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7 PAGE 16 THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, April 28,2004 www.durtiamregion.com* ®fje Canatrian Statesman Clarington's Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1854 April 28,2004 infodurhamregion.com Paul Futhey Me; 15a iu ill t !' -- Top OHL prospect playing the waiting game The wait is very nearly over for John Hughes. Hughes, 16, is a Grade 10 student student at Henry Street High School. The centre for the Whitby Wolves minor midget AAA team this past season was also, literally, the centre of attention. Playing AAA hockey is nothing new for Hughes, who has been a standout at that level for years. This most recent campaign, however, has been much different than any other simply because it's his draft year. He is a highly touted prospect and a seemingly sure-fire top-five pick (labelled a good bet by many to go first overall) in this Saturday's Ontario Hockey League draft. A different kind of year? Yes, but a fun one nevertheless. It helped that the Wolves team, with several of its players under consideration for the OHL draft, had a fine season. Whitby was second second overall in Ontario, losing only to the Richmond Hill Stars in the gold medal final. "Everyone jelled as a team and we worked well together," Hughes says of a collection of players that has, for the most part, played together together for the past five seasons. As well, the Wolves were also bronze medallists at the OHL Showcase tournament. The showcase showcase featured several top minor midget teams in the province and from the United States. Against this competition, Hughes, Hughes, with 13 points in five games, responded responded by leading the tournament in scoring. According to Hughes' coach, Grant Musselman, the centre embraces embraces the extra attention. "He wants to be the guy who makes a difference in the game," Musselman explains. "He's not afraid. He's a dynamic offensive player." Hughes, for his part, is anxious to showcase his skills at the next level. "I can't wait for my next game," he says. "The first week I'm off, I'm always hoping to get back on." One scout describes Hughes as a player with outstanding vision, a player who has that uncanny ability to distribute the puck to teammates and, at the same time, one who's quite adept at putting the puck in the net on his own. "He's just one of those kids who's pretty special in the offem sive zone," the scout says, adding, "I really think he can make other players around him better." The word "special," during this particular conversation, comes up more than once. Given Hughes put up 128 points in 58 games this regular regular season, that can hardly be surprising. surprising. For now, Hughes, well into his offseason training regimen, plays the waiting game. Where .will he play next year? One thing appears to be for certain: certain: given the attention he's been getting, once the draft starts, John Hughes won't be waiting long before before he finds out. »*!< îf-iÿl Ron Pietroniro/ The Canadian Statesman on the ball OSHAWA - The spring sports schedule is under way, as area high schools move outdoors to compete in a variety of LOSSA leagues. In an all-Clarington battle the St. Stephen's Royals edged the Courtice Cougars 7-5 in a boys' field lacrosse game played Friday in Oshawa. < Drew Petrich (11) of St. Stephen's and Ryan Zavitz of Courtice try to corral a loose ball during first half action. iSH % f f !>*- : ' x- I to 1 . • -i#' M - ' I, k:M flggp v . m mi wfWu: : ;■>;■;v «8 P® : "'J If.; ' -»*• . I i ti : . F|" Colin Baker James Barton Coady Derks Andy Glenn Shane Sargent Banner year for Gaels? Clarington's Jr. B lacrosse club looks to regain Founder's Cup form BY BRAD KELLY Sports Editor BOWMANVILLE - On the eve of the season opener, the Clarington Green Gaels are hoping that this will be another banner year. Banner as in one that hangs from the rafters signifying another Founder's Cup championship, the top prize in Canadian Jr. B lacrosse. Since moving to Clarington from Oshawa in 1997, the Green Gaels have won Canadian championships in two- year cycles, the first in 1998, with subsequent subsequent titles that followed in 2000 and 2002. If that trend were to continue, continue, 2004 would be a banner year. "Anything you can take as a positive, positive, especially in a one-game championship championship (like the Founder's Cup) is helpful," says co-coach Jonas Derks of the team's history. "It's going to be a battle just to get to the Founder's Cup. "We have nine or ten kids who were on the team (that won) two years ago. And then we have some rookies who were on the best team in the province last year. There's not too much more we can ask for." The first step toward the Founder's will be taken tomorrow night, when the Green Gaels host the Saints (formerly (formerly Scarborough) at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex in the season opener at 8 p.m. Coming off a disappointing season by Green Gaels' standards, based on an 11-8-1 regular season and first round playoff exit, the club didn't necessarily necessarily have to rebuild for this season. In fact, the team's top two scorers from a season ago, Shane Sargent (35- 32-67) and Jim Mumford (19-34-53), are back in the fold, as is veteran goalkeeper goalkeeper Curtis Doherty. A veteran presence will also come with the addition of a couple of former Spartan (St. Catharines) team members, members, Jonathon Young and Steve Truzak. Another familiar face return ing from the 2000 Founder's Cup team is Andy Glenn, who spent last season with the Whitby Warriors Jr. A team. "It's a real easy team to coach," notes Derks. "We're already .working on a second and third defence and breakouts. I know guys who coach other teams and they're still working on passing and catching. We are so far ahead because the kids are smarter. "We just have to teach game-winning game-winning aspects and not fundamentals." At the other end of the scale, general general manager Doug Luey has high expectations expectations from a promising group of Green Gaels 2004 schedule DATE Thursday, April 29 Saturday, May 1 Thursday, May 6 Friday, May 7 Sunday, May 9 Tuesday, May 11 Thursday, May 13 Saturday, May 15 Sunday, May 16 Tuesday, May 18 Thursday, May 20 Thursday, May 27 Sunday, May 30 Thursday, June 3 Saturday, June 5 Tuesday, June 8 Thursday, June 10 Thursday, June 17 Sunday, June 20 Friday, June 25 All home games TEAMS vs. Saints (Scarborough) at Huntsville Hawks vs. Markham Ironheads at Mimiço Mountaineers at Akwesasne Lightning V n S 1 / s i l ?3F' s s. Nèpèan Knights at Saints ^Barrie Ton vs. MÏÏtôri Mavericks at Markham Ironheads at Barrie Tornado at Garnet B. Rickard Recreation TIME 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 2 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 6 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 2 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 2 p.m. 8 p.m. Complex. rookies including Alex Henderson, Cory Upshaw, Peter Vandenheuvel and Todd Collins. "I was really pleased with the intermediate intermediate and midget players. They really really pushed the veterans to make it a | great training camp," says Luey. j What the rookies lack in experi- | ence, they make up for in speed, which i will be an integral part of the Green , Gaels arsenal this season. | "We are going to play a lot less of ; an offensive and defensive style j game," vows Luey. "Because of the | speed and skill level of our roster, we j are going to go up and down the j floor." ; Before eyeing the final prize at the j end of the playoffs, there are a couple | of goals Luey would like to see the team accomplish during the regular season. Finishing first in the division obviously tops the list, followed by leading in the goals against department, department, an area the Green Gaels are annually annually among the leaders in. Last season, season, they finished tied for sixth in the 24-team league with a paltry 7.9 average. average. Scoring presented a problem, as the Green Gaels averaged just nine per game. Within the Mid East division, the defending Canadian champions from Barrie (15-4-1) have lost a number of players from last year's roster, while the Saints (formerly Scarborough, 12- 8-0), Markham (7-13-0) and Huntsville (5-15-0) round out the division, division, As for the West, Luey expects Spartan, Spartan, Flora and Orangeville to put strong teams on the floor. 3 on 3 Basketball Classic Presented by Sium own DURHAM REGION MEDIA GROUP CiiiMbiaii £>tatrôm<in • \l \\s Call Canadian Statesman sports editor Brad Kelly for information 905 579 4400. Registration deadline Thursday, May 6. r-n 3 ,U< j / Community ». Nowepupom 1 \ In Education; / iTimrs-jlouvn.il • durhamregion.com