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v_„_ J Sports Eïic Canaïrian ÉbtatEtiman ♦ June Efje Cattabîati iètatetfman ♦ June 21,2006 ♦ durhami2gi0n.com S a «Hj g) ■-mmUésMè JR. B MID EAST GP W L T PTS BARRIE 1> 16 1 0 32 GREEN GAELS 15 9 6 0 18 MARKHAM 17 9 8 0 18 SAINTS 16 8 8 0 16 HUNTSVILLE 18 5 13 0 10 Shawn Cayley Generals blue-line makeover complete As Brad Selwood entered the offseason, offseason, he knew of one area, above all, that needed an overhaul. The Oshawa Generals could score plenty of goals, and the goaltending was OK, but the blue-line situation left something to be desired. Well, as we sit here on June 21, proactive proactive would be a good term to describe Selwood, the Generals' coach/GM, as the revamping of his defence corps for 2006 appears to be complete. "No, I am done," he says when asked if any more blue-line deals are in the works. With several newcomers and a host of returnees, the battle for jobs in camp will be one to watch. Both second overall pick Michael Del Zotto, the apple of Selwood's eye for quite some time, and Peter Aston, acquired earlier this month from Windsor, Windsor, are assured spots on the blue-line if they're both here. The Generals' power play- will definitely be improved with those two heading the charge. Also, one has to think newly acquired Trevor Koverko and Michael Ball weren't brought in as spectators. Ball was picked up for a sixth round pick (London) in 2007, while Koverko, the 1,2005 fifth round pick of the New York Rangers, became a General last Friday along with a swap of import picks with V Owen Sound. So, four spots are, in all-likelihood, . spoken for. : Perhaps the biggest question mark from that group "conies in Aston, an overager' who'll be attending camp in Finland this summer, but Selwood is confident he'll be signed ASAP. "He's been in, and wants to sign, but I want to.make sure he is 100 per cent committed before I draw anything up," says Selwood, before adding, "we're at about 95 per cent right now." The list of returnees is solid, not spectacular, spectacular, but will provide some pretty interesting battles. . James DeLory will sew up one spot, upping the number to five, while slots six through, eight could fall any which way with Brad Pawlowski, 'Eric Regan, . Matt Seegmiller, Trevor Waddell, Billy Siekris and Scott Madden all vying for position, with the last three hovering over a not-so-strong bubble when it comes to a roster spot. That being said, Selwood is thrilled to have such a selection to choose from. "I've learned that in this league you can never have too many defencemen," he says. "We know we are going to get injuries and suspensions at some point, so it never hurts to have the bodies." The Waddell situation will be impacted , by Aston's decision to sign as the former would lose his overage spot. Along with Aston, it's expected Peter Tsimikalis and Carlo DiRienzo will make up this year's 20-year-old contingent. , No Aston would leave the door open for Waddell, but that isn't likely. Any way you slice it, by the time camp rolls around, with the new faces, returnees and lip and coming prospects, Selwood will have put together quite an impressive puzzle, and if nothing else, an improved one over last year's. Shawn Cayley's column appears every third Wednesday. E-mail: scayley@durhamregion.com Loblaws edges Doctor Comfort CLARINGTON - In' Bowmanvillc United Soccer Club Major Atom action, Loblaws defeated Doctor Comfort 3-2 to improve their season record to 2-1. Mitchell Hunt scored three times for Loblaws and Graham Janack scored twice for Doctor Comfort. Strong goal- lending from Liam Moran and Quinn Marr enabled the win for Loblaws. > i -in-i m rrfr,- n -,v •* On the move Photo by Andrew Norman BOWMANVILLE -- Breanna Hunt of the Clarington Gaels was moving as fast as she could while a Hamilton defender chased her during a preliminary game at the Dan Greer Memorial Tournament that was held at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex. In this game on Sunday morning, Clarington prevailed 4-2, finishing fourth out of six entries. It was just a couple of weeks ago that Clarington won the Laker Classic Tournament in Peterborough. Photo by Getty Images Justin Williams was all smiles on Monday night after his Carolina Hurricanes Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers by a 3-1 score in Game 7 of the flnals. Williams, who is from Cobourg and played junior with the Cougars, scored the third goal of the game into an empty net late in the third period. Justin Williams scores empty net goal in deciding game of final BY VINCE VERSACE Staff Writer COBOURG - A hometown boy has won hockey's Holy Grail. Cobourg's Justin Williams iced the Carolina Hurricanes first ever Stanley Cup win with an empty net goal in the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final on Monday, June 19. The goal, at 18:59 of the third period, sealed the cup clinching game by a 3-1 score over the Edmonton Oilers. "We are on top of the world right now," said Williams as he was