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Wednesday, May 19, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER D1 YOU WOULDN'T TRUST JUST ANYONE TO DRIVE YOUR CAR, SO WHY TRUST JUST AMY COMPANY TO INSURE IT? ■ M Office ScorboceujJi, Onto £Ial Mayer 2861 Sherwood Heights D t 829-5200 Sports An Oakville Beaver Feature Editor: NORM NELSON 845-3824 (Extension 255) Fax:337-5567 Sensational squash sisters Ruchika Kum ar m akes U-19 world Jr. team and w ill head to Brussels this sum m er By Kathy Yanchus SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Fourteen-year-old squash sensation Ruchika Kumar is going to Brussels, Belgium this summer as one of the four-member juniorgirls team which will represent Canada at the world championships between July 25th and Aug. 7th. Ruchika, a Grade 9 Queen Elizabeth Park High School student, won a berth by pulling off two upsets at the national junior championships in Ottawa last month, something she predicted she would have to do to make the team. Seeded fifth, not only did she blow by competitors Christi Leibel of Saskatchewan (3-1) and Andrea Lessard of Alberta (3-0) to finish third, the teen accomplished victory as the youngest competitor in the under 19 junior division. Already ranked number one in the under 16 category in Ontario, Ruchika decided not to follow the safe path and compete in the under 16 nationals, but shoot high. In order to qualify for the world team, it was mandatory for her to play in the under 19 division. "I had nothing to lose," said Ruchika. "I was thinking positive. I play my best squash when there is no pressure.". Because of the number of upsets, members were kept in suspense until Friday when the team was announced. • "I am just so excited, so excited," she said. "It hasn't even hit me yet." Between now and the end of July, Ruchika will have an intense schedule of fitness, squash camps and practices in both Canada and the United States. Since the official announcement last week, she is awaiting a schedule of events and fitness requirements. Up until this year, team members had to pay 25 per cent of costs to attend the world championships, but the entire trip is fully funded by Squash Canada now, said Ruchika, including flights, accommodations and clothing. Although she and the other team members have international experi­ ence, it's always an adjustment and as a prequel to the worlds, the team will play in the Dutch Open in June. "You have to adapt to the time zone, the style of play, the people, sometimes the altitude -- we have a special altitude ball -- and the weath­ er." Ruchika is looking forward to the entire experience, an adventure that will take her away from the class­ room. But with an above 90 per cent average, her absence will not be a problem. The team will face some stiff com­ petition at the worlds and is hoping for a "top six finish for sure," and for Ruchika personally, she wants to maintain her positive thinking and to do her best. With a spot secured on the world team, one of Ruchika's long term goals has just become a short term check mark, but she has other equally lofty, but for Ruchika, attainable objectives. "I guess to play on the senior national squad is the next step. There's the Canada Winter Games in February and squash is also in the Commonwealth Games." Her years of hard work, steadfast determination and focus continue to pay off. (See 'Ruchika' page D6) Photo special to the Beaver Ruchika Kumar (left) won a bronze medal at the U-19 national squash cham­ pionships despite being only 14-years-old. Sister Neha Kumar (right), 