Simcoe Athletes Chasing OCAA Gold
Simcoe Athletes Chasing OCAA Gold
When the dust settles this weekend, local athletes from Simcoe will are planning on returning home as champions—or at least have given it everything to try. Five local names are central to this OCAA Championships weekend: Jess Benz and Makayla Benz, who will be chasing a softball crown with the Durham Lords, and Jeryn Shortt, Mikey Walker, and Aidan Littler, who aim for baseball gold with the Lambton Lions.
Both programs enter the weekend ranked #1 in their respective sports, giving hope and expectation in equal measure. Here’s how the stories unfold, what to watch for, and why these athletes—and their teams—are in prime position to bring hardware home.
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Durham Lords Softball & the Benz Sisters
Durham’s softball program has been a powerhouse in recent seasons. Coming off an undefeated run in 2024, expectations were sky-high for 2025. Though the Lords did suffer a few losses this year, they’ve still ridden consistency and experience to a dominant record, earning the top seed heading into the OCAA Championships.
For Makayla Benz, this season has been about balancing high standards with team chemistry. “After coming off our undefeated season last year we knew that many teams would be looking to beat us,” she said. “This year we decided that as a team we are always playing for each other no matter what happens and to always have fun and give it our all.”
Makayla has continued to set the tone from the pitcher’s circle, but she’s quick to credit the strength of the group — and especially her sister, Jess Benz, who earned OCAA First Team All-Star honours for the second straight year. “At the plate she is one of the most feared batters and a key role in driving runs across the plate for us,” Makayla said. “On the field she is a wall at shortstop. She’s constantly picking her teammates up and cheering on the bench to help keep our energy up.”
As Durham prepares for the weekend, their formula for success is clear: keep the energy high, shake off mistakes quickly, and stay connected. “Errors happen, strikeouts are inevitable,” said Makayla, “but it’s all about how we bounce back. As long as we’re giving 100% and living in the moment, we are bound for success.”
The Lords have been the standard in OCAA softball for years, and with leadership from the Benz sisters, they’ll enter the weekend as the team to beat.
Lambton Lions Baseball & the Simcoe Connection
On the baseball side, the Lambton Lions are writing their own championship story — and three players from Simcoe are right in the middle of it. The Lions enter the OCAA Baseball Championship as the top-ranked team in Ontario, coming off a 12–6 season and a dramatic final weekend that saw them clinch the regular season title with a win over Fanshawe.
Their program has been on the rise, collecting awards and recognition — including Simcoe’s Jeryn Shortt, who was named OCAA Rookie of the Year after a stellar debut season.
Lambton’s success has been built on depth and balance. Their rotation features reliable arms, their defense is strong, and their lineup has a mix of speed and power that can change a game in a single inning. But as the playoffs begin, all eyes will be on Shortt, who is expected to take the mound in a key start.
“My season has gone great so far,” Shortt said. “The team started off very hot and then we hit a cold streak but have started to play ball like how we should. I played the first eight games and then broke my finger, but came back to pitch two games to end the season.”
That perseverance embodies what’s made the Lions so dangerous — a mix of resilience, confidence, and belief. “We need to go back to how we played when we started the season 9–0,” he said. “If we get our confidence back, we control our own destiny.”
In the lineup, Mikey Walker has provided steady veteran leadership and timely hitting. Last week against Fanshawe, he delivered a crucial seventh-inning at-bat that helped the Lions clinch the regular season championship. “Season has been solid,” Walker said. “Our top players like Kale and Luke Murray have been great, and Logan Buntrock has been on fire — there’s a reason he was named OCAA Player of the Year. We need to build on last year. We were happy with second place, but this year we’re in it to win a gold medal.”
Walker knows the value of familiarity, too. “It’s been great this year sharing our success with Jeryn and Aidan,” he added. “We won a CWOSSA Championship together back in high school, and it would be amazing to win an OCAA Championship together this weekend.”
Aidan Littler rounds out the Simcoe trio as one of the Lions’ most versatile players. He’s seen time on the mound, in left field, and at third base, giving the coaching staff a reliable option wherever needed. “So far the season has gone great,” he said. “We started off 9–0, slowed down a little, but figured it out. Our team needs to hit like we did at the start and get up early in games. Jeryn has been a two-headed monster on both sides of the ball, and Mikey’s been a great bat off the bench when we need it.”
Together, these three give the Lions a blend of experience, adaptability, and chemistry — the kind that wins championships.
The Lions’ formula mirrors their softball counterparts in Durham: confidence, composure, and timely execution. Their offense has been among the best in the country, and if Shortt delivers on the mound the way he did earlier in the year, Lambton will be tough to beat.
Two Programs, One Shared Story
From the Benz sisters leading Durham’s softball dynasty to Shortt, Walker, and Littler powering Lambton’s rise, Simcoe’s impact on OCAA Championship weekend runs deep. These athletes carry not just their team colours, but the pride of a community that has watched them grow, win, and now compete for Ontario’s highest collegiate honours.
No matter who takes home gold, this weekend is proof of what local development, teamwork, and heart can achieve — and it’s clear that Simcoe will have a hand in shaping how these championships are decided.
