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8 ·The IFP· Halton Hills ·Tuesday, January 17, 2012 SPORTS & LEISURE Raiders' win streak snapped by Tigers Shut out for the first time this season, the Georgetown Raiders had their 11-game winning streak come to an end Saturday in a 1-0 loss to the visiting Aurora Tigers. Raider shooters were frustrated all evening by their lack of finishing touch and the netminding of 17-year-old Aurora goalie Kevin Entmaa of Milton, who made 28 saves for the victory. Georgetown directed 34 shots on the Tiger goal but a stingy Tigers' defence limited the number of quality chances, giving former Raider bench boss James Richmond a satisfying return to the Alcott Arena as Aurora's head coach. A wrist shot from the point by Aurora captain Jarrett Fennell in the first period found its way past Raiders' goalie Michael Giugovaz for the lone goal of the contest. It was Georgetown's first loss since dropping a 4-2 decision at home to the Buffalo Jr. Sabres on Nov. 26. The win improved the Tigers' record to 22-10-8, while the Raiders are now 28-9-1, one point behind the Oakville Blades for top spot in the Ontario Junior Hockey League's West Division, although Georgetown has a game in hand. Next up for the Raiders is the final regular-season meeting with the Hamilton Red Wings Saturday at the Alcott Arena at 7:30 p.m. GMHA claims first-ever Coaches' Cup Matt Martin (4) of the Georgetown Minor Hockey Association prepares to snap a shot past North Halton Girls' Hockey Association goaltender Doug Gillespie during the inaugural Coaches' Cup fundraiser Friday evening at the Alcott Arena. Martin also added the shootout winner as the GMHA prevailed 6-5. A final tally of the amount raised wasn't available, but money raised will go to the Arena Fund. Photo by Eamonn Maher Garrett to coach Canada in David vs. Goliath Border Battle By EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer Chosen to coach Team Canada at this summer's fourth-annual slo-pitch challenge game against the host Americans, Georgetown resident Grant Garrett says playing the role of underdog is a bit of an understatement. When the best men's players from both countries clash in the one-game, winnertakes-bragging-rights Border Battle in Oklahoma City on June 30, the Canadians will be looking for a better result than last year's 25-3 pasting by the U.S. Team Canada did pull off a huge upset two years ago by defeating the host Americans 30-29 and Garrett said that this year's Canuck lineup is the best-hitting group it has ever assembled, although several Canadians will use composite-barrelled bats that carry the signatures of U.S. slo-pitch team members who have equipment endorsement contracts. "It's not a seven-game series, it's one will likely wear facemasks game winner take all so you and soccer shin pads for never know, we could shock protection. the world again," said the 44"With the technology of year-old Garrett, who works the bats today, they have in sales for an Etobicoke so much power that they firm. might make mistakes with "(The Americans) are in home runs," Garrett added. a league of their own. When "It's very strategic. You they're relaxed at the plate, have to hit your homers look out. It comes so easy to at the right time. If you're them. All we can do is try to hitting solo shots, you're make them a little uptight hurting your team, so that and hopefully get them off GRANT may be our advantage right their game. They hit the hell GARRETT there. We have enough out of the ball and we'll have singles and doubles hitters to do the same." Among the special rules is a home-run to mix in with the sluggers, but there's no limit of 10 per team, which Garrett said question, the U.S. is the heavy favourite. might actually favour Team Canada. A bat- Last year, they hit nine homers and we ted ball should travel farther in warm, hu- didn't get any, so the game was over before mid conditions and with a relatively short Canada could even get anything going." Eight of the 16 players on Team Canada 300-foot centre field fence, Team USA play for Garrett's Mississauga-based Tings might accidentally hit too many homers. So ferocious is the unapologetic Ameri- Moving/Home Run Sports Orioles and a can offence that the Canadian pitchers few have participated in all three previous Border Battles. The Orioles have won the past two Canadian elite championships with Garrett as coach and he's earned three other national titles as a player for the same club. It's the first time Garrett has been selected by Softball Canada to coach at the Border Battle and he'll have a dozen returnees from the 2011 contest to employ. "We're carrying 16 players and if I don't get them all involved, that means we didn't play well," he said. "The gap between the teams has closed over the years and our players are getting better and better. One day we'll catch up. It's like the U.S.A. in hockey in that they're getting closer to Canada. I'll just try to get our guys to realize that it's a situation where we can relax and have fun with it because we're not supposed to win." In preparation for the Border Battle, the Canadians and U.S. will play three exhibition games against each other and Garrett's squad will enter the Slo-Pitch Ontario Super Series in May in Dorchester. GEORGETOWN JR. A GEORGETOWN JUNIOR "A" Player of the Week! RAIDERS vs HAMILTON GAME OF THE WEEK Saturday, January 21, 2012 7:30 pm Mold-Masters SportsPlex (Alcott Arena) www.georgetownraidersjra.com Steven Racine - goalie Stats: 7 games played, 7 wins. GAA 1.69 SV%.944