11, won her first national championship in the U-12 division. Neha Kumar, an 11-year-old Grade 5 student at Heritage Glen wins her first national title By Norm Nelson BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Neha Kumar, an 11-year-old grade 5 student at Heritage Glen public school, has already earned her first national championship. Kumar won the recent U-12 national squash championship in Ottawa in what was an all-Oakville showdown between two namesakes. Neha Kumar defeated Neha Chawla in straight games, 9-2, 9-2, 9-5. Kumar had actually only given up two points in her preceding matches, winning her semifinal over Christy Hanna 9-0, 9-0, 9-2 and her opening match G l e n l m v e n is TIPPIrlG THE SCAlfeS IN YOUR FAVOUR./ Standard Roadside Assistance Cruise Control 3 Yr/6000km Bumper to Bumper Warranty Rear Bench & R" sen»er Headrests . ° \ \ Power W indows \ ...... .... 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"I feel really good and happy that all my hard work paid off," said Neha Kumar. Neha Kumar is putting her footsteps right alongside those of her sister, Ruchika Kumar, who won bronze at the very same national championships in the U-19 divi­ sion. It was a huge bronze, however, as Ruchika, a 14- year-old Grade 9 student at Q.E. Park High School, is only in her first year of eligibility in the U-16 category. But she chose to play U-19 in hopes of earning an unprecedented invitation to Canada's national junior team which she did indeed earn (see adjacent story on Ruchika). Neha Kumar has also set some high goals. Next season, she will be in the first year of her U-14 category, and will have to take on girls a year older, but she hopes to win the U-14 national championship. She knows it won't be easy. To the best of her knowl- (See 'Neha' page D6) Photo by Peter C. McCusker THE ANCHOR: Falgarwood' s Andrae Sutherland anchors his team to a preliminary round relay win. In the finals, Sutherland anchored Falgarwood to second place finishes in both the 100m and 400m senior boys relays. FOR. RESULTS AND PHOTOS, SEE D2. Hatton high school standings and scores BOYS SOCCER - final (SENIOR) Team G Volpe W L T GF GA P Q.E. Park 6 6 0 0 18 6 12 Aquinas 6 4 0 2 24 8 10 Bishop Reding 6 3 1 2 20 8 8 Loyola 6 3 1 2 12 7 8 Iroquois Ridge 6 1 1 4 11 13 6 Oak Trafalgar 6 2 3 1 11 13 5 Blakelock 6 2 4 0 10 19 4 White Oaks 6 0 5 1 8 10 1 Milton 6 0 6 0 0 30 0 Last week's results: Bishop Reding 2, Oak Trafalgar 0; Iroquois Ridge 1, Milton 0; Iroquois Ridge 4, Bishop Reding 4; Aquinas 7, Milton 0; Loyola 2, Oak Trafalgar 1; Blakelock 2, Whiter Oaks 1; Iroquois Ridge 1, White Oaks 1; Blakelock 5, Milton 0; Q.E. Park 1, Bishop Reding 0; Aquinas 3, Loyola 3. First round playoff (Tuesday) Oakville Trafalgar at Bishop Reding; Iroquois Ridge at Loyola. In the Richardson Division, M.M. Robinson finished first (5-0-1) and Lord Elgin second (4-0- 2). First round playoffs had Pearson (6th) at Nelson (3rd) and Burlington Central (5th) at Assumption (4th). (JUNIOR) Team G Volpe W L T GF GA P Loyola 6 5 1 0 15 6 10 Iroquois Ridge 6 3 1 2 17 13 8 Aquinas 6 4 2 0 23 11 8 Oak Trafalgar 6 3 1 2 20 10 8 White Oaks 6 3 2 1 18 15 7 Blakelock 6 2 4 0 14 24 4 Bishop Reding 6 0 4 2 4 18 2 Q.E. Park 6 0 5 1 7 20 1 Last week's results: Bishop Reding 2, Iroquois Ridge 2; Aquinas 5, Oak Trafalgar 0; Loyola 2, Q.E. Park 1; White Oaks 5, Iroquois Ridge 4; Blakelock 3, Q.E. Park 2; Oak Trafalgar 5, Bishop Reding 0; Loyola 5, Aquinas 1. First round playoff (Tuesday) White Oaks at Oak Trafalgar; Blakelock at Aquinas. In the Richardson Division, Nelson finished first (5-1-0) and M.M. Robinson second (5-1-0). First round playoffs had Lord Elgin (6th) at Burlington Central (3rd) and Notre Dame (5th) at Assumption (4th). GIRLS SOCCER -final (SENIOR) Volpe Team G W L T GF GA P Aquinas 6 6 0 0 39 3 12 Oak Trafalgar 6 5 0 1 20 5 11 Bishop Reding 6 4 1 1 16 13 9 Milton 6 4 2 0 19 11 8 Loyola 6 4 2 0 19 11 8 Blakelock 6 3 2 1 10 10 7 Q.E. Park 6 1 3 2 9 14 4 Iroquois Ridge 5 0 3 2 7 14 2 E.C. Drury 6 1 5 0 5 18 2 White Oaks 6 1 5 0 5 26 2 Appleby 6 0 5 1 5 29 1 Results: Loyola 6, Appleby 0; White Oaks 2, Q.E. Park 1; Aquinas 5, Bishop Reding 1; E.C. Drury 2, Iroquois Ridge 1; Milton 2, Blakelock 1; Oak Trafalgar 8, Appleby 3; Q.E. Park 1, Bishop Reding 1; Loyola 4, Iroquois Ridge 1; Milton 4, White Oaks 0; Blakelock 2, E.C. Drury 1. First round playoff (Monday) Blakelock 3, Bishop Reding 2; Milton 2, Loyola 1. In the Richardson Division, Nelson finished first (5-0-1) and M.M. Robinson second (4-1-1). First round playoffs: Notre Dame (3rd) 3, Lord Elgin (6th) 0; Pearson (4th) 2, Aldershot (5th) 1. (JUNIOR) Team G Volpe W L T GF GA P White Oaks 6 6 0 0 29 2 12 Iroquois Ridge 6 5 0 1 35 6 11 Loyola 6 4 2 0 24 6 8 Q.E. Park 6 3 3 0 15 14 6 Oak Trafalgar 6 2 2 2 10 8 6 Bishop Reding 6 3 3 0 7 15 6 Appleby 6 1 4 1 3 23 3 Aquinas 6 1 5 0 4 14 2 Blakelock 6 0 6 0 2 41 0 Last week's results: Loyola 6, Appleby 0; White Oaks 2, Q.E. Park 1; Bishop Reding 1, Aquinas 0; Iroquois Ridge 10, Blakelock 1; Oak Trafalgar 1, Appleby 1; Iroquois Ridge 3, Bishop Reding 0; Bishop Reding 3, Q.E. Park 2; Iroquois Ridge 4, Loyola 1; White Oaks 11, Blakelock 1. First round playoff (Monday) Loyola 7, Bishop Reding 2; Oak Trafalgar 2, Q.E. Park 1 In the Richardson Division, Notre Dame fin­ ished first (5-0-1) and Nelson second (4-1-1). First round playoffs: Burlington Central (6th) defeated Georgetown (3rd) by default; Assumption (4th) 2, Acton (5th) 0. BOYS RUGBY (SENIOR) Halton Team G W L T PF PA P Notre Dame 5 5 0 0 193 12 10 Oak Trafalgar 4 4 0 0 156 0 8 E.C. Drury 5 3 2 0 70 98 6 Brebeuf/Ham 4 2 2 0 34 47 4 * Georgetown 5 2 3 0 72 108 4 White Oaks a 1 2 0 25 70 2 Pearson 4 0 4 0 22 71 0 Milton 4 0 4 0 15 154 0 Last week's scores: Brebeuf 22, White Oaks 7; Oak Trafalgar 42, Georgetown 0; Notre Dame 22, Pearson 5; E.C. Drury 29, Milton 3; E.C.Drury 15, Pearson 12; Georgetown 43, White Oaks 0; Notre Dame 39. Milton 7. (JUNIOR) Halton Team G W L T PF PA P Oak Trafalgar 5 5 0 0 162 10 10 Notre Dame 5 4 1 0 97 31 8 Appleby 3 3 0 0 113 0 6 E.C. Drury 4 2 2 0 63 71 4 Assumption 3 1 2 0 60 45 2 Brebeuf 4 1 3 0 15 74 2 Georgetown 5 1 4 0 9 110 2 Nelson 5 0 5 0 4 187 0 Last week's scores; Appleby 14, Notre Dame 0; Appleby 14, E.C. Drury 0; Oak Trafalgar 57, Nelson 0; Notre Dame 22, Assumption 0. (MIDGET) Halton Team G W L T PF PA P Oak Trafalgar 3 3 0 0 130 15 6 White Oaks 3 3 0 0 97 15 6 Appleby 4 2 2 0 84 82 4 Georgetown 5 2 3 0 31 141 4 E.C. Drury 3 1 2 0 40 85 2 Notre Dame 4 0 4 0 17 91 0 Last week'si scores: Oakville Trafalgar 39, Georgetown 0; Appleby 45, Notre Dame 0; Appleby 12, E.C. Drury 0;; White Oaks 38, Georgetown 0. GIRLS SOFTBALL Volpe Team P W L T Pts E.C. Drury 3 3 0 0 6 Aquinas 2 2 0 0 4 Blakelock 2 1 1 0 2 Milton 2 2 0 0 4 Appleby 1 0 1 0 0 Loyola 3 2 1 0 2 ;; White Oaks 3 1 2 0 2 Iroquois Ridge 3 1 2 0 2 Q.E. Park 4 2 2 0 4 Bishop Reding 3 0 3 0 0 Oak Trafalgar 2 0 2 0 0 Scores: E.C. Drury 15, Milton 6; Blakelock 27, Q.E. Park 0; Loyola 11, Oak Trafalgar 3; Aquinas 7, Appleby 4; Iroquois Ftidge 8, Bishop Reding 4; Blakelock 15, E.C. Drury 11; Milton 9, Loyola 8; Aquinas 10, Q.E. Park 3; Appleby 6, White Oaks 5 BUYS BASEBALL, PG D6^