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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, October 12, 2012 · 34 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-632-0588 (ext. 294) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com Despite loss to Trinity, Hawks relevant once again in D-1 By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR The senior football season couldn't have had a more ominous start for the Loyola Hawks. On the opening day of school, Dan O'Hara and the Loyola coaching staff had everything prepared for the team's first practice of the season. A television and couches were set up so the Hawks could watch film from the previous year. Then, disaster struck. The combination of heavy rain outside and the recent renovations to the school led to six inches of water quickly covering the floor of the room where the Hawks were ready to watch film. "During the construction, some valves had come off," said O'Hara, the Hawks' head coach. "That delayed us three days. We had to postpone our first game to the following Tuesday just so we could get our (required) eight practices in." Fortunately for the Hawks, things have gotten a lot better since. Competing in Division 1 for the first time in several seasons, Loyola carried a 3-1 record into yesterday's (Thursday's) home game against the Holy Trinity Titans, a team that has made several Halton final appearances over the past five years. And, though the Hawks were blanked 16-0, they did enough to show See Titans, page 36 MICHAEL IVANIN / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER HARD-HITTING RIVALRY: Loyola Hawks player Denver Kotack (left) brings down Holy Trinity Titans quarterback Michael Brooks during yesterday's Halton high school senior Division 1 football clash at Loyola. Brooks and the Titans got the last laugh, however, blanking the Hawks 16-0 in a fiercely-contested game. Ridge student helps under-14 team to national soccer title By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR NATIONAL TITLE: Iroquois Ridge student Brandon Logan displays the national club championship trophy he helped his North Mississauga Panthers under-14 boys' soccer team earn earlier this week in Vaughan. Iroquois Ridge High School student Brandon Logan helped the North Mississauga Panthers under14 boys' soccer team win the national club championship this week at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan. North Mississauga blanked Alberta Inter 98 1-0 in Monday's final, the Panthers' fifth shutout victory in as many games at nationals. North Mississauga opened the five-day tournament with a 2-0 win over the Mount Hamilton Avalanche, then followed that with 4-0 wins over New Brunswick, Surrey United and Winnipeg South End United. "It's probably one of the best feelings of my life. Just to share it with all of my teammates and my coaching staff was fantastic," said Logan, a 14-yearold centre-back. "We knew we were a dominant team. We proved that the whole year. I was expecting more of a challenge, but all the teams gave us a good fight over the tournament and it was a good experience." The Panthers were 12-1-3 in Ontario Youth Soccer League competition this season and have been ranked in the top three in Ontario for the past three years. They won their first Ontario Cup three weeks ago, also at the Ontario Soccer Centre. Logan said North Mississauga's stellar defensive record at nationals was a result of the team's selflessness. "The whole entire back line all understands it's defence first. We have to do the dirty work so our other guys can get all the goals," he said. "The whole team is willing to (play defence). If we put any forwards back, they'll defend their hearts out. I just love that about all my teammates." -- Jon Kuiperij can be followed on Twitter @Beaversports