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20 The IFP - Halton Hills · Saturday, December 24, 2011 Raiders sharper than Blades By EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer A veteran goalie with a scholarship to the University of Michigan in his hip pocket is just one more item to cross off on the wish list for the first-place Georgetown Raiders. Twenty-year-old Steven Racine was picked up by the Raiders from a team in B.C. earlier this month and the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Buffalo-area native has gone 5-0-0 so far in Georgetown with a 1.77 goals-against average. He stopped a penalty shot with just over one minute left in regulation Wednesday to help the Raiders preserve a 2-1 victory over their rivals, the Oakville Blades, in a key Ontario Junior Hockey League matchup. Racine made 27 stops, including 15 of 16 in the first period when the Blades came charging out of the gate, but a stifling team defensive effort limited the Blades to few good scoring opportunities. "Steven was a nice gift for Christmas from Santa for us," said Raiders' head coach and general manager Greg Wal- SPORTS & LEISURE ters. "He's got a lot of experience and with (16-year-old Michael Giugovaz) playing extremely well, we're very confident in both guys here." Both Georgetown goals Wednesday, by Patrick Megannety and Caleb Apperson, were nearly identical, coming on deflected shots from the point by defender Matt Chiarantano, who recently committed to the Niagara University Purple Eagles for next year. Racine has been brought up to speed about the Raiders' recent history against Oakville in the playoffs, as Georgetown has been eliminated by the Blades four years in a row. "It is important right now to win these games, but what really matters is to win those types of games two or three months from now," he said. Those two teams collided again Friday (Dec. 23) in Oakville for the last of six regular-season meetings between them, with the Raiders having won four of five. Adding some blue line depth, the Raiders acquired 17-year-old Jake Emilio from the Vaughan Vipers this week. Kyle Blaney of the Oakville Blades is stopped on a penalty shot with just 1:04 remaining in the third period by Georgetown Raiders' goalie Steven Racine during their Ontario Junior Hockey League contest Wednesday night at the Alcott Arena. The Raiders prevailed 2-1 for their fourth win in five tries against Oakville this season and lead the Blades by three points atop the West Division standings. Photo by Eamonn Maher For the second time in four years, the Georgetown Skating Club played host to the Skates Alive Midway West Area event earlier this month at the MoldMasters SportsPlex, drawing over 300 competitors from around south-central Ontario. Sanctioned by Central Ontario Section Skate Canada, the competition featured skaters at all levels. Following are top-three results posted by members of the Georgetown and Acton skating clubs during that weekend: Georgetown Skating Club Natalie Gago-- 2nd Intermediate A Freeskate Group 3 Ice Princesses-- 2nd Pre-Preliminary Team Elements The Bond Girls-- 2nd PrelimiMaddi Clarke of Georgetown nary Team Elements The Furies-- 2nd Jr. Bronze competes in the Junior Silver StarTeam Elements skate Freeskate. Photo by Jon Borgstrom Emma deVries---1st Pre-Pre- Skates Alive draws 300 liminary A Freeskate Group 1 Krysten Praught-- 3rd Pre-Preliminary A Freeskate Group 2 Caroline Kennel-- 3rd Pre-Preliminary A Freeskate Group 5 Madelyn Gander-- 2nd Pre-Preliminary B Freeskate Group 2; 3rd Jr. Bronze Solo Dance Group 1 Justine Brooks-- 2nd Pre-Preliminary B Freeskate Group 5 Teana Graziani-- 1st Preliminary A Freeskate Group 5 Key- Ara Northey-- 3rd Preliminary Solo Dance Group 2 Brittany Bates--- 3rd Senior Solo StarSkate Group 1 Sophia Succo-- 3rd CanSkate Individual Elements Green Sydney Mancuso-- 1st CanSkate Individual Elements Purple Amy Gingrich-- CanSkate Individual Elements Purple Spenser Callaghan-- 3rd Open Solo Dance Natashia Gushue-- 3rd Bronze Intepretive Group 1 Acton Skating Club Azlynn Russel-- 3rd Pre-Preliminary A Freeskate Group 3 Annika Peck-- 1st Pre-Preliminary Solo Dance Group 3 James Robert-Morgan-- 3rd Preliminary B Freeskate Men Alexis Glogowski-- 3rd Preliminary Solo Dance Group 1 Deana Fidlin-- 3rd Jr. Bronze B Freeskate Group 1 Lindsay Christopher-- 2nd Open Solo Dance; 3rd Jr. Bronze B Freeskate Group 2; 3rd Gold Interpretive Amy Conroy-- 2nd Jr. Bronze Solo Dance Group 2 Melissa McEnery-- 1st Jr. Silver Solo Dance Emma Hollings-- 3rd Sr. Bronze Solo Dance Group 1 Kathleen Schupp-- 1st Sr. Bronze Solo Dance Group 2; 2nd Rebecca Sherk of Georgetown Gold Interpretive skates in the Junior Silver StarSamantha Burton-- 2nd Bronze skate Freeskate. Interpretive Group 1 Photo by Jon Borgstrom GEORGETOWN JUNIOR "A" GEORGETOWN JR. A RAIDERS vs HAMILTON GAME OF THE WEEK Monday, January 2, 2012 7:30 pm Hamilton Arena www.georgetownraidersjra.com