History
Built in 1974, it consists of 757 students [1] from the built-up area of the Bayridge subdivision east to Amherstview. Bayridge has a second off-site campus, the Bayridge Learning Centre, at Progress Avenue. This caters to about 150, mainly adult, students who are at risk of dropping out, or who do not fit into a regular classroom environment. The main campus consists of a large football/soccer field, gymnasium, cafeteria and auditorium, multiple computer labs, library/resource centre, musical facilities, and a unique social place called 'The Bearpit'. On the exterior, the campus is surrounded by a greenspace, student and faculty parking lots, and the O'Connor Sports field, where home games are played in football, rugby, soccer, and field hockey.
In 2009, a renovation of both the school and the school grounds were completed. The "Island" that existed in front of the school was made into two large traffic circles with smaller greenspaces, to facilitate an easy in-and-out access to the front doors for cars and buses, respectively. The main entrance lobby was also raised to the main level of the school's first floor, whereas it used to sit on the "Cafeteria floor".
In addition to renovations of the school's front grounds and facade, a new wing was added to the rear of the school, and includes new classrooms and lockers. Some of the specialized classrooms in the new wing are the Kitchen/Home Economics room, and the Media room, which has a "green screen".
The school was originally opened with an "open concept" learning environment as part of a number of experimental educational concepts undertaken in Ontario in the 1970s. These concepts were generally abandoned by the early 1980s, when a more traditional environment was adopted.
Athletics
Bayridge is currently a member of the KASSAA, EOSSAA, OFSAA, and OSEA athletic associations. The school's sports teams play under the name Blazers with a team mascot of the Bengal tiger. O'Connor Sports Field is the school's home field. It provides teams in several sports including Bayridge football, basketball, volleyball, lacrosse, baseball, tennis, track and Field, badminton, cross country, and curling. School teams have earned KASSAA titles, Eastern Ontario Championship titles, and made Provincial championship appearances. Bayridge has also made National and Provincial appearances for Rocket League.
Soccer
Throughout the 1980s, Bayridge soccer teams captured many AA championships in Eastern Ontario. In 1986, the Bayridge senior boys soccer team competed at the OFSAA championships in Toronto.
The Bayridge senior boys soccer team was undefeated in 2006 and was the Senior Boys Eastern Ontario Champions. The Blazers lost 3-1 in the quarter finals to the eventual champion Bishop Reding (Milton) the goal scored by forward Lee Jones, from a cross delivered by winger Scott MacLeod. In the regular season the Blazers defeated the AAA OFSAA champion Regiopolis-Notre Dame Panthers 4-1 in the season opener.
Cheerleading
The Cheerleading squad was National Champions in the Small Varsity All Girls Division in 2004/05 and Finalists in 2005/06. The varsity cheerleading team has members on the roster of the Kingston Elite All-Star Cheerleading Company.
Volleyball
Coached by Brian Nesbitt, the Blazers' senior boys volleyball team experienced a great deal of success in the mid 1990s. They captured four consecutive KASSAA and EOSSAA championships from 1994–97, and competed at the provincial championships, OFSAA, each of those years. From 1994 to 1996, they were led by captain Bryan English, who after graduating, went on to captain the Queen's University volleyball team, and twice was an OUA all-star. [2]
Rocket League
Nationals
In 2022, Bayridge triumphed in the National Tournament taking home first place in their opening year. Jacob Ewing lead the team with his excellent leadership. Evan Taillefer, Owen Swaine, and Caleb Thompson were also deciding factors in said first place finish. This marked the golden era of Rocket League Esports for Bayridge. Bayridge elected to not compete in 2023 nationals. In Fall 2024, Bayridge represented Ontario at the National Scholastic Rocket League Championships. They competed against top teams from across Canada and displayed impressive gameplay on the national stage. Playing at Nationals gave the team valuable experience and showed their dedication to being one of Canada’s top high school Rocket League programs. Evan Taillefer captained the team in 2024 as his predecessor, Jacob Ewing moved on from the Esport. Grant Newman, and Joseph Bolarinho also played important roles in their deep run to the Semi-Finals, where the Blazers narrowly fell short of advancing to the grand finals. Their performance earned Bayridge a prestigious top-four finish in the country, solidifying their reputation as a national powerhouse in high school Rocket League.
