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42 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday April 4, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Jr. A final starts tomorrow The Oakville Blades and Markham Waxers will open their Provincial Junior A Hockey League championship series tomorrow (Saturday) in Oakville. Game time at Joshua's Creek Arenas is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. -- both local natives -- will be guest speakers. Mayor Rob Burton is also expected to attend. This year's field will include the York-Simcoe Express, Elgin Middlesex Chiefs, Toronto Marlies, North York Rangers and host Oakville Rangers. Organizers are still seeking sponsors for the event. If interested, call Hans Taal at 905-825-9681. SPORTSBRIEFS Oakville is coming off a six-game victory over the Aurora Tigers in the North-West final, while Markham eliminated the Wellington Dukes in a five-game South-East series. The Blades have home ice advantage in the final because of their firstplace finish in the West Conference standings during regular-season play. Markham was third in the South. The series will continue Monday in Markham, with the Blades hosting Game 3 Wednesday (an 8 p.m. start). Peewees in AAA semifinals The Oakville Rangers went 4-1-1 during round-robin play of this week's Ontario Peewee AAA Hockey Championship in Thunder Bay, earning a spot in today's semifinal round. Oakville is scheduled to face the London Knights today at 3 p.m. If victorious, the Rangers would face the winner of the other semifinal between the Toronto Red Wings and Sudbury Wolves in tomorrow's championship game. After a 2-1 start to the tournament, the Rangers defeated the Thunder Bay Kings 3-2, tied London 2-2 and tripled the Northwestern Ontario Allstars 6-2. Cole Morrison led the Rangers with three goals in the last three games. Sean Perichak and Ryan Burns each scored twice, with Kevin Guzzo, Jackson Hulbert, Austin Kosack and Brandon Clark also finding the net. TRIALS: The Oakville Aquatic Club held a sendoff last Friday at Iroquois Ridge High School for its seven swimmers competing at this week's Olympic trials in Montreal. Pictured are Olympic trail competitors Cam Cummings, Zack Chetrat, Marni Oldershaw and Tera Van Beilen; former Olympians Melinda Harrison, Melanie McKay, Laura Nichols and Dean Oldershaw; and OAK coaches Christy Yaremczuk and Alex Wallingford. OHF atom AAA tournament The Minor Oaks Hockey Association is preparing to host the Boston Pizza Ontario Hockey Federation atom AAA championships next weekend. The five-team competition will feature round-robin play Friday and Saturday, with semifinals and the championship game set for Sunday. A welcome banquet will be held Thursday, at which former NHLer Rob Zamuner and Canadian world junior team member Stefan Legein OAK swimmers get Olympian sendoff Oakville Aquatic Club's seven Olympic hopefuls got a few last-minute tips before departing for this week's Olympic trials in Montreal. Zack Chetrat, Curtis Samuel, Tera Van Beilen, Marni Oldershaw, Cam Cummings, Kate Plyley and Justina Di Fazio received a sendoff Friday at the Iroquois Ridge High School, each being introduced by former Olympians. Melinda Harrison (swimming, 1984), Melanie McKay (swimming, 1976), Laura Nichols (swimming, 1996-2000), Carry Lightbound (canoeing, 2000-2004) and Dean Oldershaw (canoeing, 1972-1976) were the former Olympians to handle the introductions. McKay and Nichols are OAK coaches, while Melinda Harrison's daughter, Annie, and Dean Oldershaw's daughter, Marni, are OAK athletes. Each swimmer was presented with a special Olympic trials jacket, OAK team shirts and shorts, a Canada towel and a Speedo Fastskin suit to use at trials. Nearly 200 people, including local councillor Tom Adams, attended the sendoff. · Drafted by the Ottawa 67's OHL · Played with Kingston Frontenacs OHL · Played with Oakville Blades & Niagara Falls Canucks (First Team All-Star) OMHA CHAMPS: The Oakville atom AE Rangers went 15-2 in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association playdowns, clinching the OMHA championship with a 5-1 win over Caledon. Atom AE Rangers roll to OMHA The Oakville atom AE Rangers recently followed up a stellar regular season (21-3-3) by winning 15 of 17 playoff games and claiming the Ontario Minor Hockey Association championship. Oakville's only two losses of the postseason came in the championship series against the Caledon Hawks. The Rangers routed Caledon, which finished ahead of them in Tri County league play, 5-1 in the fifth and deciding game of the final. Members of the team are Connor Droog, Daniel Devlin, Brett Switzer, Cameron Elliott, Connor Renton, Luke Roy, John Carney, Nail Currah, Reece Feijo, Adam Colavecchio, Anthony Antonakos, Cedric Boutin, Luke Corbeth, Blake Stewart, Julian Davies, Vincent Reale and Ryan Bell. Dominic Reale, Manny Feijo, Adrian Droog and Tony Antonakos coach the team, Dr. Tom Stewart For more information: DAVE SCAMURRA 647.406.7226 dscamurra.goaltending@gmail.com Classes held at: ICE2ICE 1111 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE 905.842.2ICE (2423)