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jrfjcrn Sports Page ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER One Hundred and Third Year No 13 Second Section Jr B clubs start race for top spot Sabres Dave Chapman leads team into new season Eight teams go to the post this weekend as the race for the 780HACentralJunior League pennant oft berths opens Derbys two time group champions and 77 OHA finalists will try to make it three a row against the 7677 regular season pennant Blades Bur ling ton Cougars Bramp ton Chevys Acton Sabres and Dixie Beehives There are four new coaches and four returnees Rookie mentors include Erie Wilson In Brampton John Watson in Dixie Bruce Chapman In Acton and Brian Carthy in Burlington Back behind the bench again are Tom Barrett Milton Gerry Oakville Erie Smith and Georgetown Paul Robinson The Dixie club formerly known as Ventures was renamed Beehives when Howard Pallctt veteran hockey exec took over ownership of the club again The Brampton Minor Hockey Association has bought the junior club there although the nickname remains thesamc This week sports editors Denis of The In dependent Georgetown John Boltomley of The Acton Free Press and Peter of The Milton Canadian Cham combine efforts to present the Dills Publishing newspapers annual preview of Central Junior teams ACTON The Sabres who were baptized into Junior play last season with a record of wins two ties and losses definitely plan to do better this year They are helped in their efforts by the return of their two top players from last year league scoring champion Dave Chapman and goalie Kent one of the best In the loop The weak spot on the team will be defence again this year The only two players returning from last year s defencivc unit are Bud Buchanan and Rick and the situation has the management looking all around the league for exper players to help them out One they expect to sign is Jim Cudney who played for the Blades two years ago Mike Major from Is also a good looking prospect Forwards are looking better this year than last with Chapman back and Peter and the 16year old line of Dave Scott Malcolm and Wade all looking good in the Sabres losses Both losses came at the hands of Port Colborne and were considerably closer than last years debacle against the same squad The improvement has raised hopes in the Sabre camp There Is a winning attitude among the players this year as nobody on the team wants to play through a repeat of last years performance Partly responsible for the turnaround in attitude la new coach Bruce Chapman who has done a lot of work at building enthusiasm on the squad He has also done a lot to clean up the Sabres game He wants his players on the ice for games instead of In the penalty box and their play in exhibition has shown that they keeping their heads better than last year Ages on the team range from 15year old Kelly expected to be a standout to 20year olds Chapman Doug Elliott and Cudney Overall the team will be fast and small although a few larger players They have been training since August so it will be a team In shape from game one which will give them an edge in the early going BEEHIVES Things appear to be back to normal in Dixieland Howard Pallet has his Junior B hockey club hack and the Junior Beehives really will be a farm club for the Tier 2 Junior A squad one of the most respected junior hockey owners in the province bought back the Ventures and renamed them the Beehives restoring a Junior hockey tradition that has produced NHL stars like Vic and Fred Stanfield The Dean of Dixie Is determined to his Tier Junior A Beehives who have finished in the Provincial League cellar two years in a row using the Junior B club as a training ground for prospects Bill Buehan whom has hired as general manager of both clubs promises therell be no repeat of the reverse airlift which saw the Junior Ventures load up with players from the floun Junior A Beehives Just before playoff time the past two seasons The Junior A Beehives have already shown they mean business In winning four straight exhibition games then upsetting Ron Smiths powerful Guelph Pinters right in Memorial Gardens on the opening night of the regular season tour ex Ventures John Rory Carroll Foster and Bill Shut are now wills the A club Neither Grant nor Peter who tended goal for the Ventures las season will be back Sloane one of the Central group s best netmmders over the lost two seasons has decided to concentrate on first year studies at of has signed with the Tier 2 Junior A Royal York Rangers The Junior Beehives will also find veterans Robbie May Guy Mortson