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34 Sports Oakville Beaver www.aplushomes.ca Adam Campbell Broker of Record 905-844-4444 B R O K E R A G E I N D E P E N D E N T LY O W N E D A N D O P E R AT E D SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2008 OT falls in field hockey semifinal For the first time in a decade, the Halton high school senior girls' field hockey final won't feature the Oakville Trafalgar Red Devils against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The long-time rivals met in the semifinals yesterday (Tuesday), with the Red Devils dropping a 1-0 decision to the Irish in bitterly cold and rainy conditions in Burlington. Notre Dame scored early in the first half and made the lead stand up. OT had a few chances to tie the game before halftime but was unable to mount any sustained pressure in the game's dying minutes. The Irish and Red Devils met in the previous nine Halton finals. "It's been good, always tight games and tough games," OT head coach Jim Groen said. "Coming over here in the semis wasn't in our plan at the start of the year. We knew from (the Irish) side, it would be them, but our side was a little tougher this year, a lot of good teams." OT captain Jessica Bryce was named the Red Devils' player of the game. Blades playing with fire Parade to penalty box negating team's depth By Herb Garbutt ing period leading 1-0 on Luke Moodie's goal. The Blades tempted fate one more time with four minors in a four-minute span in the secOn their way to the Provincial Junior A ond, leading to a goal by the Cougars' Derek Hockey League championship last season, Szasz that put the Blades in a 2-1 hole heading the Oakville Blades proved how far depth into the final period. can carry a team. The Blades responded swiftly in the In some respects, the Blades have already third, though. Welsh scored 28 seconds had that depth tested with long-term into the period and then set up Chris injuries. But Oakville coach/general manag- Rocca a little more than a minute later. er Carlo Coccimiglio would like to see his Defenceman Michael Ingoldsby added an team's strength top to bottom demonstrat- insurance marker at the six-minute mark ed even more. The biggest obstacle so far and the Blades shut down the Cougars the has been the adjustment to the Provincial rest of the way. Ryan Murphy scored into Junior Hockey League's twoan empty net to cap the 5-2 referee system, which has led "I'd like to play win. four lines, but it's to far more penalties. "We could have been put "We can't play the whole all special teams away in the first. We just couldbench," said Coccimiglio, right now. We're n't get our legs going, but we whose team improved to 11-3 not getting the fought through it," Coccimiglio by taking two of three games chance to develop said. "We stopped their between Friday and Monday. players like we forecheck and we dominated "I'd like to play four lines, but would like to." the third." it's all special teams right now. Oakville Blades Oakville also dominated the We're not getting the chance to coach/general manager third a night earlier but, develop players like we would Carlo Coccimiglio despite outshooting the Jr. like to." Sabres 20-1 in the final period, Monday night in Buffalo, the Blades had the Blades could not get the equalizer as to kill 10 penalties. Though the Blades are they fell for just the third time this season, not the first team to run into penalty trou- 4-3. ble south of the border -- the Jr. Sabres Oakville had trailed 4-1 until Welsh and have enjoyed nearly double the power-play Braden Birch scored in the last five minutes opportunities (45-23) of their opponents in of the second period. their last five home games -- Oakville's A nice problem for the Blades to have is time in the box nearly proved costly. that they'll soon have to find a way to Buffalo scored a power-play goal in the squeeze one more forward into the lineup. final minute of the second period and then Matt Ribeiro, who has been out of the tied the game late in the third just as the lineup all month since he was checked first half of a 5-on-3 advantage ended. into the boards from behind in Fortunately for the Blades, they still Mississauga, is expected to start skating emerged with a 5-4 victory in a shootout with the team soon. Though Coccimiglio after Brendan Taylor scored and Ian O'Brien said the 18-year-old may not dress in this turned away all three Buffalo shooters. weekend's games against Ajax and Jeremy Welsh (two), Kellan Lain and Bramalea, his return would be a welcome Chris Rocca tallied in regulation Monday for sight after the scary incident that left him the Blades. convulsing on the ice. Penalties could have proved costly two The Blades are home to Ajax Friday (a nights earlier as the Blades hosted Burlington. 7:30 p.m. start at Joshua's Creek Arenas) Oakville took four penalties in the first five and travel to Bramalea the following minutes of the game but came out of the open- night. OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Providing Quality Baseball in Our Community for over 45 Years 2009 Player Registration House League, Select and Rep Programs for all Boys & Girls Born 1986 - 2004 - Complete uniforms T-Ball through Junior - Players Development Clinics included in registration - Individual & Team Photos - Coaches Clinics taught by qualified instructors - All our Umpires are Baseball Ontario Certified Divisions & Fees: T-Ball (Ages 5 & 6).........................$155 Coach Pitch (Age 7).........................$155 Rookie Ball to Junior (Ages 8 to 23).....$215 (Includes Town User Fee, Family Discount 10% for 3or more players) Visit our website at www.oakvilleminorbaseball.com and register online with Register-4-Sports Or Download our registration form and mail with payment to 1236 Speers Road, Unit #4, Oakville, Ontario L6L 2X4 For more information please call 847 5545, email us at omba@oakvilleminorbaseball.com or visit our website at www.oakvilleminorbaseball.com The Oakville Minor Baseball Association is affiliated with