It's the last territorial championship of the calendar year and it's one which provided perhaps one of the most unlikeliest of results.

The NWT Table Tennis Championships were held at Weledeh and St. Pat's Gymnasiums on Dec. 15 and 16 and Zachary Mathison of Weledeh Catholic School made sure people remembered that it doesn't matter how old you are but rather only that you can play the game.

And he did just that as he won the Grade 8 boys singles title. Not a big deal until you realize that Mathison is only in Grade 3.

Mathison said it was a challenge but nothing he couldn't handle.

SA国际影视传媒淚 wasn't really nervous,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭he kids were just bigger, that's all.SA国际影视传媒�

They were a bit bigger this time because the eight-year-old won the Grade 6 boys title last year as a Grade 2 student but he sort of thought he could pull it off again this year.

SA国际影视传媒淚 had some easy matches, some hard matches,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Just for a challenge, Mathison decided to enter the high school event to play doubles with his older brother, Christopher, who goes to St. Pat's, and they won that.

SA国际影视传媒淭he doubles was a bit harder,SA国际影视传媒� said the younger Mathison. SA国际影视传媒淭hey hit a bit harder but I wasn't nervous at all.SA国际影视传媒�

Christopher Mathison went on to win the Grade 9-12 boys singles in the high school division to complete the family sweep, which helped St. Pat's win the overall banner in that category.

While Mathison was busy dominating Grade 8 students as an eight-year-old, there were other divisions up for grabs. St. Joe's ended up winning the overall championship in the junior division thanks in large part to Alex Ramsey, Raine Mingo and Gracie Brennan winning the Grade 6 boys and girls and Grade 7 girls singles titles respectively. Mingo and Ramsey teamed up to capture the Grade 6 doubles title, which helped the school lock up the banner in their first year competing as a team.

The overall banners were decided based on an aggregate system where the total number of points earned by a school through its results was divided up by the number of athletes a school brought to produce an average score.

Cory Taylor was the school's coach and said it was a pretty good debut for the Huskies.

SA国际影视传媒淓ugene (Roach, phys-ed teacher) and I ran table tennis as part of the after-school program and we used that as our practice,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e had some kids picking up racquets for the first time and some who obviously knew what they were doing and so they were challenging Eugene and I for matches.SA国际影视传媒�

Going into the tournament, Taylor admitted he had expectations for some of the players but one look at the sea of blue that awaited the team made him do a double-take at first.

SA国际影视传媒淲illiam McDonald had a big team, about 60 kids, and we only had 15,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t worked out in our favour and I guess the precedent has been set, so to speak.SA国际影视传媒�

A total of 135 players played across 16 tables over the course of the weekend, something which was a sight to see for Thorsten Gohl, Table Tennis North's executive director.

He said it was unreal to see so many players.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou don't think about what 135 players looks like when you're scheduling it all but when you see everyone playing, it's such a thrill,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Taylor agreed with that sentiment.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think it's only going to get bigger from here,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭horsten and Ulli (Nolting) did a great job organizing it.SA国际影视传媒�

FACT FILE - Tournament champions

Junior division

Singles

Grade 6 boys SA国际影视传媒� Alex Ramsey, St. Joe's

Grade 6 girls SA国际影视传媒� Raine Mingo, St. Joe's

Grade 7 boys SA国际影视传媒� Nikhilesh Gohil, William McDonald

Grade 7 girls SA国际影视传媒� Gracie Brennan, St. Joe's

Grade 8 boys SA国际影视传媒� Zachary Mathison, Weledeh

Grade 8 girls SA国际影视传媒� Katherine Smallwood, William McDonald

Doubles

Grade 6 SA国际影视传媒� Alex Ramsey and Raine Mingo, St. Joe's

Grade 7 SA国际影视传媒� Nikhilesh Gohil and Lennox Mutford, William McDonald

Grade 8 SA国际影视传媒� Colton Robertson and Luke Kotaska, William McDonald

Overall banner SA国际影视传媒� St. Joe's

Senior division

Singles

Grade 9-12 boys SA国际影视传媒� Christopher Mathison, St. Pat's

Grade 9-12 girls SA国际影视传媒� Shannen Bonnetrouge, Fort Providence

Doubles

Christopher and Zachary Mathison

Overall banner SA国际影视传媒� St. Pat's

source: NWT School Sports