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PAGE 12THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, JULY 14,2004 www.durhamregion.com ®fit Canadian Statesman Brad Kelly Gaels are own worst enemy I underestimated the collective intellect intellect of the Clarington Green Gaels. They are smarter than everyone else: You, obviously me, and the rest of the teams in Jr. B lacrosse. You see, the club has adopted a formula for winning that everyone else has overlooked. To hell with the theory that defence wins championships, championships, though the Green Gaels do believe that 'D' is important. Although it's discipline, or better yet a lack of it, that they feel will lead them to a national national title. How clever. Makes you wonder why all of the other teams in the league haven't figured figured it out yet. Seems to work for the Green Gaels, who finished second overall in the East Conference, and then swept Markham in the first round, setting up a. semifinal series against the Mimico Mountaineers. The formula is simple. Take penalties. penalties. Lots of 'em. In bunches. Two, three, four at a time, doesn't matter. Minors, majors? Yes, both. "I wish I knew the answer. I just don't get it," answered a miffed general general manager Doug Luey to the question question of why so many penalties. The testosterone-laden club accumulated accumulated 850 minutes in the regular season, just edging the Spartan of St. Catharines (841) for the title of most- penalized, a crown that the other 22 . teams in the league weren't particular- 1 ly. interested in based on their totals. No other team even reached the 700 plateau. But the Green Gaels won. Fourteen Fourteen times, in fact, against just five losses and a tie. The Gaels, my friends, knew something the others didn't. The mentality has carried over into the playoffs as the team tries to live up to the reputation of being a bunch of badasses. It's a smart way to play: Keep your offensive gunners on the bench for as ' long as you can while opting to play shorthanded. And then, when the offence offence finally gets a narrow window of opportunity to flaunt its talents, bingo, baby! They have no reason but to score, I mean, it's not like they're tired. Which must be giving the defensive defensive specialists a complex. The rest of the team obviously doesn't like them, which is why they punish them continually, continually, sending them out to kill off a never-ending parade of man-short situations. situations. Teamwork? Forget that. Let the defence carry the load. And while the three or four of them try to maintain possession against five from the opposition, opposition, a goal or two wouldn't be too much to ask, now would it? That's smart lacrosse, folks. "Too many guys are being selfish and they are guys who should be leaders," leaders," said Luey, opting not to name names. "They know who they are," he deadpanned. Ah, yes. The Green Gaels have seen the enemy. Wonder if they are smart enough to realize it's themselves? themselves? Series gets shorter Green Gaels and Mimico split opening two games of semifinals BY BRAD KELLY Sports Editor BOWMANVILLE - The series between between the Clarington Green Gaels and Mimico Mountaineers, already shortened shortened to a best-of-five from the usual best-of-seven format, has been reduced reduced even further. A weekend split with both teams holding serve on their home floor cut the series into a smaller fraction, with a best-of-three now left to determine who advances to the Eastern Conference Conference final. Backed by the shutout goaltending of Joel Weber, the Green Gaels opened the series with a convincing 10-0 win at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex on Friday night. Sunday in Mimico, it looked like a photocopy of the series opener would unfold. The Gaels jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and Weber was outstanding outstanding early. But penalty trouble plagued the Green Gaels much of the night as they dropped a 10-8 decision, squaring the best-of-five semifinal at a game apiece. 1 One of the teams will have an opportunity opportunity to close out the series as early as Friday in Mimico in Game 4. The pivotal third game was held last night (after our deadline) in Bowmanville. Bowmanville. If needed, the fifth and deciding game would be held in Bowmanville on Sunday afternoon in a 2 p.m. matinee. matinee. The prospect of the series going the limit is exciting, but one that general general manager Doug Luey would just as soon avoid. "I'm still confident," about the outcome outcome of the .sçfies, noted 1 Liièÿr 1 "We just need a wih'(last night) to get backr-r: on track for Friday because 1 don't want to come back (to Bowmanville) . for game five." Jeff Tsuji held a hot hand through thé dpening two games of the series, scoring twice in Friday's 10-0 win, and adding a pair to go with two helpers in Sunday's loss. Colin Baker matched that output Sunday with a two-goal, two-assist performance, while Marc Jackson also scored twice. Mike Pochwat/The Canadian Statesman Colin Baker (19) of the Clarington Green Gaels looks up the floor in search of a little time and space to get away from Scott Patterson of the Mimico Mountaineers during first period action in Bowmanville Bowmanville on Friday night. The Green Gaels opened the Eastern Conference semifinal final with a convincing 10-0 win, but dropped Game 2 of the"best-of-five series by a 10-8 score. As for Mimico bouncing back to square the series after failing to score a single goal in the opener, Luey wasn't surprised. "That game didn't scare them. They aren't going to quit," he said. In the other East Conference semi, Akwesasne has built a 2-0 lead after winning 6-5 and 7-6 in overtime on their home floor, but the three remaining remaining games in the best-of-five are in Halton Hills this weekend. The Western final is set after Elora swept Orangeville and Spartan of St. Catharines did the same to Owen Sound. Elora is the host site of this year's Founder's Cup national championship. championship. Penalty kicks not a friendly outcome for Darlington Tournament final decided by one goal in under-18 division PETERBOROUGH - The Darlington Darlington Soccer Club U-18 team travelled travelled to Peterborough