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By John Atoms on verge of triumph Actons major atoms are on the verge of doing what only one Acton hockey team has ever managed before With one more win against Milton they will become zone cham in their ace group Coincidental the last and only other team to take the trophy was the same age group then called novice exactly ten years ago The atom series with our southern neighbors has generated a lot of interest hockey fans in town The Milton atoms were undefeated in play and the whole town seemed to figure they were shooins for the title Well they figured without Acton Many parents are seeing the matchup as almost a grudge series because they have listened to the team being touted all season and are understand ably tired of the hoopla A lot of people have claimed Acton is a one man team dependent solely on the skill of Mike Hudson for their sue cess While he is undoubtedly their best player he is not the only topnotch player on the team I suggested to Milton Champion editor Peter who seemed to be blaming Sun days result on the referees that he should admit Acton has the better team He replied You mean you have the better player echo ing the common sentiment I have never heard anybody contend that Montreal Canadians would be a bad hockey team without Guy LaFleur That would be They are obviously loaded with talent The same is true of the major atoms Without strong players on either side of him and good backing him up Hudson would not be able to do the things he does Double team him and Berry or Terry Danagher or Tony Van Dam or any one of the rest of the team will score on you Two areas There are two areas in which Hudson excels He is an excellent skater who outdistances and skates past checks and he is a top notch stick handler He can show you the puck and then pull it by you before you know where he is and this was the thing about him that most frustrated the Milton defence and their goalie They just were not equipped to stop him Nonetheless all this skill is of no use unless you have some body to give you the puck and Hudson is rounded by good players The normal game plan may be give the puck to Mike but any one of the other boys on the ice is capable of scoring as well He is not the only offensive weapon the atoms arsenal Defence The Acton defence led by David Thomas is far superior to the Milton teams The Milton players just dont have the skating ability according to some local coaches So it is not really surprising that Acton took Milton Milton were not expecting to face such a strong team Sundays game was much closer after they had learnt wnat to expect The next could be closer still Nobody should be count them out yet In a way it is a shame that these two groups of ten and eleven year old boys are being put into the centre of such an inter town con Every time Acton did something right Saturday there were loudly approving laughs from the Acton fans I was being told by many people to give it to them good because were tired of hearing about how great the Milton team is Well it is not the boys fault what has been made of them Theyre just kids playing hockey and winning Im sure the people approaching me would agree that we do not want to get the kids we want to get the parents and townspeople who did all the bragging but the way we are expected to do this Is by making the most of the victory by Actons ten year old boys hockey team over Miltons ten year olds This can only mean that I am supposed to belittle the team and as I said it is not their fault that people are bragging about them In effect it is nice to see Milton get their comeuppance but it is too bad that we are using ten year olds to do the job The shame of winning Last week I wrote something about the shame some people feel at losing It seems this week that some might be feeling the shame of winning Our novice rep team overcame a slow start on the season to become consolation league champs Saturday yet no score sheet was submitted to the Free Press and con sequently I cannot make any sort of report about the game I had it all planned to go on the front page this week and now the plans I do know the game was close and well played on both sides but a complete report I am afraid I cant give you Congratulations on the teams improvement over the season On the other hand we still have some people who will not report losses The minor were in Ridgetown two weeks ago for a tourney and came up short I got pictures from a photographer but no report from the team I am sure they are not the only team still playing but I simply am not getting any game sheets in to report on Sports Recreation Wednesday March 103rd Year- No 39 Second Soctlon Atoms one win from trophy trounce Milton 60 53 in finals Acton major atoms edge of elimination from the prised a confident Milton M H A zone championship squad Saturday and went finals on to prove the win was no Third game of the best of fluke as they repeated with a five aeries Is ihls Saturday In win Sunday In Milton to Milton at p m In the drive the Milton squad to the Thompson Road arena Milton showed up at the arena Saturday with a stuffed mascot and their own cheer Ing section both of which were very quiet by the end of the strength of four points from Mike Hudson Hudson opened the scoring just 36 seconds Into the game as he was right In position the second period when the connect on a rebound off a atoms had taken a lead on Berry shot He scored MAJOR ATOMS star winger Mike Hudson out raced Milton defenceman in breakaway Satur day Locals took 60 decision from highly touted Milton team again at the three minute mark from directly In front of net as he deftly pulled the puck left then fired right to beat the Milton Bruce and Sandy got assists on the goal He