24 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 2012 Trinity pulls off senior quad-A soccer sweep Titans keeper leads boys to win in penalty kicks By Steve LeBlanc METROLAND MEDIA GROUP GRAHAM PAINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @HALTON_PHOTOG THE THRILL OF VICTORY: Members of the Holy Trinity senior boys' soccer team celebrate after an emotional win over the Bishop Reding Royals in Monday's Halton quad-A final at North Park. Girls earn berth in own OFSAA tourney By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR They were the hosts, but the Holy Trinity Titans had not yet been invited to the party. Trinity earned that invitation Monday at North Park, qualifying for next week's Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) senior girls' soccer AAAA tournament with a 2-0 win over the shorthanded Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Halton final. "I'm happy and relieved," said Titans head coach Peter Bonfiglio, the convenor for the OFSAA tournament that will run June 7-9 in Oakville. "I can worry about other things now and get ready for OFSAA." Happiness and relief weren't the only emotions the Titans were feeling Monday, however. They also felt sympathy for the rival Irish, which was forced to play most of the contest a player short due to injuries and the absence of several players competing in a rep tournament in the U.S. "It's sweet, but bittersweet a little bit because they were playing short," Bonfiglio said. "We had a couple girls missing, but they were literally playing short." Titans keeper Tori Edgar, who was hardly tested en route to the shutout, agreed. "Last year was fantastic, because (we won it) right at the end," the 17-year-old Edgar said, recalling Trinity's win over Notre Dame in last year's final that snapped the Irish's eight-year Halton championship run. "This maybe doesn't feel as good. It would have been nice if it was a really close game." Trinity opened the scoring late in the first half, shortly after Notre Dame lost its third player to injury and was reduced to 10 players, as Anna Longrigg See Titans, page 28 final. "I can't really say I was that confident, not against these guys. Having backstopped Holy They're so solid defensively and Trinity's juniors to the Halton boys' very well coached. I figured we'd soccer title last spring, Chris Lessor need two goals to win it today, but no doubt provided a reassuring by the second half I was just hoping presence when Monday's quad-A we'd pop one in and get back in it." That equalizer came off the foot senior championship came down to of Bryla, who was given just enough penalty kicks. But for the few in attendance at time to deliver a nifty spin and North Park who may have felt his lengthy bullet into the bottom left corner about eight first save was lucky, minutes into the the next few "This feels pretty good... second half. moments would we knew it was going "That was our firmly lay that to be tough. Winning biggest mistake, notion to rest. giving him time to Not fooled by this way, it feels a lot shoot, and they two more attempt- better than last year." punished us for ed fakes -- mirror that error," said images of the one Holy Trinity senior boys' Bishop Reding he'd just stopped keeper Chris Lessor coach Brent Fraser, -- the Grade 11 netminder turned back the Bishop whose team struck first shortly Reding Royals' next couple of shots before half-time on a doorstep chip with near-identical dives to his left. in by Antoni Tolo. "It's a tough way That set the stage for Karlo to lose, because in penalty kicks Bobinac to bury a bottom-right- anything can happen, but you can't corner blast and clinch a champi- take anything away from them onship three-peat for the Titans. (Trinity). They're a good team that's Mike Barille and Mike Bryla also well coached." Pointing to the standout play of found the back of the net in the 3-1 shoot-out, which followed a 1-1 Bryla and Bobinac, Saulez said an stalemate after regulation and two especially competitive quad-A division had his Titans sufficiently prerounds of overtime. "This feels pretty good," said pared for the stiff challenge that Lessor, moments after being awaited them Monday. "We certainly didn't cruise mobbed by teammates as the hero of a dramatic and emotionally- through the season. Any of the top charged title showdown that fea- four or five teams could have won tured plenty of big scoring chances it." Holy Trinity turns its sights on and even more collisions and overall physical play. "We tied them in the Hamilton Catholic champion the regular season, so we knew it (either St. Thomas More or Cardinal was going to be tough. Winning Newman), which it will face today this way, it feels a lot better than (Wednesday) at Hamilton's Ivor Wynne Stadium for a berth in next last year." Facing Halton's best defensive week's Ontario Federation of School squad, Holy Trinity coach Andrew Athletic Associations provincial Saulez admits he was more than a tournament in Brantford. little concerned heading into the -- Steve LeBlanc can be second half trailing 1-0 -- even followed on Twitter with his team having scored a divi@MiltonOnSports sion-high 22 goals heading into the