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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, October 3, 2013 | 22 HALTON TRANSMISSION 559 SPEERS RD., #UNIT 3 905-842-0725 www.haltontransmission.com Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Soccer club `disappointed' by exclusion from OPDL by Jon Kuiperij Beaver Sports Editor Sports G O L F "Connected to your Community" C H A M P I O N S H I P S Despite being one of the biggest advocates of the formation of the Ontario Player Development League, the Oakville Soccer Club won't be a part of the OPDL's inaugural season. OSC was a surprising exclusion last week when the Ontario Soccer Association announced the 18 clubs that have been acceptHarris was not the only one blindsided by ed into the OPDL -- Canadian soccer's first the ruling of the OPDL committee. standards-based youth high performance Former OSC technical director Jason deleague that combines top-level competition Vos pointed to the OSC's five-year strategic with strict high-performance training stan- plan he helped form in 2011, in which one dards -- for next year. of the listed objectives was to "lobby for the The Burlington Youth Soccer Club and establishment of a competitive structure in Hamilton United Elite were among the clubs Ontario that supports optimal player develaccepted into the OPDL, which will begin opment." next season with an unDeVos, now a soccer der-13 division and will analyst with TSN, was add an age group each also formerly part of a year until each age group technical advisory counis covered to U18 in both cil that helped shape the boys' and girls' divisions. OPDL benchmarks. OPDL membership is "It's a real head scratchcapped at 18 for the first er. It really is," said deVos. two years, after which all "On the technical level, clubs must re-apply for Oakville is a shining light. admission. Even after I left, people Applicants to the OPDL would contact me and were assessed based on ask questions about the standards in three criteclub because it is viewed rion: technical, organizaas one of the bright lights Ron Smale tional and financial. Acin soccer in our country." Ontario Soccer Association president cording to BYSC technical But it also seems undirector Hubert Busby Jr., likely that the OSC would it is believed that approximately 50 clubs have fallen short of organizational and finanprepared a 300-plus page RFP (Request for cial requirements. Proposal) to the OPDL's Assessment and Se"We're the largest soccer club in North lection Committee. America," said Harris. "Our (Pine Glen head"I was disappointed," OSC executive di- quarters) facility is the envy (of many)." rector Dave Harris said of his club's exclu"We have every single standard in abunsion. "I have asked if we can have a situ- dance," added Dino Lopez, who resigned ational review of the issues, to see what (the as OSC technical director shortly before the Ontario Soccer Association's) interpretation OSA announced which clubs had been acis as opposed to what ours is." cepted into the OPDL. "Relative to other OSA president Ron Smale told the Oakville clubs, we're light years ahead in terms of Beaver yesterday (Wednesday) that the OSC overall development. will receive that review, as will every club "It's very disappointing we're not in. I that applied for the OPDL and was not ac- think the OSA made a big mistake not putcepted. ting us in." "There will be a complete debrief in the Other than not meeting the OPDL's renear future, towards the middle of the month quirements, deVos suggested there are two at the very latest," said Smale, who was not other possibilities why a club would not have part of the decision-making committee. "It been included: either the OSC did not apply, was a standards-based RFP application pro- which Smale confirms it did, or the applicacess. If specific standards weren't met, the tion process was not completed properly. club's application was rejected for that prosee Oakville on p.23 cess. I don't know how many standards (the OSC) fell short in. All I can say is they fell short in the process of meeting standards." Smale said recent performance of rep teams was not a factor in determining clubs' adherence to technical requirements. "I want to re-inforce that it is a high standard," said Smale. "It's a very high standard." Former technical director deVos surprised St. Thomas Aquinas student Andrew Russ follows his shot during Monday's final round of the Halton high school golf championships near Burlington. Russ finished third in boys' competition. | photo by Eric Riehl --Oakville Beaver --@Halton_Photog All I can say is (OSC) fell short in the process of meeting standards. Local golfers finish strong at Halton finals Oakville residents accounted for three of the top five finishers in both boys' and girls' competition at the Halton high school golf championships that concluded Monday at Burlington's Hidden Lake Golf Club. Iroquois Ridge student Annika Haynes fired a two-round total of 153 to win the girls' division by three strokes. Ridge teammate Jasmine Yang was third, 13 shots off the pace, and Abbey Park's Michaella Pannu was fourth in the eight-player division. In boys' action, St. Thomas Aquinas student Andrew Russ was third with a score of 151, two behind champion Greg Goddard of M.M. Robinson. Abbey Park's Brad Currier and Greg Piper tied for fourth, one shot behind Russ. Russ, Currier, Piper and King's Christian Collegiate's Kyle MacDonald and Austin Jones all qualified for the upcoming Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference championships in individual play. The top three schools in team competition qualified for GHAC as well. Abbey Park was Oakville's top school at Haltons, finishing fourth. Loyola still undefeated in Tier 1 football The Loyola Hawks are the only remaining unbeaten team in the Halton senior Tier 1 football league, but coach Dan O'Hara is quick to keep things in perspective. "I don't think it's a surprise, especially given our schedule," O'Hara said of the High school sports Hawks' 3-0 start, which has come against teams with a collective record of 1-8. Loyola's latest victory came in shutout fashion, a 16-0 blanking of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Friday at Loyola. O.J. Ofulue scored the Hawks' first touchdown on a punt return and Brett Colangelo added a major in the final quarter. Alex Torres kicked a field goal and a convert, and Loyola's defence continued its strong play. The Hawks have allowed a league-low 19 points through three games. "We've got a lot of good athletes who like to hit," O'Hara said. "We're not the biggest guys, but we understand the game well." Loyola will get its first major test of the season tomorrow (Friday), when it visits the perennial Halton football power Nelson Lords. The Hawks will then be home to the Corpus Christi Longhorns, visit the Assumption Crusaders and travel to the Holy Trinity Titans in their final three games of the season. "We're starting the up-hill climb," O'Hara said. "We're in tough from this point." Trinity upends Nelson on senior gridiron Nathan Rourke completed 16 of 21 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns as the Holy Trinity Titans edged Nelson 19-16 see Trinity on p.23