www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, August 6, 2015 | 32 HALTON TRANSMISSION 559 SPEERS RD., #UNIT 3 905-842-0725 www.haltontransmission.com Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports "Connected to your Community" Jake Nyhuus of the Oakville Buzz (in white) celebrates after scoring with one second left in the second period Friday at Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. | photo by Graham Paine -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog Jr. B Buzz's season ends with loss to Akwesasne The Oakville Buzz's deepest playoff run in nine years ended Friday as the Buzz lost 16-11 to the Akwesasne Indians at Oakville's Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. Akwesasne outscored the Buzz 5-0 in the final 15 minutes of regulation to finish off a 3-0 sweep of Oakville in the Ontario Lacrosse Association junior B East Conference final. Joe French (four goals, two assists), Jake Nyhuus (three goals, two assists), Keyan McQueen (five assists) and Ben French (four helpers) led the Oakville attack in the back-and-forth contest. Three times, the Buzz rallied from three-goal deficits to tie the game, but Oakville never held the lead. Eddie Renaud (two goals), Dalton Follows and Matthew Dilella also scored Friday for Oakville, which lost the first two games of the series the previous weekend in Akwesasne. The Buzz was making its first conference final appearance since the team won the Founder's Cup national championship in 2006. Oakville, the fourth seed in the East after posting a 12-8 regular-season record, defeated the Nepean Knights 3-0 in the opening round of the playoffs and then upset the top-ranked Clarington Green Gaels 3-2 in Round 2. Akwesasne, which will face the Six Nations Rebels in the OLA final, has now eliminated Oakville from the playoffs in four of the past five years. Sr. B Titans also bounced from post-season The Oakville Titans were eliminated from the Ontario Lacrosse Association senior B playoffs with a 12-6 loss to the Six Nations Rivermen Saturday at Oakville's Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. Reed Board and Jon Mason each scored twice for Oakville, and Mike Gillan contributed a goal and two assists. Todd Bloxam also tallied for the Titans. Six Nations claimed the best-of-five second-round series 3-0 and will face the Brooklin Merchants in the OLA final. The winner will join the host St. Catharines Saints as Ontario's representatives at the President's Cup national senior B championships, scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 5. Oakville was fifth in the OLA regular-season standings with a 7-9 record but swept the fourth-place Owen Sound North Stars 2-0 in the opening round of the playoffs. Oakville Whitecaps catcher Cole Watson stretches in a vain attempt to tag out High Park Braves runner Aidan McAskie during last week's Ontario Little League major championships at Cornwall Park. High Park defeated the Whitecaps 13-2 in Saturday's final to advance to the national championship tournament this week in Ottawa. | photo by Graham Paine -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog High Park downs Whitecaps in provincial final by Lucas Casaletto Special To The Beaver The High Park Braves hit eight home runs to defeat the Oakville Whitecaps 13-2 and win the Little League major (12-under) provincial championship Saturday at Oakville's Cornwall Park. The start of the game was delayed shortly due to thunder, which is also what High Park got out of its lineup. The Braves' David Gucciardi, Brady Cerkownyk and Taeg Gollert hit back-to-back-to-back solo home runs in the first inning, giving High Park an early lead. The Whitecaps quickly responded with a two-run home run of their own from Andre Wojtarowicz, but that was all Braves starter Russell Derksen gave up in going five innings while striking out six. Gollert, Cerkownyk and Gucciardi combined to drive in seven runs for the Braves, who will now travel to Ottawa to play in the national Little League championships beginning Aug. 5. Braves manager Louis Rocha, who has been coaching 25 years, said his team's potent lineup has been the biggest reason for their success. "Our hitting has really helped us all season long. From one to 13 in our lineup, we have guys who can all hit for power and be have told them that while this has been a solid contributors day in, day out," Rocha great experience, it has always been more said immediately following his team's cham- than just a game. It's about learning and getpionship victory. ting through these kinds of moments, good "We have been lucky to or bad," Iori said. coach such a great group of Iori said his message to kids who have been willing the team has been simple to learn and get better. We all year long, which goes bealso have to thank Oakville yond baseball. and the job they did putting "I have been telling them together a terrific tournato never give up because latment which we were honer on in life, you'll be faced oured to participate in." with difficult and challengBraves alternate captain ing decisions that are much and starting shortstop Aiden different than baseball and McAskie said he knew his sports in general. My goal team had what it took to go as a coach has been to guide all the way and win. and teach them to not only "Our guys really step up become good kids but to in these kind of situations help them build character Rocki Iori Oakville Whitecaps head coach and we never doubted ourfor the future." selves. Being around this The Whitecaps will end team has really helped me their season participating get better as a player," he said. in a few tournaments but Iori said he's very Meanwhile, Whitecaps head coach Rocki pleased with his team's progression from the Iori had nothing but positive things to say start of the year to now. about his young team following their tough "What I love is how much their mindsets loss. have changed. We started the year and have "I think the most important thing our matured into a team that is willing to give team accomplished throughout all of this their all and accept the outcome. As a coach, was getting closer and gelling together. I I couldn't be happier." It's about learning and getting through these kinds of moments.