to participate in the Peterborough City Soccer Tournameilt. The 86ers, sponsored by Mason Windows Ltd., moved into the semifinals semifinals with a win over Cataraqui and a tie with Belleville. In the semifinal Darlington met Peterborough. In a hotly played match, the 86ers fought to a well-earned 3-0 win. Advancing to the finals the team would again meet Belleville. In a well-played match, Belleville took a first half lead. But Darlington answered back in the second half to even the score. Although the 86ers held an edge in play, neither team could find a winning goal and so the contest went into penalty kicks. After the first five kicks, the game was still even and not until the third kick of sudden death was a winner found. Unfortunately not to the Darlington team's favour. In league play, the 86ers continued continued their winning ways with a 1-0 victory over first-place Olympic , Flame. This was Scarborough's first n "lbss'bf the season and it took a very disciplined effort for the success. In the last match, Darlington hosted Vaughan. Again, in this game, although having two players suspended, the boys put in a disciplined disciplined effort to earn an important 2- 1 win. Darlington's record to date is 3-1- 3 and has the team sitting in second place in the CSL Regional Premier Division. Redmen battling for first round bye Lacrosse club in four-way fight for first place BY PAUL FUTHEY Staff Writer SIX NATIONS - It's shaping up to be quite the finish to the Major Series Series regular season. As the campaign winds down, the Brooklin Redmen are one of four teams with a realistic shot at one of the coveted top two spots - spots which carry a first-round bye in the playoffs. With first-place Brooklin losing Saturday in Six Nations and Brampton Brampton falling out of second place with a loss to Peterborough the next night, the standings have tightened considerably considerably and the Redmen's upcoming match tomorrow night in Peterborough Peterborough against the resurgent Lakers is of critical importance, noted head Free-ftoiir-all tfjSk Standings as of July 14 G W L T Pts Brooklin 15 11 4 0 22 . Six Nations 16 10 5 1 21 Brampton 14 10 4 0 20 ' Peterborough 13 9 4 0 18 Akwesasne 15 5 9 1 11 St. Catharines 12 4 8 0 8 Windsor 15 0 15 0 0 coach Troy Cordingley. Cordingley was also candidly blunt about his lacrosse team's performance performance Saturday night. "We were brutal," he said of Brooklin's 13-10 loss to the Six Nations Nations Chiefs in Major Series play. "We did not come to play." He continued: "That's the worst part about it. We take great pride in our work ethic (but) they wanted it more." It appeared to be that way from GAMES REMAINING Brooklin (3): at Peterborough, at St. Catharines, vs. Windsor Six Nations (2): vs. Peterborough, vs. St. Catharines Brampton (4): vs. St. Catharines, at Akwesasne, at Peterborough, at St. Catharines Peterborough (5): vs. Brooklin, at Six Nations, vs. Brampton, at Akwesasne, Akwesasne, at Akwesasne the beginning, given the Chiefs were up 3-0 by the 3:40 mark of thé first period. Brooklin goaltender Gee Nash was yanked by Cordingley when the Chiefs made it 6-1 at 18:12 of the first period. An 11-4 deficit after two frames proved to be too much to overcome, though the Redmen had a strong third, making the score a respectable 12-10 at one point late in the game. Scott Stapleford, with three, Shawn Williams and Mike McLellan each with a pair, led the Redmen offence. offence. Also scoring were Gavin Prout, Caret Kikot and Steve Toll. Jason Crosbie had four assists while Kasey Beirnes had three. NOTES: Brooklin next takes the floor tomorrow night in Peterborough Peterborough against the red-hot Lakers, who just upended the Brampton Excelsiors Excelsiors on Sunday. The Lakers' last loss came June 26 against Brooklin....Overshadowed in Brooklin's Brooklin's loss to Six Nations was Shawn Williams reaching the 100-point mark. He currently leads the Major Series in scoring with 104 points, 23 ahead of his nearest pursuer. Williams' teammate Gavin Front is fourth and Kasey Beirnes sits ninth in scoring. Beirnes and Williams are also tied for the league lead in goals...Should Brampton and Brooklin Brooklin wind up tied in the standings, the Excelsiors would get the nod based on winning two of three games , between between the clubs during the season. Lopes makes Olympic berth official Joins Canadian team after third place finish in 100-metre hurdles event at national finals VICTORIA - When Perdita Feli- cien went to Sydney, Australia, for the 2000 Summer Olympics, she was Canada's lone representative in the women's 100-metrc hurdle event. The Pickering resident will have company this summer in Athens, Greece for the 2004 edition of the Games. Whitby's Priscilla Lopes, a former teammate of Felicien's with the Durham XL's, and Edmonton's An gela Whyte also qualified for the Lopes, a graduate of Father Leo event after their performances at the Austin High School, spent the past Canadian Senior Track and Field season competing for the University Championships and Olympic Trials of Nebraska Cornhuskers. over the weekend. In her first full season represent- By finishing third in the 100- ing her school, the sophomore stu- metre hurdles final . in Victoria, dent has had a stellar year, winning Lopes, 21, cemented her place on the the NCAA Indoor crown in the 60- Canadian team, metre hurdles in February in addition She had already met the Canadian to taking a silver in the outdoor 100- qualifying standard during the metre event in June. NCAA championships that were held She set school records in both of on June 11 in Austin, Texas when she those performances, won a silver medal with a time of Lopes also qualified for the 100- 12.64 seconds, at the time, the sec- metre dash final, placing fifth with a ond fastest mark by a Canadian in the time of 11.67 seconds, event. A total of 26 athletes will repre- ■ Fclicien is the Canadian record- sent Canada in the track and field holder, having run 12.46 seconds car- portion of the Olympic Games that Her this year. She won the race, while will be held from August 13-24 in Whyte came in second. Athens. Hurdler Patricia Lopes will be joining the Canadian Olympic team after her third place finish at nationals.