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SPORTS & LEISURE Rest is next on the list for young Norval rider EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer After six months of training and competing in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines at the highest level, Norval's Jessica Di Genova and her horse Upolu are enjoying some well-deserved rest. Di Genova brought back a couple of bronze medals from the North American Junior & Youth Riders' Championships in Lexington, Virginia, which is the premier equestrian competition for riders age 14-21. While she was pleased with her showing, the Grade 11 Christ the King student is looking forward to just riding Upolu lightly until she begins her three-month stint in Florida in February, where she trains with Olympian Darren Chiacchia. "I need a break, (Upolu) needs a break, just to catch up with life," said Di Genova. "It's a long six months of non-stop commitment and if it's done one thing, I've learned how to budget my time." Di Genova came close to earning an individual gold medal at the Lexington event as she led the field after the dressage segment with a score of 48.1, then dropped to third after incurring four time faults in cross-country. She had a clear round in the third and final discipline, show jumping, but it wasn't enough to catch the top two riders. Still, her points total boosted the Ontario/Alberta eventing team to third behind two U.S. entries. "Yeah, (the faults) were frustrating, it was a big deal at the time for me, but I got over it," she added. "That's just how competition goes. Sometimes it comes down to the last jump to decide a winner and maybe next time we'll get it." Di Genova did win the first three-day event she entered at the championship level in April at Ocala, Fla., beating out Olympiccalibre riders en route. As for her long-term future, Di Genova is torn between her love of eventing and the desire to pursue a career in medicine. "Unfortunately, I know I have the potential for the Olympics, but I want to go to university as well and the time commitment for both just wouldn't allow me to do it," she said. "I'm not really sure, other than that I will always have horses in my life." (Eamonn Maher can be reached at emaher@independentfreepress.com) Splitting the defence Lyndsay Kozar (centre) of Georgetown Market Place looks for an opening between Cristina Sebastiano (left) and Paige Hansen from Beeline Travel during the championship game of the under-16 girls' division at the recent Closing Day for the Georgetown Soccer Club. Hansen scored both her team's goals in a 2-0 victory. In the background is Georgetown Photo by Sabrina Byrnes Marketplace's Krista Hamblin. See page 19 for other results. Raiders add more depth Three goals in a three-minute span early in the third period sent the Georgetown Raiders on to a 7-3 triumph over the host Buffalo Jr. Sabres on Monday evening in an OHA Provincial Jr. A Hockey League matchup. Left-winger Matt Carter, making his debut for the Raiders, scored twice to lead the offence, which outshot Buffalo 46-35. The 19year-old from Mississauga was sent to Georgetown by the OHL's Owen Sound Attack as a floating affiliate for this season. "Getting Matt really balances out our forward lines and I don't know of any teams who can match us up front," said Raiders' director of hockey operations Peter Mavroudis. Jeremy Whelan, Marc Marchese, Adam Pomroy, Wade Finegan and Kyle Schwende also tallied for 4-0-0-0 Georgetown. First-star Adam DeJong scored twice to break up a 2-2 tie after two periods against Bramalea on Saturday at the Mold-Masters SportsPlex, resulting in a 5-2 Georgetown victory. Ryan Ford also notched a pair of goals for the hosts, with Marchese opening the scoring. The Raiders outshot the Blues 53-16. Newly signed defenceman Matt Thomson, a late training camp cut of the Kitchener Rangers, made his debut for the Raiders, picking up an assist. It's a busy weekend ahead for the Raiders, who'll play three games in less than 48 hours. They're in Milton to face the IceHawks Friday and then host the Burlington Cougars on Saturday evening, followed by a trip to Bowmanville Sunday for a 4 p.m. tilt with Markham in the Governors' Showcase. RAIDER RAP: Fifteen-year-old Liam Heelis of Georgetown scored a goal in his Jr. A debut on Saturday as his Mississauga Chargers downed Milton 5-3. The 5-foot-9, 175-pound forward was a 10th-round pick of the OHL's Peterborough Petes in this summer's draft...Limehouse resident Mike Kosziwka has signed on with the Streetsville Derbys and had an assist in a 4-3 victory over Hamilton on Sunday...Alberta natives Scott Coleman and Aaron Gourlay were sent to Newmarket by the Raiders for cash...Burlington won the league's 10-team pre-season tournament in Vaughan, beating the Toronto Jr. Canadiens 4-1 in the championship game. Jessica Di Genova, of Norval, leads her horse Upolu over a jump during a recent competition. The Grade 11 Christ the King student recently brought back a couple of bronze medals from the North American Junior & Youth Riders' Championships in Lexington, Virginia, which is the preSubmitted photo mier equestrian competition for riders age 14-21. The Halton Hills Men's Modified Slo-pitch League plays Sunday mornings at the Georgetown fairgrounds. The season starts on the first Sunday in May and ends the middle of September. Games times are 9:00am, 10:30am or noon, 7 innings or an hour and a half. No games are scheduled on long week-ends. What is MODIFIED Slo-pitch?... It's fast pitch without a windmill throwing action. The pitcher must keep a locked elbow. He must not whip or snap the ball. An umpire calls a strike zone above the knees and below the chest. To join as a player or as a team please contact Ed Serjeantson 905·873·4977