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22 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2006 OT's other dynasty easy to overlook Red Devils win seventh straight junior boys' rugby Halton crown By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF I RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER COLLARED: Eveline McKee of the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders (with the ball) tries to break away from a couple of Burlington Central Trojans during Tuesday's Halton high school girls' rugby AA final. Aquinas girls' rugby making strides By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Halton high school girls' AA rugby final pretty much summed up the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders' girls rugby program. Many times the Raiders quickly moved the ball down the field, but each time they got close to the goal line, they were turned away. Like the game, the Raiders have come a long way in a short time and are knocking on the door. They're just not quite there yet. Despite being shut out 22-0 by the Burlington Central Trojans in Tuesday's Halton final, the Raiders seem closer than it may appear to winning a championship. "This group of girls gives so much, it's just great to be a part of it," said Aquinas coach Chris Belanger, who oversaw the team with John Kennedy. "We came into the teams played under a scorching hot year not knowing what to expect and sun Tuesday. we made it to the Halton final." With just 23 players on the Aquinas finished the season with a Aquinas roster, Central had more of a 2-4 record, scoring as many points chance to rest players. That showed (73) as it gave up. However, half of as each time the Raiders came close those points against to scoring -- often set came in a 37-0 loss to "We came into the up by strong runs by the undefeated AAAA year not knowing Michelle Sowinski that Halton champion, what to expect moved the ball deep into Oakville Trafalgar. Trojan territory -- and we made it to "After two seasons the Halton final." Central won a scrum (Aquinas has) done very and moved the ball out well," said Trojans coach Aquinas girls' rugby of danger. Robert Radway. "I'm coach Chris Belanger "I think that was just excited about the comstamina," Belanger said. petition (in the future)." "We had to fight for every inch we The success of the Aquinas team got." can only help to strengthen the proStill, the Raiders never surrengram by attracting more girls to dered. Even down by 22 points, play rugby. Central's team has near- Taylor Metcalfe chased down ly doubled in size from 29 to 56 Central's Danny Gallo, hauling her players in the past five years. And down after a 50-yard run to prevent a that depth played a factor as the try. n any other sporting program, seven straight Halton championships would be an impressive feat. Yet, when the Oakville Trafalgar Red Devils' senior boys rugby team has won 35 of the 36 titles, seven in a row can be overshadowed. So while the seniors may be the luxury mansion, the juniors are the foundation on which it sits. OT's junior squad kept its run alive with an 18-0 victory over White Oaks in the Halton high school junior boys' rugby final Thursday at Crusader Park. Kenton Carr-Hall scored a pair of tries and Will Hyde added another while Mike Passmore completed the scoring with a penalty kick in the final minute. There will be no repeat for any of the Devils at the junior level, though. The entire team is in Grade 10 and will move up to senior next year. Because of the school rugby program's success, there is no shortage of players. So OT fields an all-Grade 10 team and an allGrade 9 team that simply works out in preparation for the following year. "I really think that's a key to our success," said OT coach David Schaffler. "We have a big enough program that the Grade 9s don't have to play against bigger kids and they get a year to learn the game." There's certainly no arguing with the results that system has produced. Including playoffs, Oakville Trafalgar outscored its opponents 407-7. The Red Devils didn't surrender a point until the semifinals, when they defeated Robert Bateman 43-7. White Oaks gives Devils tough test But if anyone was going to upset the Devils' powerhouse, it was the White Oaks Wildcats. White Oaks opened the season with four straight victories before falling 13-0 to OT in the season finale. The Wildcats had allowed only 12 points in their previous four games. And it was that stingy defence that was going to be the key against OT. "They played really well and they defended really well," Schaffler said. "That's the strongest team we've played this season." OT countered White Oaks, which advanced to the final by downing T.A. Blakelock 12-7 in Tuesday's semifinal, by moving the ball quickly to the outside to stay away from the Wildcats' strong pack of forwards. That helped the Devils build a 10-0 lead by the half. Where your family is concerned, you deserve peace-of-mind. With a year-round heating & cooling service contract from Air Calm Climate Care, you can rest assured that you're taking care of your family's comfort. Trust Air Calm ClimateCare for regular service and you won't be left in the cold! A member of ClimateCare, Ontario's largest heating & cooling cooperative e-mail: aircalm@climatecare.com 905- 844 -7354 The Heating and Cooling Professionals who C.A.R.E. Comfort. Accountability. Reliability. Excellence. FURNACES BOILERS SERVICE INFLOOR HEATING FIREPLACES AIR CONDITIONERS INDOOR AIR QUALITY