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Sports Oakville Beaver By Adam Johnston SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2009 45 Red Devil boys continue to thrive under pressure P ressure can stifle even the most prolific athlete. The Oakville Trafalgar Red Devils rugby crew, however, seems to thrive on it every season. The Red Devils players once again overcame the demands of playing for the most successful side in Halton rugby, topping the Abbey Park Eagles 31-17 Wednesday at Crusader Park. The victory gave OT its 38th Halton senior boys' championship in the last 39 years. "It is really cool to be part of such a legacy. You can't lose if you play for OT, though," said Red Devils captain Pete Turnbull. "(There is) huge pressure on us. It makes us work really hard, though. We've been working hard all year." OT coach Dave Schaffler realizes the pressure that his players feel, but doesn't want them to view it as a burden. "The kids know that the pressure is on them, but we never talk about it," said Schaffler. "They know it; they see it every day in the school, especially this time of year. Nobody wants to be remembered as the group that loses, so it is good in a way because it provides good pressure, but I never want to see a kid so nervous that he just shuts down." While the Red Devils are a perennial powerhouse, Abbey Park is a relatively new program that proved to be a worthy opponent. The Eagles appeared apprehensive at the beginning of the game and spotted the Devils 14 early points on tries by Mike Turnbull and Creigh Adams; however, by the end of the first half, they were testing the resolve of the champions' defence. With the Eagles positioned on the Devils' goal line, OT continually held off Abbey Park's attempts for a try until the half expired. Abbey Park finally responded with its first try of the game to open the second half as Lucas Schoenfeldt broke the plane. With the score 14-5, the Devils added tries by Chris Matthews and Mike Turnbull. However, the Eagles would not lie down, and answered with tries by Craig Leveridge and Adam Delgiudice to tighten the match at 26-17. Ultimately though, the experience of the Devils prevailed and the game was put away on another try by Adams. Mike Turnbull was good on three of five converts, finishing the game with 16 points. The two sides also squared off earlier this year in a regular-season match that the Devils won 24-10. With a well-built and developing program, Schaffler thinks the Eagles BREAKING THE PLANE: Chris Matthews (with ball) of the Oakville Trafalgar Red Devils dives across the goal line to score a try against the Abbey Park Eagles in Wednesday's Halton high school senior boys' Division 1 rugby championship game. OT prevailed 31-17, claiming its 38th Halton senior boys' title in the past 39 years. MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER have the ability to challenge them in the years to come. "They are very well coached and it's definitely showing. They've had a few years now to get this team ready and (the Abbey Park seniors) have stuck it out for the four years. I hope their program continues because it gives us more competition in the league. It was a very close game and they're definitely closing the gap on us," said the OT coach. The Devils will now head to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) championships in Stoney Creek from June 3-5. The Devils won't be as highly regarded on the provincial stage as they are locally; however, the omnipresent pressure still forces their own expectations to be high. "There are a lot of big teams at OFSAA. They are all going to be bigger than us," said Pete Turnbull. "I'd like to play for a medal though; I think we're good enough." -- See page 47 for more high school coverage GOLD RUSH: Forty-four-year-old local lawyer Jackie Hatherly shows off the five gold medals she won at the recent Canadian Masters Swimming Championships. Hatherly, a member of the Oakville Masters Swim Club, won eight medals at the meet. MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER Masterful performance Swimmer wins five gold at nationals By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Jackie Hatherly had ambitious plans this spring. The 44-year-old Oakville lawyer intended to qualify for and run in the Boston Marathon. But she changed her mind last fall and set her sights on a new challenge. And even she didn't anticipate the success she achieved. A competitive swimmer as a teenager and in university, Hatherly returned home from the Canadian Masters Swimming Championships in Etobicoke with eight medals, five of them gold. It wasn't as though the Boston Marathon intimidated Hatherly. After all, when you've completed eight Ironman triathlons -- including the famous Ironman Hawaii, twice and earned top-10 finishes in Florida and Lake Placid -- a 26.2mile run through the streets of Boston is a stroll in the park. Instead, it was joining the Oakville Masters Swim Club in September that altered her plans. "It's a really great group and they're so enthusiastic, you get caught up in the excitement," she said. So when head coach Mette Novais shared a plan for Hatherly See Hatherly page 46