and Barry Carroll hard to replace All three went overage Coach John Watson and manager Bill McMahon are left only two experienced players and a bushel full of rookies The Junior Beehives are rebuilding and are not expected to hold on to the second place their predecessors the Ventures grabbed last season Right winger Ross is the only Venture reluming to the club The only other player with Junior ex signed so far is defenceman Lloyd Moore who toiled Inst year for lowly Acton from midgets and Rob from the Dorset Park Bruins are the other rearguards on cards so far Up front Bob Neiser and Tom from Mississauga midgets Dave and Steve Cruikshank from juveniles Sean from Clarkson and Jeff Black who played college hockey in Wcsttrn Canada last year have been inked to cards The Beehive will rely on Gary Davis from North York juveniles and midgets to handle their chores The young Beehives have not looked all that had in preseason games dropping a pair of close decisions to St Michael Bgroup But it may take the rookies a while to warm up to Junior competition and Beehiv will likely be battling to grab a playoff spot rather than the pennant come February Georgetown Gemini surprised all the experts by finishing third with a respectable 19 14 record in their first season of Junior competition two years ago but last year Gems slumped both on the ice and at the box office finishing fifth with a sub record and dropping an average of 200 fans per game Gems are hoping to climb bock up Into the first division using a roster divided almost equally between experienced Junior players and year olds fresh out of midget The club Is trying to forget the internal spats plagued them last season and start the season with a positive outlook Bob Thompson who formerly worked successfully with minor hockey in Georgetown has taken over as club president Paul Robinson and Bob Tost are back for their third terms as coach and manager respectively A major reason for Gemini optimism is the return of sharp shooter Doug Barnes whose goals and assists last year left him just a point shy of Actons Dave Chapman for the individual scoring championship Barnes play is hot and cold but when hes in high gear hes the best player in the league Also returning are Terry Tex Turner a hard nosed little centre who tallied a goals and assists in the regular season and was Gems best post season player centre Mike Rich mond a goal scorer in his rookie season winger Paul Martin who fired goals and assisted on as a rookie and towering defenceman Joe South a draft choice of the Major Junior A Kitchener Rangers Paul Allison another skyscraper who can play both forward and defence has signed as has Marty Kendall who joined the club after Christmas last year Allison scored 7 goals after moving up from Georgetown juveniles In mid season Four players are fighting it out for the number 1 job left vacant by graduation or reliable Rick Tomkinson They include Tomklnsons backup man Brad Miller Ken who played with the Gems two years ago and with Acton Sabres last season juvenile Glenn Tost and Bill graduate of Georgctownmldgets Manager Bob Tost has signed three rookies Bob McCandlcss and wingers rim Turner Terrys younger brother Bob Allison All three played last season with Georgetown midgets Locals Andy Terry Crawford Blake and Frank are also trying out along with Mississauga youngsters Tony Gininni Chris Chapman Frank Pointeck and Doug Reeves and Bill Barber a graduate of the Bolton midget club Gems success will depend to a large degree on what defenceman Bill Allison and winger Dale a pair of proven Junior players decide to do Both have at tended training camp sessions after sitting out last season while they got their feet wet in university studies Gems lost eight players to overage including Tomkinson defenceman Larry Peterson who set the league on fire with goals In two seasons of play 17 goal sniper Charlie Ian Syme a 16 goal marksman Tom Bill Bruce Bailey and Bill Kevin Recks and Mike Osborne will concentrate on studies and centre Chris Milne was still with the Tier Junior A Platers at press time In exhibition play Gems downed Thornhill a but lost to Caledonia STRfcLTiVILLfc If they re able to ice enough players for every game StreelsvllJe look like a cinch to win their third straight group championship and perhaps the crown that Just eluded them last season when they lost to Stratford in the provincial finals Tom Barretts Derbys have never had a problem scoring goals but they havent always been able to convince OHA referees that their rough house style of play is in the best interest of hockey Barrett says