interviewed by CBC Sports on the ice after the final buzzer. "Everyone is just so happy and I am really happy for our old guys." Williams was all the smiles during the on-ice celebrations and when he was handed the Stanley Cup, during Caroli- . na's victory lap with it, he shouted with joy. The shouts and smiles of pride and happiness were not just in Carolina but in the homes of Williams's friends who watched his every move during these playoffs. "I remember when he was power skating skating and he was just knee high to grasshopper," grasshopper," says Ron Spicwak, Northumberland Northumberland Tire owner and Mr. Williams' family friend. "I am really happy for him. He is the hometown boy docs good." Spicwak watched Game 7 with a group of friends on Monday night and the group exploded with joy when Williams scored the third and final goal of the game. "It was all quite exciting. It is unfortunate unfortunate it was the Edmonton Oilers, a Canadian team in the final, but we are really happy for Justin. This win is good for him and our area," says Spicwak, See WILLIAMS, page B2 Clarington on the softball map CLARINGTON - "Where is Clarington?" Clarington?" That question is being asked across Ontario as the Clarington Juniors women's women's fastpitch team has . been noticed by the province's established women's softball organizations. This team, in its first year of competition, has come out of nowhere to reach the finals of the two open class tournaments it has entered. Along the way it has beaten many of the top teams in the province, even including including the two-time defending Canadian Women's senior champions. In the first tournament in Grafton, Clarington opened eyes right off the bat by going undefeated in pool play. The opening night's 13-1 trouncing of Newmarket was followed by an 11-4 win over the two-time defending Senior Canadian champions from Brampton. Their next game was another mercy, this time a 10-3 decision over an Intermediate-level Intermediate-level team from Quebec. In the most exciting game in the tournament, Clarington Clarington faced an all-star, team which will carry the Quebec banner into this year's Canadian Junior nationals. Clarington scored the only run of the game when Stephanie Reid's triple brought home Taylor Watt's single in the top of the third inning. The final out came at home plate when a strong throw from left fielder Reid to catcher Watt was waiting for the shocked Quebec player's arrival. In the semifinal game, Clarington posted a 5-1 victory over the Port Perry Midget Midget team. Clarington faced another Port Perry team, this time the Senior team that had finished fourth in last year's Canadian senior championship, which gave Clarington its only defeat of the weekend. Clarington continued its winning ways at another open tournament, this time at the very popular Newmarket Skins Tournament. The team again went undefeated in pool play. In their opening game they spotted an older Rochester Wildfires team a one run lead, then dominated the balance of the game to record a 6-1 victory. In their second game they destroyed the host Newmarket Junior team 11-0. In their final pool game they again spotted their opponents, this time the Port Perry Junior team, a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but came back with two runs in the fifth inning and hung on for a 2-1 win. Clarington opened Sunday's playoff round by defeating the Pickering Heat Midget team. They needed extra innings to defeat a surprisingly strong Oakville Junior team that gave Clarington Clarington all they could handle. In the semifinal semifinal against the defending Canadian Junior team, the Pickering Heat, they took 3-0 and 4-1 leads before succumbing succumbing to Clarington by a 6-4 final score. In the tournament championship game it took an older Amherst Lightning two innings of international tie-breaker play before finally defeating Clarington 1-0. In early season tournament play Clarington Clarington has posted a 10-2 won-loss record. Their only defeats are against older teams whom they will not be competing against for the Ontario junior championship. championship. Indeed it is not inconceivable that in its first year of operation Clarington could be competing for the Canadian national junior championship. The Ontario softball world is quickly learning just where Clarington is. Winning a habit for Novice Gaels CLARINGTON - The Clarington Play it Again/Sure fit Novice A Gaels continued their winning ways with a 11- 4 win over the Rock from Pickering. The Gaels, backed by.goaltenders Carter Carter Kolarek and Liam Wynne, and strong defensive play from Tyler Gaulton, Jake Kelly, Zack Bryant and Jamie Bennett, enjoyed their sixth win of the season. Scoring for the Gaels were Mitchell Mitchell Burghardt with 3 goals, Zach Cole (2g,la), Zach Taylor (2g), Conner Kear- nan (lg,3a), Ben Kolotai (lg,2a), Garrett Garrett Eddy (lg, la), Cody Leçon vs (Ig), Bryden Albright (2a), Keenan Cook (2a), Sam Glaspell (la) and Cam Roily (la). iy.i m,, L,'i . V" Jr.' $ r