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PAGE 14 THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, NOVEMBER 5,2003 Œljc Cmtabtmt Statesman www.durtiamreglon.com Clarington's Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1854 November 5, 2003 infodurhamrggion.com 1 Total domination Clarington Tigercats pound Oshawa 45-6 to advance to COMF1 semis BY BRAD KELLY Sports Editor BOWMANVILLE - Joe Szimans- ki waited a long time for his first-ever playoff victory as a coach, and unfortunately, unfortunately, he doesn't have long to savour it. His Clarington Tigercats tyke team exploded for 24 points in the fourth quarter of a 45-6 win over the Oshawa Hawkeyes this past Sunday in Central Ontario Minor Football League quarterfinal quarterfinal play. The victory advances the Tigercats to the semifinals Sunday in Burlington. For Szimanski, who has coached minor football for more than 30 years, this marks just his second trip to the post-season, and his first-ever win. So is the game ball on the trophy shelf as a keepsake? "We can't afford to hand out game balls. We have to keep that one for a ^practice ball for next year because it got so wet," he joked. Rain fell throughout the game, which was close until the final quarter. Despite the lopsided end result, the game was tied 6-6 after the first quarter quarter and the Tigercats carried a 15-6 advantage advantage into halftime. But the outburst in the fourth quarter quarter ensured the Tigercats advanced to the next round. "We made a slight adjustment," said Szimanski of making changes on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Altering the running game to attack the middle resulted in big gains, while defensively, pressuring up the middle resulted in forcing six turnovers. Cameron Crozier and Matt Townsend found the end zone three times each, while Riley Johnson was good on three converts. The play of the team bodes well for Sunday's semifinal against Burlington, who finished second in the nine-team league at 8-2, just one game ahead of the 7-2 Tigercats. "The defence we used for Oshawa was to help us prepare for Burlington. They are a powerhouse up the middle, and if we can stop them, we might JASON LIEBREGTS/ Statesman photo John Stirrett-Wood (29) of the Clarington Tigercats tykes tries to break through the tackle of a couple of Oshawa Hawkeyes players during Sunday's Central Ontario Minor Football League quarterfinal at St. Stephen's Secondary School in Bowmanville. The Tigercats won 45-6, scoring 24 fourth quarter points. have a chance," predicted Szimanski. In an earlier game this season, Burlington handed the Tigercats a 42- 12 setback. But Szimanski doesn't think that will have any influence on his team when the two hook up Sunday Sunday morning in Burlington. "The kids just want to play.' They probably don't even remember what the score was," noted Szimanski. "They want to play Burlington and they want to go to the championship game." Poor field conditions resulted in the cancellation of the other semifinal between between Scarborough and Markham. That game will be made up this week, with the winner getting the unenviable task of trying to knock off first place Ajax-Pickering in the semifinal. Ajax- Pickering finished a perfect 10-0 in league play this season, outscoring the opposition 345-7. The final is slated for Nov. 16. Tennis sisters serve up medals at LOSSA championships WALTER PASSARELLA/ Statesman photo The Patel sisters, Rohini (left) and Shavani, won bronze and gold medals respectively at the LOSSA tennis championships. Holy Trinity's Shavani and Rohini Patel have qualified for OFSAA finals BY BRAD KELLY Sports Editor . COURTICE - Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School has its own version of the famous Williams sisters who have dominated the professional professional women's tennis circuit the past few years. Courtice residents Shavani and Rohini Patel served and volleyed their way to the medal podium at the LOSSA championships recently in Whitby. Shavani, 15, won gold, while younger sister Rohini, 14, earned the bronze medal in the senior girls' singles singles division. Unlike the Williams sisters, however, however, the Patels never got the opportunity opportunity at LOSSA to wage a memorable memorable battle on the court like Serena and Venus have throughout their careers. careers. "They were just far above the rest of the competition," says coach Michelle Cooke of the dynamic duo. "It wasn't a huge struggle for them to get through" to the medal round, Holy Trinity sent a team of 11 to the competition, mostly inexperienced inexperienced players, with the exception of the Patels. Shavani has been playing competitively competitively the past three years, and like her sister, trains three nights a week at the Pickering Tennis Academy. "I've always been a bit of an individual individual and like to rely on myself," she says of her preference for tennis over other sports. "You are out there on the court on your own and tennis teaches you discipline and how to work on your own." The Grade 10 student is ranked in the top-40 by the Ontario Tennis Association Association in the under-16 division, and was introduced to the sport by her parents, Raj and Shakti. Rohini is ranked in the top-70 in the under-14 division, and also likes the