Halton Hills Newspapers

Independent & Free Press (Georgetown, ON), 12 Sep 2008, S02

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2 Sports & Leisure, Friday, September 12, 2008 Penalty kicks in soccer can be a cruel exercise and Georgetown South teenager Jonty More has experienced both the agony and ecstacy of the outcome as goalkeeper for the Oakville under-16 Gunners this season. The 16-year-old More has had a stel- lar season for the powerhouse Gunners, who captured the Ontario Youth Soccer Leagues under-16 title with a 2-0 win over Wexford on Wednesday night. He posted eight shutouts through the year and helped his Oakville side win the prestigious Schawn USA Cup in Minnesota in July, stopping a penalty shot in the semifinal, a 3-1 victory over the defending champion and hometown Arsenal Super Eagles. The tournament had close to 1,000 teams from 28 U.S. states and 16 coun- tries. The Gunners won the top-flight V- Elite Division, featuring four American teams and four international squads, with Oakville beating a team from Bermuda 1-0 in extra time for the cham- pionship. The first game I ever played I saved a penalty shot and ever since Ive loved playing in net because it just feels like the right position for me, said More, who moved with his family to Canada from South Africa at age six. All the pressure is on the goalie and the shooter and I like to be in that situa- tion. Its not for everyone because its tough sometimes, but theres nothing better than making a save to give a boost to your teammates. More endured the bitter end of the shootout this past Sunday in the final of the Ontario Cup in Vaughan, as the Gunners lost 2-1 on penalty kicks against North York Hearts Azzuri, despite heavily outchancing their oppo- nents. Oakville scored on its first three tries from the penalty spot, but missed the next two, while North York scored on four of its five chances on More to earn a spot in the national under-16 finals Oct. 8-13 in Sydney, N.S. The Grade 11 Christ the King student and aspiring kinesiologist also captained the Team Ontario Youth Soccer League side that played in a Florida tourney last winter and went on to win an Ontario Minor Hockey Association minor midget AE title as a defender with the Georgetown Raiders. More has had to give up his pursuits on the ice, however, in order to concentrate on soccer. He has been approached by the Toronto FC Academy about playing for that developmental squad next season. Theyve asked me to come play with them so I need to look into that to see what the benefits would be, he said. My coach with Oakville (Phil Ionadi) isnt just there to win. They want us to develop and get to bigger and better places in our lives. He wants me to go to TFC because he says its a good program and it can get me far so I might go there, but if not, I can stay with Oakville and that wouldnt be a negative at all. JONTY MORE EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer Gunners find More success in goal

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