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Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2012 25 Strike a pose Abbey Park ruggers merit extra swagger this season By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR STEVE DER-GERABEDIAN / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IN THE SPIRIT OF FRIENDSHIP: Megan Brydon shows her skills during the ITF Challenge Friendship Tournament held Saturday at Sheridan College. More than 200 competitors from Ontario, the United States and eastern Canada participated in the meet, including 60-plus from event host Morningstar Taekwon-Do. Winning weekends for Jr. B Buzz, Sr. B Titans The Oakville Buzz more than held its own against two Ontario Lacrosse Association junior B division leaders last week. Oakville earned a 7-7 tie in Clarington against the undefeated Green Gaels Thursday, then returned home to down the Halton Hills Bulldogs 8-6 Friday at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre. The tie and win improved the Buzz to 4-2-1 on the season, moving Oakville within one point of Halton Hills (5-2) for top spot in the South East Division. Sam Neeb and Spencer Gallant both scored twice for Oakville in the draw with the Green Gaels. Ryan Callaghan, Eddie Renaud and Chris Young also tallied for the Buzz, which was shorthanded only once in the contest. The teams were tied 4-4 after two periods and played a scoreless third before trading three goals each in overtime. Friday, the Buzz built an 8-3 lead before letting up a bit in the third period and allowing the Bulldogs back into the game. Keyan McQueen and Callaghan led the way with two goals and a helper each, while Pat Shea, Neeb, Young and Renaud added singles. Ian Duffy made 41 saves to earn the victory in net. The Buzz hopes to carry its recent momentum into a rematch with the Green Gaels Friday at Glen Abbey, Oaville's only action of the weekend. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m. Senior Titans down Sarnia Nicholas Grasby had two goals and three assists to lead the Oakville Titans to a 9-5 win over the Sarnia Beavers Saturday in Ontario Lacrosse Association senior B play. Miller Rusbridge and Shane Scott also scored twice for the Titans, who scored six consecutive goals over a 29-minute stretch spanning the first to third periods. Mike Gillan, Stu Gordon and Simon Desousa notched the other Oakville markers. John Preece recorded the victory in goal. Oakville (3-2) will visit the St. Catharines Saints this Friday, the first of four straight road games on the Titans' schedule. Oakville won't play another home game until Sunday, June 10, when it once again entertains the Beavers at Glen Abbey. There's something different about the Abbey Park Eagles senior boys' rugby team this season. And it's not just a change to the team's coaching staff. "This year, you could tell when we started indoor training that there was a certain swagger about them," says Peter Jokic, the Eagles' new sideline leader while regular coach Tyler Leggatt continues to recover from a concussion suffered last year. "They came in ready to work and prepared and focused, and really mature for students their age." If the Eagles seem a bit more like peacocks these days, it's with good reason. Abbey Park has dominated its Halton high school counterparts so far this "This year, you season, winning its first could tell when we five contests by a comstarted indoor bined score of 182-12. That includes two wins training that there over the perennial power- was a certain house Oakville Trafalgar swagger about Red Devils -- a 17-7 vic- them. They came in tory at OT in the first week ready to work and of the season and a 38-5 dismantling Friday at prepared and focused, and really Abbey Park. Jokic attributes the mature for students Eagles' red hot start to the their age." confidence gained last season. Abbey Park wasn't Abbey Park rugby quite able to unseat the coach Peter Jokic Red Devils from their Halton throne last year (OT defeated the Eagles in the regional final, earning their 40th Halton championship in the past 41 years), but the Eagles did manage to qualify for the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) tournament and then upset a couple teams to reach the bronze-medal game. "It's a completely contributing factor. I know some of the older guys who have more (rep) experience and the younger guys who got experience (at OFSAA), they saw the potential for what they could achieve," Jokic says. "And some of the Grade 10s that moved into Grade 11 this year knew there was a good returning core of players and big expectations, so they matured quickly into their positions and into their roles." Provincial teamers Chris Woodhead and Sawyer See Eagles, page 27