hockey is a rough game but opponents have charged Streetsville with intimidation must open the regular season against Georgetown Friday night with 11 players out of the lineup All picked up suspensions in preseason games as the Derbys lost twice to Hamilton but beat Waterloo and Toronto Red Wings Manager Evans says hell fill out his opening game roster with midgets and Juveniles Evans feels the 77 78 Derbys will be stronger than the past two group champions in spite of the loss of several Jim Gibson the clubs MVP will play at Cornel University Danny Sutton has gone to Michigan State Cord is overage Steve Dickson is headed for St MarysU inHalifaxand with the Major Junior A Niagara Falls Flyers Both regular goalies are also gone Dave will attend Brock University and Bill has quit have signed experienced forwards Jim Baker and Bill Brodic who came to the club in the middle of last season from the Tier Junior A Dixie Beehives and two rookies from North Bay goalie Rick Lafernereand Mentha played games for the Tier Junior A North Bay Trappers as a juvenile last season Montha is the son of thcex pro of thesame name Reliable returnees George Chandler Randy Strong Gary Venner Steve Blair Leo Scott Snarr Reb Brooks Mike and Jim should give opposition goalies plenty of trouble if they sign Boyington has Major Junior A experience with Sault Ste Marie Also back in camp Is rearguard Len Bryant who left the club to play in the Toronto chain last season Paul Bates who played last year with the Tier Junior A Toronto Nationals is trying to grab a regular spot in he Derby Lineup but the best newcomer in Streetsville this winter could be Graham Hall Hall a graduate of Mississauga midgets came to the Derbys recently when Barrett tradedutillty forward Chris Costcllo a proven Junior hockey player Hall will miss the first six weeks of the schedule with torn knee ligaments but Barrett has already paid the youngster a compliment by calling him a young Gibson in reference to his clubs MVP last year Dixies Howard agrees that Hall Is a prospect Barrett says Derbys are having their best camp ever in his eight years as coach Hes hinted that there could be some surprise cuts Attacking forwards will be pleased to know hat defenceman Gary is overage BLADES It was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Blades last year but they finished the season in first place This year once again they re supposed to have a raft of young Inexperienced rookies with seven returning players Team manager Murray Walker said he has a young team with a lot of spirit The boys are hustling eager and have the ability to learn Thats ail you can ask for Walker said He will make no predictions In pre season exhibitions dumped Dundas 12 2 but fell to Hespeler Shamrocks and Blades open their regular season Sunday when they travel to Milton to meet the Flyers It was Milton who upset the Blades In the playoffs last year Returning for Blades are Doug Taylor Bruce Vaughan Eric Willie Todd Brian Marvel and Shane Pavette BURLINGTON COUGARS Optimism abounds with this second year club The Cou gars formerly Burlington Mohawks finished in second place behind Inst year In ihe playoffs they lost out to in six games of the opening round There arc nine returning veterans to the club and with a tough groupof enthusiastic rookies plan to make waves The Cougars had players to training camp and have cut to There are still three cuts to be made but manager Mike McCauley said it ill be tough who goes The club has four netmmders who have all turned super exhibitions and practises According to team officials the Cougars area more balanced club this year with four strong forward lines a tough defence and four goalies One of the outstanding additions isTodd Pearson who is up from the Burlington Midgets in net Dave Beckon also up from the midgets scored a few goals in exhibition series Tyler Trulc and Mike Ha Is lead have shored up the defensive line is big at 1 and lbs and will add ruggedness There arc nine returning players from last years team Jim Cochrane Kevin Charbonneau Bob Copperthwaito Art Jojce McLeod Greg Moore Rob Rose Ron In exhibitions Cougars won two and lo3t two They edged Hamilton Kilties and 7 5 and lost to Caledonia Corvairs 2 2 In summary Burlington will be strong offensively and no slouches around their own net They have the required muscle and speed They had to convert to wingers and changed a few defenccmen to forward positions MILTON FLYERS Milton Continental Flyers coach Gerry said this year they are trying to go with as many local boys as possible and they look as good as anyone we can bring in