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30 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 Hinchcliffe eighth overall in IndyCar sophomore year James Hinchcliffe wrapped up his second IndyCar season Saturday at the MAVTV 500 IndyCar World Championships in Fontana, California. Though he finished 13th, the Oakville driver improved upon his rookie season by placing eighth in the overall series standings with 358 points. He was 12th in the standings in 2011, earning rookie-of-theyear honours. In his first season with Andretti Autosport -- his previous team, Newman-Haas, ceased operation following last season -- Hinchcliffe made a strong impression. He finished in the top six in each of the first five races of the season and was as high as second in the standings. His early-season success included his first IndyCar podium finish, a third at Long Beach, and a sixthplace finish at the Indy 500, where he narrowly missed capturing the pole position. Though engine problems brought an early end to his day at his hometown race, the Toronto Honda Indy, the 25-year-old added three more top-six finishes, including another trip to the podium with a thirdplace result at Milwaukee. ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @HALTON_PHOTOG FOUR SCORE: Oakville Blades forward Patrick Chore carries the puck during a recent game against the Georgetown Raiders. The British Columbia native scored his first four goals of the Ontario Junior Hockey League season to key an 8-6 Blades win Monday in Hamilton. Chore getting the job done for Blades By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Local keeper earns second America East rookie award For the second time this month, Oakville's Lauren Swant was named the America East rookie of the week. The University of Maine women's soccer goalkeeper allowed just one goal in 200 minutes. She recorded her third shutout of the season in a 0-0 overtime tie with Fairfield Friday and backstopped the Black Bears to a 2-1 victory over Rhode Island Sunday. Rhode Island spoiled her shutout bid on a free kick in the 90th minute. The Holy Trinity graduate is 4-2-1 with a 1.08 goals against Lauren Swant average this season. She has made 35 saves while allowing just eight goals for an .814 save percentage. After Brown won just one of its first three games, Swant's play has helped the Black Bears go 3-1-1 in their last five games and improve to 4-3-1. Swant, who was named the top goalkeeper at the Canadian championships in 2010, was previously named the top rookie for the week of Sept. 4. As an out-of-province player expected to put up big numbers this season for the Oakville Blades, Patrick Chore was beginning to get frustrated. "I'd been getting chances, (the puck) just wasn't going in," the 19-year-old forward said of his inability to score a goal during the first three games of the Ontario Junior Hockey League campaign. That changed in a big way Monday in Hamilton. Chore notched his first marker of the season in the second period, a powerplay tally that gave the Blades a 4-3 lead over the host Red Wings. Forty-four seconds later, he netted another. In the third period, after Hamilton rallied to tie the game 5-5, Chore completed his hat trick. And after the Wings tied the game yet again, Chore sniped his fourth of the game -- one that stood up as the winner in an 8-6 Oakville victory. "Once I got the first one, it started to click after that," Chore said. "To see (the puck) go in was a relief, especially when they're giving me the amount of ice time they are. It's kind of key for me to put the puck in the back of the net." Being cast into an offensive role once again is also relief for the Kelowna, B.C. native. Last season in the British Columbia Hockey League junior A loop, Chore was limited to just four assists in 37 games for the Prince George Spruce Kings. "Last year, my role was more of a checking guy," he said. "I've always been a scorer. Last year, I had to change a bit. I'm embracing (being a go-to guy again) pretty well." Chore and his twin brother, Eric, ended up in Oakville after an offseason trade that saw Oakville resident Liam Board go the other way. The Chore brothers are living in Oakville with the family of their mother's cousin, though Patrick Chore said they refer to their hosts as aunt and uncle. Settling into life in a different province hasn't been that much of an adjustment, Chore said. He and Eric lived in Ottawa a few years ago and have also resided in Edmonton. Fitting into the OJHL has not been a difficult transition either, four goals in one game would suggest. "When I first got traded, I heard (the OJHL) was a bit weaker, but coming out here it hasn't been a huge change," Chore said. "I would say B.C. has a better league, but the (OJHL) is not far behind." Blades 3-1 through four games Chore wasn't the only one to enjoy a four-point evening Monday in Hamilton. Linemates Jonah Renouf (two goals and two assists) and Nathan Renouf (four helpers) were also heavy offensive contributors, with Kyle Jenkins adding a pair of assists. Aidan Orbinski and Eric Chore added singles in the win, which bumped the Blades' early-season record to 3-1. Oakville had posted a 4-1 triumph over the Toronto Lakeshore Patriots two nights earlier in Toronto. Jonah Renouf led the way with two goals and an assist, while Nathan Renouf also scored and had two assists. Greg Campbell chipped in a goal and a helper in support of netminder Evan Buitenhuis, who recorded the victory in both games. Oakville was scheduled to visit the North York Rangers last night (Wednesday). The Blades and Rangers will meet again tomorrow (Friday) at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, a 7:30 p.m. start. -- Jon Kuiperij can be followed on Twitter @Beaversports