Provincials
In 2023, Bayridge reached the Semi-Finals of the Spring OSEA Provincial Championships, which were held in person at St. Clair College. It was a strong showing for the team in their first major LAN environment, marking an important step in their growth and setting the stage for their deep playoff runs in the following seasons. Bayridge placed 2nd at the OSEA Provincial Championships in both the Spring 2024 and Spring 2025 seasons, with both events held in person at St. Clair College. The team showed strong skills, great teamwork, and consistency to reach the finals two years in a row. Their ability to work well together and stay focused helped them compete with the best high school teams in Ontario. The Blazers continued where they left off with a successful Fall 2025 season, making it back to the online provincial finals once again before falling to the Red Hawks in a hard-fought series. Throughout the team’s existence, Bayridge has never finished lower than the top four in the province, whether competing online or at LAN events. [3] [4]
Rivals
The Bayridge Blazers Rocket League rivalry history is filled with dramatic arcs, beginning in 2022 and 2023 with the BMX Bikey Boys from Christ the King. After suffering a tough loss to them during the 2022 national bracket, the Blazers bounced back and swept the Bikey Boys in a decisive 3-0 victory in the national finals, claiming their first-ever national title. However, as the Bikey Boys faded, Christ the King's Spear Goblins rose to dominance, launching a two-year run that saw them win 2023 nationals, knock Bayridge out in the 2023 provincial semifinals, and defeat them again in the 2024 provincial finals, becoming the Blazers’ most frustrating obstacle during that stretch. By the 2024–2025 season, a new challenger emerged—the Golden Bears from St. Joseph-Scollard Hall. Though they placed lower than Bayridge at nationals, but the Bears won the 2025 provincial finals over the Blazers, marking a shift in the rivalry landscape and establishing themselves as Bayridge’s newest and fiercest threat. The Bears' rise ended as quickly as it began, with their entire roster graduating at the end of the 2025 season. With their biggest threat now gone, the Blazers have a golden opportunity to begin a dynasty of their own. In the 2025 Fall season, the Red Hawks remained one of the province’s top contenders, continuing their long-standing rivalry with the Blazers—a matchup that has traditionally tilted only slightly in Bayridge’s favor. The two teams once again met on the biggest stage, with the Red Hawks narrowly prevailing in a tightly contested provincial final. Their battle further cemented the Red Hawks as one of Bayridge’s most evenly matched and respected rivals.
Rosters
2022 - 2023
Jacob Ewing - Caleb Thompson - Owen Swaine - Evan Taillefer
2023-2024
Jacob Ewing - Evan Taillefer - Grant Newman
2024-2025
Evan Taillefer - Grant Newman - Joseph Bolarinho
2025-2026
Evan Taillefer - Grant Newman - Joseph Bolarinho
Extended Results
| Year | Event | Placement | Location |
|---|
| 2022 | National Scholastic Rocket League Championships (Fall) | 1st | Online |
| 2022 | OSEA Provincials (Fall) | Top 4 | Online |
| 2023 | OSEA Provincials (Spring) | Top 4 | St. Clair College |
| 2023 | OSEA Provincials (Fall) | Top 4 | Online |
| 2024 | OSEA Provincials (Spring) | 2nd | St. Clair College |
| 2024 | OSEA Provincials (Fall) | Top 4 | Online |
| 2024 | National Scholastic Rocket League Championships (Fall) | 3rd | Online |
| 2025 | OSEA Provincials (Spring) | 2nd | St. Clair College |
| 2025 | OSEA Provincials (Fall) | 2nd | Online |
Match History
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