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22 Sports Oakville Beaver www.aplushomes.ca from 2 .4% ·Full MLS ·Full Service Call ADAM CAMPBELL Broker 905-844-4444 SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2007 Resilient atom AA Rangers rally for OMHA title By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR If there's one lesson in particular that the Oakville atom AA Rangers learned during their Ontario Minor Hockey Association championship run, it might be the value of never giving up. The Rangers, who were minutes from elimination in their semifinal against Stoney Creek before rallying to win their next two games and the series, came up with another come-frombehind effort in the final against Whitby. Trailing the first-tosix-points series 3-1, Oakville was down 2-1 in Game 3 before scoring three third-period goals -- the final one by Andrew Kew in the last minute of regulation -- to pull out a 4-3 win. The Rangers then rode that momentum to victories in the next two games, winning 2-1 Friday in Whitby and clinching the series Saturday with a 5-2 triumph. "We talked about it, convincing (our players) that they were the better team," said Oakville head coach Dave Crozier, who won his third consecutive OMHA title. "It was just a matter of time (before we came back). The same sort of thing happened with Stoney Creek the round before." In the semifinal, Oakville was down 5-3 in points and in a scoreless game against the Warriors in Game 5 -- when a tie would have given Stoney Creek the decisive sixth point. Kew scored with 13 seconds left in regulation, however, to square the series, and Oakville won Game 6 in overtime to advance. The final series wasn't nearly as dramatic, particularly Saturday's clincher at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre. Jake Smyth and Eric Gordon each scored twice, Alex Cox added a single and the Rangers dominated the final two periods of the game. Zach Moll and Smyth tallied in Oakville's 2-1 win the previous evening, Moll's marker standing up as the game-winner. Crozier said this year's OMHA crown was the most rewarding of the three he's won, in part because 10 players on this year's club were single-A players the previous season. "There was a lot of controversy with selecting the team, but the kids I brought up deserved to be there," said Crozier. "Those 10 kids really knew how to compete and everyone else fed off HANDS UP: Members of the Oakville atom AA Rangers (in white, from left, Alex Cox, Andrew Kew, Luke Mascotto and Douglas Bertrand) celebrate a goal by Kew during Saturday's OMHA championship-clinching victory over Whitby at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre. that. At the midpoint of the season, I wasn't sure if we were a good enough team to win it, but everyone improved. Everyone at every position improved." The Rangers aren't done yet. They'll compete in the Ontario Hockey Federation tournament April 13-15 in Aurora, where they'll face champions from the Greater Toronto Hockey League, Northern Ontario Hockey Association and Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario as well as the host Aurora Tigers squad, to determine a provincial champion. Other members of the OMHA-champion atom AA Rangers are Reid Blackwell, Patrick Shea, Chris Dumont, Zach Murray, Logan Crozier, Patrick Enman, Tanner Fabiano, Callum Fryer, Luke Mascotto, Doug Bertrand, Joel Matson and Gordon Schneider. Kevin Gordon and Darin Kew are assistant coaches, Andrew Murray is the trainer and Mark Mascotto is the manager. ARE YOUR SUMMER PLANS COMPLETE? HAVE YOU REGISTERED FOR SUMMER CAMP YET? THERE'S NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT... OAKVILLE SOCCER CLUB'S SUMMER CAMP SERIES NOW AVAILABLE FOR REGISTRATION! JULY 3-6 · JULY 9-13 JULY 16-20 · JULY 23-27 AUGUST 13-17 · AUGUST 20-24 RANGERS F.C. CAMP ­ JULY 30-AUG 3 VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION GET INVOLVED IN THE GAME OF SOCCER AND ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS THIS SUMMER BY VOLUNTEERING AS A COACH WITH THE OAKVILLE SOCCER CLUB! CONTACT CONNIE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS AT cruetter@oakville-soccer.on.ca or visit our website under volunteers for further information www.oakville-soccer.on.ca Oakville Soccer Club A Proud Sponsor of Oakville Soccer Club Sponsored by: 504 Iroquois Shore Rd., Unit #11, Oakville, On L6H 3K4 Tel: 905-849-4436 Fax: 905-849-3677 JENSEN TIRE