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www.insidehalton.com |OAKVILLE BEAVER |Thursday, June 8, 2017 |5 2 Aquinas edges OT in Halton Jr. girls rugby final By Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver staff Abbey Park defensive play stymied Oakville Trafalgar continued from p. 51 "We're fortunate to have a number who play with the Oakville Crusaders," Leggatt said. "That's such a big part at OT. Because of their success, guys want to play rugby and they want to learn the game be fore they get to high school. We're trying to grow the game at a multi-sport school." Shaw credited Leggatt, who in addition to coach ing the Eagles also runs the successful Upright Rugby program, for bringing together a team of players with varying levels of experience. Abbey Park added to its lead early in the second half. Sanders added a penalty kick to extend the lead and Sangha's try and the convert extended the lead to 20-5. Abbey Park's defensive play was remarkable in that no other team had held OT to fewer than 47 points this season. And yet with five minutes to play the Red Devils had managed only a single try. But OT continued to fight to extend its run of Halton titles. Andrew Meyer jumped on a botched Eagles pass for a try with four minutes to play and Harry Hibbert added a convert to cut the lead to 20-12. A few minutes later, Cameron Montague broke free for a long run down the sideline to pull OT within three. "OT battled back. They always do," Leggatt said. "For our guys to persevere the way they did, and to do that on a big stage, that was great for them." -- Herb Garbutt Hannah Petriv stood at midfield after scoring the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders' third try "I want this," she shouted to her team mates. "I want this," she repeated for em phasis that wasn't really necessary. She had just demonstrated her desire by willing herself over the line to put Aquinas ahead 15-7 in last week's Halton high school junior girls' rugby final. Three times in the first half the Raiders had pushed so deep into Oakville Trafal gar's end that it seemed a try was inevi table. Each time they were rebuffed by the defending champion Red Devils. "We had a lot of good ball possession," Aquinas coach Bryon Hickey said. "You get down there and get stopped two or three yards short against a team like this, you really have to take advantage of those opportunities." Aquinas would finally capitalize with Kaya Peros's try sending the Raiders into the half leading 10-7. In the second half it was Petriv simply refusing to be stopped short of the line. "They have speed but we've got muscle power," she said. "It was that power that drove us to the try line." That power also helped hold off a late charge by OT as Aquinas won 15-14 to claim the title. "It's a crazy feeling," said Petriv, who began playing rugby seven years ago with the Oakville Crusaders. "We wanted it so bad. We put our all into this." Aquinas opened the scoring with a try by Emma Odgen but OT's Kelly Hubbs answered back and Anja de Vries con verted it to put her team up 7-5. Aquinas regaining the lead before the half, howev er, gave the Raiders a boost of confidence. "I know (OT) took some players up to the senior level for OFSAA. We were just hoping to give them a good go," Hickey said. "When we were leading at the half, our players started believing they could win." Still, Hickey was wary because of OT's quick-strike capability. "Their girls can run sideline to side line," he said. "They're capable of break ing out for a 90-yard run at any time." Hickey said Reina Habesch used her speed to counter OT's attack and prevent that long run. The Red Devils would pres sure Aquinas late, though. Emily Demers' try and another de Vries convert cut the lead to one. OT had a chance to take the lead on a penalty kick but it was disallowed because the ball didn't touch the ground prior to the kick. The Red Devils continued to ap ply pressure as it battled for the go-ahead try, but Aquinas refused to yield it. "Emily Purdue played like a warrior," Hickey said. "And Kaya Peros, our scrumhalf, controlled the game. When they got close, she relieved the pressure." Despite the loss, OT coach Dan Val ley said his players will benefit from the game down the road. "We got a lot of our athletes valuable time in a close championship game. We don't get that very often," Valley said. "STA deserves all the credit. They were well game-planned and ready to play. They ran into some adversity and it could have sent it in a different direction." "They force everyone to elevate their game," Hickey said of OT. "They set the bar for everyone to reach for." With 53 players on the Raider roster, there is no shortage of players willing to take on that challenge. "This will push us to go that extra mile in the years following," Petriv said. W hiteOaksfalls onegameshortof Haltonslo-pltch title and undefeated season The White Oaks Wildcats had to deal with a slick-fielding shortstop and some timely hitting by de fending champion Corpus Christi Tonghorns in Monday's Halton slopitch final. The Longhorns, with a four-run fourth to open the game's scoring, defeated the White Oaks Wildcats 7-1 at Glenashton Park, the fourth slo-pitch title for the school since it opened in 2008. White Oaks, absent from the Hal ton final for more than a decade, was undefeated (5-0) in the regular-sea son, knocking off Georgetown and Dr. Frank Hayden in quarter-final and semifinal play before facing the 5-1 Longhorns. Corpus Christi shortstop Lauren Greco, who plays third base with the Oakville Angels, was in on eight of the 21 outs the Longhorns recorded in the seven-inning game. It was a disappointing finish to the season for White Oaks, who are coached by Tim Rehn and Ryan McLaughlin. "We knew they were going to be a strong team," said McLaughlin of the Longhorns. "I think we made more mistakes. In a game like this, it's the team that makes the most mistakes that'll shoot themselves in the foot." Grade 12 pitcher Grace Park, who McLaughlin considers one of the best pitchers in high school slo-pitch, managed to keep the Longhorns bat ters from scoring until the decisive fourth inning. "I don't think our bats were swing ing that well today," she said. "We were playing the best that we could and that's all that really matters." The Longhorns' big fourth inning was highlighted by Serena Tourangeau's two-run single. The Wildcats narrowed the deficit in the bottom of the sixth on a run scoring base hit by Tyler MacInnis after Sydney Lee doubled. Corpus Christi added three runs in the top of the seventh on four singles and two walks. -- Kevin Nagel Tyler MacInnis of the White Oaks Wildcats connects during Monday's Halton slo-pitch championship game at Glenashton Park. The undefeated Wildcats dropped their first game of the season, 7-1, to Burlington's Corpus Christi Longhorns, the defending Halton champs. | photo by Graham Paine - Oakville Beaver YOUTH SOCCER0®®* OUTDOOR HOUSE LEAGUES AT APPLEBY COLLEGE b ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 2003-2013 LEAGUES: $207.96 2014/15 SOCCER TOTJ PROGRAM: $97.35 U OAKVILLE SOCCER CLUB F O R B O Y S & G IR L S B O R N 2 0 0 3 -2 0 1 5 LEAGUES AVAILABLE TUES-SAT 0 4 12 weeks of games, starts May 30 Soccer Tots program for players born 2014/2015 includes parents & kids in fun 30min sessions Teammate requests accommodated Paid, certified coaches Team uniform included Each player receives a BSC ball Team photograph included & End of Season Awards Week Three Photo Contest Winner: Photographer: Scott Cottrell Age Division: BU6 D8 Purple Hopedale Bowl 4 4 0 4 4 Sponsored by: O a k v ille B e a v e r A Proud Sponsor of Oakville Soccer Club