42 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2007 OT juniors hold off Blakelock rally Red Devils win another rugby title By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF BURLINGTON -- After dismantling the competition all season, the Oakville Trafalgar Red Devils junior boys' rugby team showed it can also win a close game. The Devils survived a second-half rally and a late threat by the T.A. Blakelock Tigers to win their eighth consecutive Halton junior boys' rugby title Wednesday. The Tigers won a scrum about five yards from the OT end zone in the last two minutes but were unable to push the ball across the line as the Red Devils held on for a 22-15 victory in Wednesday's Division 1 championship game at Sherwood Forest Park. "It would have been a big letdown," said Cory Hudson, who scored two tries for the Devils. "We dominated but we didn't keep up the intensity throughout the whole game." Hudson's try in the final minute of the opening half sent OT into the break with a 10-0 lead. Hudson would again find his way into the end zone seven minutes into the second half and the convert by Ryan VanderVliet, who had the Devils' first try, upped the lead to 17-0. For a team that had allowed only 15 points in its six regular season and playoff games, 17-0 seemed like more than enough to cruise to victory. Even when Nick Smith's penalty kick got Blakelock on the board, OT still seemed to be in control. However, Blakelock marched the ball down the field and Dave Allen broke several tackles to move the Tigers deep into OT territory. After winning a series of rucks, Allen broke into the end zone and Smith added a convert. Four minutes later the Tigers had OT reeling when Bobby Dingwall blocked a kick and Craig Whelan pounced on the ball in the end zone to pull Blakelock within two points. The Devils would provide themselves a bit of a cushion, answering the Blakelock rally with a try by Matt D'AquannoBairos, but left the door open for Blakelock to tie the game. However, Blakelock's final drive would be stopped short. "It's really disappointing to come so close," said Smith. "We were equally matched and we played them tough. Their first trys, (we) got caught off guard, but we kept focus." "Time was on our side," said OT coach David Schaffler. "We were a little baffled. They put so much pressure on us. We can play a lot better but full credit to Blakelock." Blakelock applied some early pressure in the game but OT controlled the play for much of the opening half. That wasn't too much of a concern for Blakelock coach Andy Rychel, especially after his team held the Red Devils -- who averaged more than 40 points a game this season -- at bay in the early going. "Our goal was to contain them in the first half and then see if we could open it up in the second," Rychel said. BARRIE ERSKINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER IN YOUR FACE: T.A. Blakelock's Ryan Mooyman (left) is stiff-armed by an Oakville Trafalgar ball carrier Wednesday during the Halton high school junior boys' rugby Division 1 final in Burlington. OT survived a late rally by the Tigers to prevail 22-15. Hawks edged by Nelson in tier 2 final BURLINGTON -- The Nelson Lords and Loyola Hawks couldn't have been more evenly matched. Both teams came into Wednesday's Halton high school junior boys' division 2 rugby final with a 3-1-1 record, and in their previous meeting the teams had played to a 15-15 tie. With a tie not being an option in the championship game, it was time to see which side would rise to the top. While the game lived up to its billing, it was Nelson's stingy defensive play and opportunistic scoring that prevailed in a 10-7 victory. Taylor Winter scored the winning try midway through the second half, diving into the corner of the end zone. Loyola threatened in the final minutes of the game when Dustin rise to the occasion offensively. The DeGiorgis broke free to the outside Lords jumped in front 5-0 in the openonly to be brought down by the last ing minute of the game when a good Nelson defender, Trefor Evans. tackle by Scott Ahonen jarred the ball Although the play didn't result in a try, free to set up a try by Hayden Porch. the run put the Hawks in Loyola controlled the good position and they "We had our ball for much of the first spent the last five minutes chances but half, moving the ball deep of the game within five Nelson came into Nelson territory on five yards of the Nelson end up big." separate occasions. Twice zone. As they had done in Dennis Amoakohene was the opening half, the Lords Loyola coach knocked out of bounds refused to break, holding Jerome Galante within a few yards of the the Hawks at bay to preserve goal line. Loyola was the victory. knocking on the door for "They came up big defensively," said 10 minutes before Amoakohene finally Loyola coach Jerome Galante. "We had barreled his way into the end zone four our chances but Nelson came up big." minutes before the end of the half. See Loyola page 43 Nelson also showed the ability to Join Us For Golf This Season! Limited number of memberships available! Associate Membership.................................................$299.99 Weekday Membership ............................................ $2,499.99* Weekday & after 1:30 on weekends Membership $2,899.99* Full Introductory Membership............................. $3,899.99* *Includes: driving range; club storage & cleaning plus use of pull cart; lockers & computerized handicapping. FAMILY NIGHT SPECIAL Friday, Saturday & Sunday Evenings After 6:00 pm 905-336-3660 $ 50 per player BOOK NOW! 17 Visit Us Online: www.hiddenlakegolf.com