sport for the individual nature as opposed to playing on a team. Playing Playing competitively the past two years, she "hopes to medal" when the OFSAA championships are held in York Region. The sisters, who grew up in Africa and spent a year in Vancouver before settling in Courtice in 2000, will have plenty of time to hone their games for OFSAA. The provincial high school championships will he held in spring of 2004. Gillespie, Mills off to second round of Q-school SEASIDE, Calif. - Oshawa's Derek Gillespie overcame a couple of shaky rounds last week to earn a berth in the second stage of PGA Tour qualifying. Competing at the difficult Bayonet Bayonet Course in California, Gillespie opened with a pair of 77s and was still facing the cut after a third-round score of 74, hut moved on comfortably comfortably by firing a clutch two-under-par 70 on the final day Friday. Winner Boyd Summerhnys was the lone contender to heal Gillespie Friday, shooting 69, and the only one to break par (five-under) for the week, Gillespie finished lied for I3lh at 10-over, three above the cut. Gillespie and Brooklin's Jon Mills will now compete in the second second stage on Nov. 12-15 or Nov. lb- 22. Mills earned ait exemption to the second stage after winning the Canadian Canadian Tour's Order of Merit this season. season. The third and final stage will he held at Orange County National in Winter Garden, Fla., Dec. 3-8. Eagles' goalie outfoxes former team BY BRAD KELLY Sports Editor BOWMANVILLE - As a goal scort er, the newest acquisition of the Bowmanville Bowmanville Eagles isn't likely to make the grade. But as a goalie, Chris Foxwell at least got a passing mark. 1 The 20-year-old netminder from Os-'; hawa played a huge role in the Eagles; claiming four points on the weekend.' 1 He allowed just five goals in a pair of 1 outings, a 7-1 win in Bancroft over the 1 Hawks Friday, followed by a 6-4 home ice win Sunday against the Lindsay Muskies in Provincial Junior A Hockey 1 League play. ;• Particularly sweet was the win over' Lindsay, the team that cast Foxwell 1 aside last week to make room for goal- tender Matt Spezza, the younger brother of Ottawa Senator, Jason. "It feels good to beat them. The team has a good bunch of guys, but there are a couple of guys you want to beat and get a win," he said following Sunday's win at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex. Complex. While Foxwell did his best to keep the puck out of his own net, he tried to get in on the offensive side as well late in the game. Already credited with an assist on a first period goal by Colin Baker, Foxwell tried to launch the puck the ierigth of the ice into an open Lindsay Lindsay net with under two minutes to go and the Eagles leading 5-3. Instead, in a bizarre fashion, the puck hit charging Lindsay forward Darryl Baswick right on the chin and caromed into the net behind Foxwell. "That was pretty stupid," admitted Foxwell of the move that tightened the- score to 5-4. Luckily, the Eagles mam aged to score into the open net later as James Neal potted his second of the game with 34 seconds remaining to seal 1 the win. 'The puck slowed down, I commit: ted myself but didn't get miich on it," added Foxwell, who was able to laugh 1 about the botched attempt later. "I was 1 being selfish trying to go up.the ice at; the empty net." , i A first year student in Sir Sandford ! Fleming's resource drilling and blasting | course, Foxwell said he came close to 1 scoring last season with, the Port Col- 1 borne Sailors of the Golden Horseshoe j Jr. B League, hitting the post of an open. net. ! The fact he also has previous expert-1 ence with the Trenton Sting made it an j easy transition to join another junior j team. : "You want to have an open mind, but 1 being a goalie, you are always doing j your own thing anyway," he says of; joining a new team. "For goalies it's a \ lot different than players because you're 1 in your own world." ■ Coach Curtis Hodgins said the addi- j lion of a veteran goalie like Foxwell will ! help solidify the position and allow | Daniel Goulding to keep learning on the j job. The rookie has played exceptional-1 ly well thus far, Hodgins pointed out. , \ "Hopefully (Foxwell) can provide 1 some leadership and be a good tandeqi- with Daniel and a good mentor," sai$g the coach: - ; "They're both going to play. As wq ; gel on in the year we'll see who takes j it," he said in reference to the number 1 one job. "Right now we are confident ; with the two of them in net." j • The weekend wins improved the Ed-1 gles to Q-6-2-3 on the season, leaving ; them just one point back of Syracuse ; (12-8-0-0) for second place in the East • Conference. Wellington (16-3-3-0) con- ! linucs to lead the 10-team conference. ; THE SCOOP - Also scoring in Sun- ; day's win were Malt Caruana, Sean i Brackin and Derek McGrath. Colin ! Baker and JetT Oke led the way with a ; pair of assists each. Kyle Branson, ; Steve Seedhouse and Brad Dormiedy '• had assists...In the win over Bancroft, ! James Neal and McGrath scored two ; each with singles going to Oke, Brackin ; and David Smith. The Eagles jumped • out to a 5-0 first period lead... Friday the ! Eagles visit Wellington, travel to Peter- ; borough Saturday and close out the : weekend at home Sunday against 1 Kingston at 6:30 p.m. ; CHRIS FOXWELL