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Sports Oakville Beaver Call Today for our Special Promotions 905-304-4774 or 1-866-929-4774 www.uniquepools.ca SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2007 45 STA claims basketball showdown Seen by many as a favourite to win this year's Halton high school senior boys' basketball championship, the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders showed why Wednesday afternoon. Four Aquinas players scored in double digits as the Raiders handed the Holy Trinity Titans, last year's regional quad-A champs, a 67-57 defeat at Aquinas. The two teams had met a few days earlier in tournament play, with the Raiders pulling out a 52-50 win. Aquinas big man Ryan Thomson, who spent much of Wednesday's game setting up his teammates with open looks but still managed to score 13 points of his own, said the Raiders were better prepared for their Catholic rivals the second time around. "We weren't as nervous," said the 17year-old. "The weekend was our first time against them (this year). We knew they were a good team, but we think we're better. We shot the ball better today." Kyle Enright -- who drained buzzerbeating shots to end the first and third quarters -- and Jon Silver both had 17 points to pace Aquinas. Trevor Williams added 16 to the balanced attack. "Our offense goes through Trevor and Ryan, but (we have other) great players," Aquinas coach Mark Maga said. "We don't look at the scoresheet. We know everything goes through Ryan, and we just try to be balanced." Aquinas (3-0) jumped on the Titans from the opening tip, scoring 10 of the first 12 points and leading 21-12 after the first quarter. Trinity (1-2) also fell behind early in its other regular-season loss, last week at Nelson, and Titans coach Vic Juzenas admitted his team's slow starts are a concern. "I wish I knew why," he said. "We were just a little hesitant; I almost have to beg guys to shoot the ball." Aquinas ballooned its lead to 46-28 in the third quarter. A 14-2 Trinity run brought the Titans within six, but they could get no closer. Jahmal MacQueen scored 14 points, Dave Ozimec had nine and Danny Foster-Roman netted seven for the Titans in a losing cause. -- Jon Kuiperij LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER BATTLE OF THE BIRDS: Loyola Hawks' Mike McGillivray (in maroon) eludes the check of Abbey Park defenseman Josh Wilson and fires a rebound past diving Eagles goaltender Mike Eckert Tuesday at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre. McGillivray's goal broke a third-period tie and helped Loyola to a 4-2 win over the Eagles in boys' high school hockey action. Short bench paying off for hockey Hawks By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Less has meant more so far this hockey season for the Loyola Hawks. Rather than dressing 20 players for each contest, Loyola head coach Larry Litzgus has opted to go with 17 -- three forward lines, three defensive pairings and two goaltenders. It's a strategy that has paid off thus far, as the Hawks followed up last weekend's dominant tournament showing in Montreal (see story and photo, page 46) with a 4-2 victory over the Abbey Park Eagles Tuesday, improving to 3-0 in Halton high school league play. "Guys are fighting for positions and roles on the lines," Litzgus said. "That's working out for us. Everybody's pushing each other." Playing in front of a large crowd at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre, the Hawks got off to a slow start Tuesday against Abbey Park, spending much of the first period in the penalty box and yielding a goal by the Eagles' Brad Weiler to fall behind 1-0. Loyola improved as the game wore on, however, tying the contest on a second-period marker by Rich Langendock. Mike McGillivray, Nathan Banton and Shane Wilton added third-period goals as the Hawks took advantage of some undisciplined penalties by the Eagles. "Abbey Park has always been a really big game for us because we're right beside them," said the 17-year-old Banton, referring to the proximity of the two schools. "This means a hell of a lot. They talk a lot of smack over the Internet, so we had to prove to them who's the best team in our division." Dominic Palmieri played a steady game in goal for Loyola, with his best stops coming on point-blank opportunities by Chris McIvor and Weiler. The Hawks' Pat Collatin might also have prevented a goal in the first period, when he sprawled in front of the net to block a shot from close range, as Loyola held the highscoring Eagles in check. Coming into the game, Abbey Park had racked up 23 goals in three league contests. "We just played our game," Banton said. "We took them off the puck and used our body." Eagles co-captain Brad Savelson, whose team fell to 3-1 in league play, agreed. "They fore-checked us pretty hard. They were coming at us the entire time," said the 18-year-old defenseman. McIvor had the Eagles' other goal, potting a goalmouth rebound with 5:39 left in regulation to make the score 4-2. Jordan Russell appeared to bring Abbey Park within one in the dying minutes, but his goal was waved off because of an Eagles' penalty on the play. Savelson said his team's offensive production this season has been a pleasant surprise, especially considering the Eagles have been without two of their top snipers -- Darren Quan and Jamie McKeown -- because of injuries. Abbey Park claimed gold at a tournament in Columbus last month, as Ryan McMahon provided the overtime winner in the championship game. The Eagles were scheduled to be back in action yesterday (Thursday) with a game against the T.A. Blakelock Tigers. Loyola is slated to return to the ice Wednesday, when it will host the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders at Glen Abbey. Interested in organizing a family ska some extra ice for the te? Get team? Just want to have a good game of pickup? 905-845-6989 Book your holiday ice at Canlan Ice Sports - Oakville! Holiday Ice Sale - only $150.00 + GST www.icesports.com (Dec 23 - Jan 1)