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32 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2012 Oakville Hawks product goes second in Jr. A lacrosse draft By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLEBEAVERSTAFF Since remaking the team five years ago, the Burlington Chiefs have put a premium on having players from Halton form the core of their team. But when the Jr. A draft rolled around this year, Chiefs general manager Mark Baldini knew there was going to be one local player that he wouldn't be able to bring into the fold. "We tried moving up in the draft, but there are not a lot of teams willing to pass up on such a talent," Baldini said. Indeed, Oakville's "We tried moving up in Jackson Hulbert was long gone before the Chiefs the draft, but there are made their first pick at not a lot of teams number six. Hulbert went willing to pass up on second overall to Toronto such a talent." Beaches. "He definitely underBurlington Chiefs GM Mark stands the game on both Baldini, talking about sides of the ball," said Jackson Hulbert Hulbert's midget coach, Ken Gillies. "He's very coachable and he has a high lacrosse IQ." Hulbert said his defensive awareness comes from his experience with Team Ontario. Cast in more of a defensive role, he helped the provincial squad win gold at the national championships at the peewee, bantam and midget levels. Hulbert's offensive abilities are obvious, though. He had seven points in his Jr. B debut and finished the season with five goals and 14 points in just six games as a call-up with the Oakville Buzz last season. "He didn't look out of place," said Gillies, who is the general manager for the Buzz. "He can finish inside. He's a big, strong kid." The Grade 11 student at The Hill Academy, who stands 6-foot and 185 pounds, agrees that's where his offensive strengths lie but says he still has work to do. "I'm pretty good at getting to the middle and getting ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER IN DEMAND: Jackson Hulbert, a Grade 11 student at The Hill Academy, was the second overall pick in last weekend's Ontario Lacrosse Association junior A draft. The 6-foot, 175-pound Hulbert, known as a strong two-way player, helped Team Ontario win national gold at the peewee, bantam and midget levels. the dirty goals but I still need to work on my outside shooting." Hulbert believes his Jr. B experience will help him adjust to Jr. A. "I feel pretty confident," he said. "I know it's a big jump from Jr. B to Jr. A. Players are going to be bigger and faster. I'll have to make decisions a lot quicker." Hulbert has also excelled in field lacrosse, making the provincial midget squad and earning a silver medal at nationals. His Oakville Hawks midget team went undefeated until falling to Orangeville in the Ontario A final. He hopes to earn a scholarship to a U.S. college and though he's talked to some schools, he hasn't committed yet. Your 2010 Central-Canadian Champions! VS Friday @ 7:30 Support Your Hometown Team! SIXTEEN MILE SPORTS COMPLEX, 3070 NEYAGAWA BLVD.