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Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports S C H O O L S R . F O O T B A L L 27 | Friday, September 12, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com "Connected to your Community" H I G H P R E V I E W Jillian Perrone.| photo by Eric Riehl -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog Burloak paddler accounts for half of Canada's gold medals at Pan Am meet Burloak Canoe Club paddler Jillian Perrone won two of Canada's four gold medals at the Pan American Sprint Canoe Championships in Mexico, helping her country rank second in the meet's overall point standings. Perrone won the junior women's canoeing singles 200-metre race and teamed with Juliette Brault of Pointe-Claire, Que., to win the canoeing doubles 500m. The Canadian team finished the championships with four gold, 14 silver and five bronze. The four-day meet, which concluded Monday, was a qualifier for the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. Canada receives quota spots as the host nation. Holy Trinity's Will Ellis (left) and T.A. Blakelock's Ben Bernier are both key returnees for their respective teams this season in Halton high school senior Tier 1 football. | Oakville Beaver file photos Trinity, Blakelock setting modest goals in Tier 1 Other teams might see Titans as contenders, but HT head coach not publicly buying in Whether it's honesty or false modesty, Holy Trinity senior football coach Joe Moscato isn't setting the bar too high for his team this season. Moscato sees Burlington schools Assumption, Nelson and Corpus Christi as the teams to beat this fall in the Halton Tier 1 loop. He also says winning at least one playoff game would make for a successful campaign. "I believe there will be a great deal of parity in D1 Halton football," says Moscato, whose Titans will open their season tonight in Burlington with a visit to the Nelson Lords. "The favourite team to win it all, in my opinion, is Assumption. We are hoping that we can improve as the season progresses, and go into the playoffs healthy." The Titans were 6-2 in 2013, losing in the semifinals to Assumption. Departures from last year's team include OL/DL Tyler Cordeiro (now at St. Francis Xavier) and DB/WR Marcus Membrere (Carleton). Back for another senior season, however, are QB Nathan Rourke, RB/ LB Jason Uleryk-Carvalho, WR/DB Will Ellis, WR/DB Ente Eguavoen and OL/DL Reggie Hyacinthe. see HT on p.28 Tigers bracing themselves for bigger challenge after dominating Tier 2 for several seasons After winning Halton championships in their first three years, Grade 12 players on T.A. Blakelock's senior football team will be hard-pressed to earn a fourth. The Tigers have been moved up to Tier 1 this season after claiming Tier 2 junior titles in 2011-12 and a Tier 2 senior crown last year. Blakelock head coach Bob Bernier knows beating out the established powerhouse programs in Tier 1 this season is a bit of a stretch for the Tigers, but he hopes his veteran players will embrace the opportunity to face Halton's elite. "My philosophy is that they've earned this by being a championship team in Tier 2 for the last three years," says Bernier, whose team kicks off the season today with a 3:30 p.m. visit to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Burlington. "It's a great challenge for them. Every game will be a challenge, when you're playing Holy Trinity, Nelson, Corpus Christi or Assumption. Those are some of the best high school teams in the province. But what a great way to end your high school career. Winning three championships, then play in the top tier possible." see More on p.28 OHL in Oakville Sunday Several of Oakville's Ontario Hockey League players will have a chance to play in their `back yard' this weekend. The Mississauga Steelheads will host an exhibition game against the Erie Otters Sunday at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, a 3 p.m. start. Local residents Spencer Martin, Stefan LeBlanc, Jesse Barwell and Damian Bourne are on the Steelheads roster. Kyle and Quentin Maksimovich play for Erie, as does Newmarket native and highly-regarded NHL prospect Connor McDavid.