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Last-minute goal lifts Blakelock to Sr. Tier 2 field hockey title by Steve LeBlanc Metroland Media Group 29 | Thursday, November 7, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Aimee Harper could be excused for not remembering exactly how many goals she had on the season. After all, championship flicks like the one she'd just delivered tend to make all other scoring pale by comparison. "This is amazing," said the ecstatic T.A. Blakelock Tigers hero between celebratory embraces from friends, shortly after burying a last-minute goal-mouth scramble to beat Bishop Reding 1-0 in Tuesday's Halton Tier 2 senior field hockey final at Bronte Park in Oakville. Making the most of the school's first-ever trip to a regional field hockey championship, the young Tigers weathered some heavy second-half pressure from the Royals -- who'd been eclipsed on penalty flicks by Aldershot in last year's final -- before their dramatic finish. With overtime looming, Natalie Hanchar took the initial shot against Reding netminder Sarah Kazimer before Harper managed to grab possession of the rebound in a tight scrub and bang it home for what was believed to be her eighth goal of the year. "(The win is) wonderful," said Marisa Pettinato, who alongside D'Arcy Williams coached the Tigers -- made up primarily of 10th graders (no junior team) -- to an unbeaten 8-0-3 record this fall. "Our teamwork was the difference today." Despite heading into Tuesday's final undefeated and holding a distinct edge in experience, Reding coach Rebecca Gera didn't see the outcome as an upset. "We certainly didn't think it was a given today by any stretch of the imagination," she said. "The two teams were well matched. We had our chances, but we just couldn't put one in." The Royals had ample opportunity to do so through an aggressive second-half push that saw them robbed twice by goalie Mary Nicholl and turned back on at least a handful of other chances by a solid defence anchored by Katie Lynes. Led by Harper and Kaleigh Jeffrey, Blakelock held the upper hand for much of the opening half, pinning the Royals in their own end with four short corners and some strong ball advancement. The Tigers also scored late in last week's 1-0 semifinal triumph over Georgetown, with Victoria Van Sickle providing the heroics. T.A. Blakelock players celebrate after Aimee Harper scored in the final minute of regulation time to give the Tigers a 1-0 win over Bishop Reding in Tuesday's Halton senior girls' field hockey Tier 2 final at Bronte Athletic Field. | photo by Eric Riehl -- Oakville Beaver --@Halton_Photog Abbey Park completes Cinderella run to Jr. Tier 2 gold by Kevin Nagel Metroland Media Group In the topsy-turvy world of Tier 2 junior field hockey, it was only appropriate the fourth-place Abbey Park Eagles edged the third-place Burlington Central Trojans 1-0 in Tuesday's Halton final. Days earlier, Abbey Park shocked undefeated Garth Webb Chargers 2-0 in one semifinal match while Central put up a minor upset by defeating second-place White Oaks 2-0 in the other. Three upsets in as many games. "I think it's just high school sports and the wild momentum swings," said Burlington Central coach Mike Szarka. "Some girls pysch themselves out before they get on the field." Despite dominating play for long stretches in the Halton final, Central came up short, allowing the game's only goal less than two minutes into the match, held at Bronte Athletic Field in Oakville. For Abbey Park co-coach Paul Dick, who along with Nancy Johnson and Sandy Redfearn guided their girls to the Cinderella finish, it was a matter of his players producing the game of their lives just to get to the final. "I told the girls that they had to be perfect," said Dick about the win over Garth Webb, a team that had whipped the Eagles 3-0 in regular-season play. Tuesday, it was Maddie Osgarby who was the hero, scoring the winning goal during a scramble in front of the Central Abbey Park Eagles players mob goaltender Abiha Khan following their 1-0 victory over Burlington Central in Tuesday's Halton junior girls' field hockey Tier 2 final at Bronte Athletic Field. | photo by Eric Riehl -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog net after Brooke Jovanovich brought the ball down the field. It was all Abbey Park would need to claim its first Halton junior field hockey title. Asked about the win over Garth Webb, Osgarby withdrew the standard, "We played hard," answer to reply more truthfully. "Honestly?" she asked. "I thought we had a small chance since they were undefeated so I kind of assumed we wouldn't do very well." Added coach Dick, "But that one goal... they had never been scored on until then..." The unlikely win sent the Eagles into a championship game against Central, which had edged Abbey Park 2-1 during the regular season. "I'm super proud of our team," said Szarka, whose Central squad tested Eagles goalie Abiha Khan numerous times throughout the game. "Their goalie was extremely good and we had one small lapse early in the game." The Eagles also kept Central's most valuable player, centre mid Shaunessy Kumka, off the scoresheet, which is the secret to defeating the Trojans. "She was absolutely fantastic all year and was absolutely our MVP ," said Szarka. "She'll move up to senior next year see Eagles on p.30