completed a hat trick after 28 seconds of the second period as he stole the puck from a Milton atoms stick and skated the length of the Ice with It for a score blasted a shot from the point that Milton net minder stopped with his glove before watching It bounce out of his hand and roll slowly into the net for the fourth Acton score Jamie got an assist on the play when he grabbed the puck from a Milton forward around pair of players and came In alone on the Milton net That was too much for the Milton Goalie because after the goal he threw his stick to the boards and pounded the ice with his fist In frustration The final Acton goal of the game came near the midway point of the third frame as Terry took a pass from Sandy and David Thomas Milton came out tough for the second game and cording to manager Bob Ralne they took Acton by surprise with their rough and tumble play Only midway the second did Acton start playing its own game of pas sing the puck and hard check ing Milton took a 10 lead after three minutes of play the second frame on a goal by Tim Pollen from Terry Boud reau The lead lasted for six minutes before Mike Hudson got himself free of Milton center Paul Rowan shadow to streak In for an unassisted marker The score sparked the team as they scored the next three goals in a row Sandy Waites pumped one In from Thomas and after a minute and a half in third period Two minutes later Hudson broke loose again with a score from Danagher Thirty seconds after that he sailed in unassisted with the fourth Acton point Milton threatened with goals from and Pollen leaving the score at 3 with seven minutes to go but Hudson converted a pass from Waltes to Ice the win played a solid game of according to manager Ralne A large number of Acton parents braved the weather Sunday to make the trip down to Milton to cheer for the atoms Derbys win over Falcons Derbys Royals or Cougars In thumped the St Catharines one OHA semi final Falcons Sunday to take In the eastern bracket of a commanding 3 1 lead in their OHA Junior quarter final series OHA defending champion Strat ford Warriors are playing the Barrie Colts while and St Michael tangle for the Windsor the Metro Skating club involves more than just carniva Two weekends from now the Acton Figure Skating Club will take to ice for their annual skating extra vaganza the show which is for most people the of the years work by the young skaters The audience has a good reason for thinking this for In one sense at least it Is true This year more than ZOO skaters will participate an Increase of about per cent from last years number The number of people working be hind the scenes is also high and the carnival is one of the two biggest entertainment dates in an Acton year along with the Fall Fair This year show promises to be as good as ever and probably more colorful than It has ever been The theme chosen for the production is We wish you a Rainbow and each of the numbers deals with a different color One of the three pros who choreographed the show Pat TeBochorst said It coming along well There are a lot of last minute things to work out There ore less than two weeks of practice left to go but there are practice hours in each week to work with meaning there Is plenty of Ice to work on polishing the routines Mrs TeBorchorst and the twootherpros Sally Leather land and Franclne Paw could really be con directors of Acton own musical on skates They all have the same duties with skaters taking the place of actors and routines taking the place of dialogues and dramatic action This years theme was developed by Sally Leather land just after Christmas and agreed on collectively by the 18 member club executive The show Includes no guest star skaters in the program The feeling among the organ izers was that ail participants of the club were stars within themselves according to carnival chairman Simon Work on the show has been going on for four weeks in eluding not Just practice for DIANE BAGINSKI AND Cindy McGilloway do some work on a dance number for the competition side of the clubs activities the show on the ice but be hind the scenes work on cos tumes and seta most of it done by parents of the skaters In club It has reached a fever pitch now as ticket sales get underway The carnival is indeed the end result of thousands of hours of work and audiences will agree that hours are well spent However is not the only Important thing the Figure Skating Club does all year They are Involved In com petitions both within the club and between clubs and their main task la to Improve their skaters Competitions range from Toronto to Sarnla and number six In all The Acton Figure Skating Club Is caught in same pressure as other amateur sports have been exposed to with regards to meeting higher standards of perform within amateur sport atmosphere said Christensen All figure skating clubs who want to become a member of the CFSA must have qualified instructors In this past year met those stan set down he added With fitness boom that Is being reported In Canada figure skating la a likely sport to turn to for exercise or fun or as a way to improve In other sports notably hockey The skating club runs a power clinic which has been very helpful for members of Acton minor hockey teams IT HAPPENS TO the best of them Sharon Campbell found herself on the ice during practice for the carnival Because good skating comes proving skating brings us year will be apparent In the more naturally to them they naturally back to the car show when Acton s budding can concentrate more on nival because whatever stars have their chance to their play Improvement a skater has show off for their parents and All this talk about made throughout the skating the town SKATERS PRACTISE part of their routine for the skating carnival two weeks away