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10 Independent & Free Press, Tuesday,July 27, 2010 SPORTS & LEISURE `Little mistakes' put Bulldogs in big hole By EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer A couple of painful one-goal losses have the Halton Hills Bulldogs facing elimination and wondering what it's going to take to beat their Clarington rivals. The top-ranked Green Gaels defeated the Bulldogs 7-6 in Bowmanville Thursday night and scored a last-second 8-7 triumph Saturday evening in Georgetown to take a stranglehold in their best-of-5 Ontario Lacrosse Association Jr. B Eastern Conference championship matchup. It's the fourth straight year the teams have met in the playoffs and the 600 spectators at Alcott Arena for game two were treated to another tense encounter. The home side trailed 2-0 after the opening period and struggled to find their offence, hitting several posts during the contest, while the Gaels answered each Halton Hills' goal with a momentum-stopper of their own soon after. The persistent 'Dogs were eventually rewarded, scoring twice in a 26-second span to tie the score 7-7 with a minute remaining in regulation. But the Gaels pulled their goalie for an extra attacker and diminutive sniper Adam Kelusky potted the winner unmarked with only 1.4 seconds left on the clock. "It's all about momentum in this game and we came out a little flat," said Bulldogs' fifthyear forward Nic Grasby, who is facing what could be his final game of junior lacrosse Thursday night in Bowmanville for game three. "We know we can play with these guys and it's not like we're playing an undisciplined game. We're sticking to our game plan, but we're making little mental mistakes and that's killing us in the end." First-star Kelusky and Luke Laskiewicz each had a hat trick Saturday, outshooting the Bulldogs 44-41. Dylan Gilbert (2), Jordan Dance, Pete Laidlaw, Michael Licata, Ethan O'Connor and Shane Scott accounted for the Halton Hills' scoring. In game one Thursday, the humid weather caused some hazardous floor conditions, which didn't seem to phase the Bulldogs much as they led 6-3 midway through the game. The Gaels came back to equalize by the end of the second period and Connor Latimer's goal from a fortuitous bounce off the end boards with six minutes left in the final frame was the clinching marker. Licata (2), Peter Laidlaw, Tyler Ferreira, Scott and Brendan MacDonald tallied for the Bulldogs. In last year's Eastern Conference final, the Bulldogs led the series 2-1 before the Gaels rallied back to win the next two games and eventually capture the Ontario title. "It's going to be a tough haul to come back from being down 2-0, but we'll just have to battle through the adversity, and we've got the guys to do it," added Grasby. "There were some positives to take (from game two). I thought we final started to get to their goalie and broke down their defence, figured out their slides and a couple of their defensive packages. But our offence and defence has to step it up if we're down by a goal each time." If a fourth game is needed, the Bulldogs will host it Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with game five set for Sunday at Bowmanville at 5 p.m. In the OLA Jr. B Western Conference final series, the Elora Mohawks lead the Six Nations Rebels 2-0 heading into game three Wednesday in Ohsweken. Shane Scott of the Halton Hills Bulldogs gets a rough ride from two Green Gaels during their third-round Ontario Lacrosse Association Jr. B playoff game Saturday at the Alcott Arena. The Gaels took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-5 series with an 8-7 victory, netting the winner with just over a second to play in the third period. Photo by Eamonn Maher Boycott finishes second overall Acton-area resident Emily Boycott turned in another multiple-medal performance for Special Olympics Ontario at the National Summer Games in London last month, finishing second overall in the women's rhythmic gymnastics competition. The 27-year-old world champion from the 2007 Games in China earned first-place finishes in the ribbon and clubs routines in London, was second with the ball and fourth in the hoop to finish in the runner-up position. The 10-year Oakville Butterflies' rhythmic team member should find out shortly whether she has qualified for the 2011 World Special Olympics Summer Games in Greece next June to defend her 2007 title, in which Boycott collected five gold medals. Emily Boycott, of Acton, shows off the five medals she won recently at the National Summer Games in London. Submitted photo heritagehockey.goalline.ca www.heritagehockey.com · AUGUST 23 - 27, 2010 AUGUST Thompson Memorial Arena, HOCKEY Milton ON...GIRLS ONLY! · AUGUST 23 - 27, 2010 SCHOOLS Acton Arena & Community Centre, Acton, ON 2 fore 1 Long Weekend Special Green Fees Friday, July 30 to Monday, August 2/10 Scenic Challenging 9 Hole Course Call for starting times Erin Heights Golf Course Just 20 minutes north of Brampton Dundas St. W. in the VILLAGE OF ERIN (519) 833-9702