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26 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, March 25, 2010 SPORTS & LEISURE Former Sting coach Walters takes over as Raiders' boss leagues as a rugged, defensively responsible winger under eventual NHL coaches such as Bruce Boudreau, Marc Crawford, Ron Low and After eight seasons as associate coach of the John Tortorella. Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting, Greg Among Walter's pupils in Sarnia was current Walters was looking for a different challenge Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos and and the Georgetown Raiders are his new proj- Sting fans were so enamoured with their longect. time assistant coach that he was givRaiders' owner Ted Nishi anen a standing ovation in a pre-game nounced this week that the 39-yearceremony last Saturday prior to the old Walters will replace James Richlast-place club's 8-3 victory over the mond as head coach and general Windsor Spitfires. manager of the Ontario Jr. A Hockey The season's largest crowd of League club for next season. 5,027 chanted "Thank you, Wally" Having grown up in the Leaside during the last minute of the game. area of Toronto, Walters was looking "The big thing for me is character to move back to the GTA with his wife and commitment to the team and and two young sons, and the Raiders it's all about the kids to me and their were also in the mood for changes, goals and dreams, whether they after recently getting knocked out of want to go to college or play in the GREG the playoffs for the third year in a row OHL," he said. WALTERS by the Oakville Blades in five games. "I went to a couple of George"Home is Toronto, so we were gotown's games in their last series ing to make the move back at some point and I and I thought Oakville was stronger and more think now's the best time," said Walters. skilled. That's something we'll have to address "I look at this as an opportunity to run my in the off-season." own program and, yes, it's a step down in The classy Richmond, meanwhile, likely leagues, but it's a chance to be coach and gen- won't be out of coaching for long, but said he'd eral manager and to put together a staff that I'm like to take a break from hockey for a while. really excited about." "I love being in Georgetown but I don't feel Walters expects to announce the rest of his good about the way we finished considering we bench staff shortly and has already begun the had about an .800 winning percentage in our recruiting process, with rookie camp scheduled four years here," he said. for May 11-13 in Etobicoke. "I hope to possibly move up to the OHL and The club expects to have about 10 returnees get some interviews. Teaching is what I do best for next year and Richmond's assistants, Craig and I want to continue doing that." Teeple and Mike Manuel, also won't be back. HOCKEY NOTES: Christ the King's Jaguars "Three-and-a-half years is a long time to be a are 1-1-0 to start the OFSAA AAA/AAAA boys' coach in this league and J.R. was a fixture here. hockey championship in St. Catharines this We appreciate what he's done and now it's time week, losing to Orangeville 7-5 in their openfor a new phase," said Nishi. er before beating Hamilton's Sherwood 3-2 "Greg has a steep learning curve ahead of him Wednesday morning...Former Raider Andrew in his role as GM, but with his contacts, we're Marcoux of Rockwood was named Ontario already getting OHL teams calling to get their University Athletics' East Conference rookie of players to work with him next year. We'll get a the year for scoring 23 goals-- third-highest in better feel of how things are when the rookie the league-- as a member of the Nipissing Lakcamp is finished." ers' men's hockey team...Georgetown resident Walters was a fourth-round draft pick of the Dayna Kanis was a second-team OUA all-star Toronto Maple Leafs in 1990 after a 36-goal, for the University of Guelph Gryphons' wom90-point season under legendary junior coach en's hockey squad, as the fourth-year psycholBrian Kilrea with the Ottawa 67's. ogy major collected 11 goals and 20 assists in He went on to play 11 years in the minor pro 25 games. By EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer Sydney Henry (right) of the St. Brigid Bears hustles for possession of the ball with a Holy Rosary player during the North Halton Catholic elementary school girls' basketball championship game Tuesday at St. Catherine of Alexandria in Georgetown South. Holy Rosary held off a spirited St. Brigid late rally to capture the North Halton title by a 33-32 score. Photo by Eamonn Maher Bears lose heartbreaker By HERB GARBUTT Metroland Media Group The finalists and the outcome may have been predictable. How it unfolded certainly wasn't. The Holy Rosary Hawks won their sixth consecutive North Halton girls' basketball title Tuesday by beating the St. Brigid Bears, their longtime rivals who have contested five of those championships. But the Hawks had to hang on for dear life for a 33-32 victory as the Bears rallied from a five-point deficit in the last 40 seconds, missing a shot at the buzzer that could have ended Holy Rosary's reign. What made the nail-biting finish all the more incredible was how Holy Rosary dominated the opening half. "They made every shot they took," said St. Brigid coach Richard Brown. Meanwhile, St. Brigid, which had a distinct advantage in height, was held to just four points as the Hawks built a 17-4 lead by the half. Holy Rosary extended its lead to 25-10 with just over three minutes to play in the third quarter and seemed to be on its way to an easy victory. But St. Brigid fought its way back into the game thanks to a ninepoint run, all scored by the Bears' Rachel Hollywood who finished See BEARS', pg. 27 Alan and Cathy Snelling are very happy to announce the engagement of their daughter Carrie Anne to Joe Murphy son of Margaret Murphy and the late Dr. Denis Murphy. Wedding to take place August, 2010 " As long as forever ~ my love will be true" YOUR TIME IS OUR LIFELINE. Be a Heart Month Volunteer. With your help, lives can be saved. PUT YOUR HEART INTO IT .TM MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Visit heartandstroke.ca/HELP or call 1-888-HSF-INFO