Inglis said Milton hod nine rookies in the lineup against Thornhill Sunday night in the exhibition win said Brett Patterson Brian Gordon Mike Murray all played well In the department the Flyers strength is debatable Veteran Ian Roberts may have a few problems handling school a job and playing with Flyers this he tackles grade 12 and a few Mike Shepherd is the rookie goalie who plavcd extremely well In the final two periods Sundaymghl If everything goes v ell we should be respectable Inglis said He noted that between Milton and Acton they held the league down last year and only place left to go is up Returning from last year club ore captain Ron Twiss Bruce Ellison Hod Gooding Steve Hannah Derrick Griffiths Jeff Lyons Paul Pierre and Ian Roberts Milton finished in the final playoff spot last year and took Other rookies in the lineup include Rob Frame Jamie VickcryToddShcppard Joe and Mike Martin It should be interesting to see Flyers host Oakvillc Blades at Milton Memorial Arena on Thompson Sunday evening BRAMPTON The big news from Brampton is the takeover of the Junioi B Chevys by the Brampton Minor Hockey Association After some initial skepticism on the part of some of last years players about the move things have smoothed out and the organization is running fine All the players approached have agreed according to new coach Eric Wilson Wilson has scouted the league for the last few years for the Sudbury Junior A squad and says he knows the calibre of play needed to win in Junior He feels he has it on his team figuring the title fight will be between his team and the One thing the team will have according to Wilson is sue He is looking to play tough clean hockey this year Six forwards return to the lineup from last including Paul Cook and John Wright Wilson is predicting will end up in the top ten in scoring for league On defence Smith is back and Wilson describes him as one or the premier defencivc players in the loop The team is a young one losing only two players to overage at the end of the season Average age is 17 j and the team includes at least three overage midgets and one minor midget There are three goalies in camp right now and all are close Wilson is planning to carry all three at the start of the season So far the Chevys have been impressive in exhibition play topping the Toronto Wings by a margin and smothering Bruins Because of the relative of the team the club Is looking to the future according to team official R Crawford Nonetheless he confidently predicted that his team will finish in first place this year after last year- fifth place showing Sabres Defence improves Sabres defence biggest question mark on the team showed a big Improve ment in laat Fridays exhibi tion loss at Port Colborne as the addition of Jim formerly of the Blades and Mike Major of were both Impressive in helping out regulars Rick and Bud Buchanan Final the game was 74 for Team Port Colborne and coach Bruce Chapman gave the defence credit for keeping It close They held us In the game he Bald Keeping cool After the game Chapman remarked Im very pleased The boys are doing exactly what I want them to He la trying to cut down the penalty minutes for the team and teach players how to keep their cool on the ice This Is something com pletely new for Acton he said Penalty minutes for the two teams were even each team collecting A five minute major In the first period hurt the Sabres chances As a measure of how well Chapman is doing at leveling heads Hob Millican was jumped In the hallway be tween the second and third periods and the team kept Its composure for the third frame had boarded a Port Colborne player just as the second period ended which caused the attack Walker Sabres opened the scoring when Brian Walker from Mississauga took a Dave Chapman pass right In front of the net for a goal Second Sabres goal went to Doug Elliott still in the first period Assists went to Walker and Kelly Walker collected his second goal In the final frame as Chapman again hit him with a pass Jim the from got in for an assist on this point Final Acton marker came on an unassisted effort from Major Blanked Sabres kept it close in the first and last periods but were blanked in the middle frame Score at the the first period was the two teams played even 2 In the final period Goalie Kent returned to the fold for the game and has signed for the team much to their relief Backup goalie Ray Dolby from Burlington played well in the nets as Moffatts replacement said coach Chapman ACTON SABRES KEPT their cool on the ice during exhibition matchup with Team Port Colborne Friday in Port Colborne