio,” added Chams. “Instead of investing in stocks, it’s investing in these cards. For individuals like me who used to collect cards, we are now in a position to buy these cards we couldn’t as kids and now we’re collecting them. It’s an extension of their childhood, which is awesome.”

The show has free admission and will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Drewery Wins Early Bird Tournament

Jonn Drewery of Kitchener has won his second Early Bird tournament championship in the past four years.

The Westmount Golf and Country Club player shot a 2-under round of 70 at St. Thomas Golf and Country Club to defeat 90 golfers in the A Flight.

The 78th edition of the tournament was originally scheduled to be a 36-hole event, but it was reduced to a one-day 18-hole championship because of rain and lightning conditions on the Saturday.

Drewery was the only player in the field to shoot under par, as Union once again provided a tough test.

Londoner Jackson Bowery finished tied for second place with Gajan Sivabalasingham at even-par 72.

Drewery shot 35 on each nine, making birdies on 3, 5, 12, and 14. He made bogey on 6 and 11.

He is having a great stretch of golf, after capturing Golf Ontario’s 2026 Men’s Division Champion of Champions a few days earlier at Legends in Niagara Falls.

A highlight of the event was Pat Ryan making a hole-in-one on the 10th hole.

Tidbits

The London Majors were rained out Tuesday in Chatham. They sit at 2-0 through their first two games in the Canadian Baseball League and will be back on the field at Jack Couch Park in Kitchener Thursday.

DJ Kennington of St. Thomas, Ont. finished in 9th in the first Nascar Canada Series race of 2026, which was won by Gary Klutt. The next race is a double-feature June 6 in Vallee-Jonction, QC.

The spring season of high school sports is winding down. Congrats to Medway Boys Rugby who won AAA TVRA with a 27-6 win over Lucas. Lord Dorchester Girls Soccer is Southeast Champions after defeating Parkside 7-3.More playoff championships are taking place Thursday including TVRA Girls Rugby and baseball as well as WOSSAA Boys Rugby and WOSSAA Track and Field.