www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday August 27, 2008 - 37 E-mail issues resolved GETTING READY: Holy Trinity's Jordan King carries the pigskin during one of the senior Titans football team's practices last week. Trinity has spent the last couple weeks preparing for a preseason matchup with the Mogadore Wildcats, scheduled for Friday in Ohio. LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER Anyone trying to submit team reports or story ideas to The Oakville Beaver during the past week might have noticed their e-mails being bounced back to them. Technical issues with The Beaver's e-mail system meant that hardly any messages got through over the past week. Those issues have been resolved and readers are once again encouraged to submit team reports or sports story ideas to sports@oakvillebeaver.com. Unfortunately, any e-mails sent over the past week that did not get through are not in the system. If you e-mailed sports@oakvillebeaver.com during that time frame and are not certain that the e-mail reached Beaver sports editor Jon Kuiperij, you are encouraged to resend your e-mail. The Beaver apologizes for the inconvenience and appreciates your patience. Oakville Vytis Basketball Association Boys and Girls Rep BASKETBALL TRYOUTS Ages 8 19 Join the tradition... Experienced coaches with National and International level Basketball experience. 4 PROVINCIAL MEDALISTS IN 2008! Tryouts for 2008-09 season begin September 4th, 2008. For tryout dates and locations Titans pumped for Friday night By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR www.oakvillevytis.com Friday night lights has remembered the Titans. The Holy Trinity Titans are expecting the gridiron experience of a lifetime this weekend in Ohio as they prepare to kick off their high school senior football season with an exhibition game against the Mogadore Wildcats. "It will be like you see on TV, with Friday Night Lights," Trinity head coach Joe Moscato said, referring to the classic football film. "This is going to be a great experience for these kids." Mogadore, a school of approximately 300 students, needed an opponent for its home opener after one of the teams in its league dropped out. The Wildcats sent invites to Hamilton and Halton schools this past spring, and the Titans were quick to oblige. "Once we got that e-mail, within 15 minutes we were on the phone," Moscato said. "We wanted to take advantage of it before someone else did." Friday's tilt, scheduled for a 7 p.m. start, will be a regular-season game for the Wildcats. The Titans, meanwhile, will treat the contest as a chance to evaluate talent, bond as a team and soak up the American high school football atmosphere. "I think it's probably the best thing for us before a big year," said Trinity safety Josh MacDougall. "We'll be a step ahead of a lot of teams." Titans quarterback Rob Birtles added, "I think it will bring us a lot closer together, a trip where we're sharing hotel rooms together and a long bus ride. Everyone coming together is good." The Titans have been practicing every weekday for the past couple weeks, having received permission from the Halton Secondary Schools Athletic Association to begin workouts early. The teams will play under American rules, necessitating some adjustments for the Trinity players accustomed to three downs, an extra player and a larger field. "We can't motion the same way (as Canadian rules) and it pretty much eliminates one of our wide receivers, but the game plan is still the same," said Birtles. "Just try to move the ball down the field." The Titans should be in for a stiff test. Despite its small population, Mogadore -- located near Akron -- has a tradition of football success, including a State Division VI championship six years ago. "We want to go down there and be competitive, and hopefully be in a position to win the game," Moscato said. "It's an exhibition game for us, but it counts for them so they'll be serious about it. It will be tough to beat them, but I think we'll be competitive. "I think our guys are prepared either way. They understand, whether we win or lose or get killed in Mogadore, it has no bearing on how we'll play this year in Halton," the coach continued. "We have a goal in mind of where we want to be this year, and this is just a stepping stone." Trinity's 40-player contingent will leave Oakville tomorrow (Thursday) for its five-hour bus ride, and will return Saturday. Moscato hopes to get every player into Friday's game. Tigers' plans scratched The T.A. Blakelock Tigers were also planning on a pre-season trip, but those plans fell through. Blakelock had hoped to visit New Westminster, B.C. early next month and then host Churchill, Man. in a four-team exhibition series. "Several things didn't align, a number of little things. It just didn't happen, not for not wanting it," said Tigers assistant coach Steve Morrison, who had organized the trip. "The trip was something to inspire and get us kick-started. We're still focusing on rebuilding the program.." Morrison said fundraising efforts for the trip fell short, although that money will be put towards the football team. Junior Rookie Ball (2001) Sept. 7th, 2008 Sept. 8th, 2008 10 AM 6 PM Bronte Park Bronte Park Bronte Park Bronte Park Bronte Park River Oaks Bronte Park Millbank West Wallace Park Wallace Park Wallace Park Wallace Park River Oaks River Oaks Glen Abbey Glen Abbey Oakville Park Oakville Park Oakville Park Oakville Park Senior Rookie Ball (2000) Sept. 7th, 2008 10 AM Sept. 8th, 2008 6 PM Minor Mosquito (1999) Sept. 7th, 2008 Sept. 8th, 2008 Mosquito (1998) Sept. 7th, 2008 Sept. 8th, 2008 Minor Peewee (1997) Sept. 7th, 2008 Sept. 8th, 2008 Peewee (1996) Sept. 7th, 2008 Sept. 9th, 2008 Minor Bantam (1995) Sept. 9th, 2008 Sept. 10th, 2008 Bantam (1994) Sept. 9th, 2008 Sept. 10th, 2008 Minor Midget (1993) Sept. 9th, 2008 Sept. 10th, 2008 Midget (1991, 1992) Sept. 9th, 2008 Sept. 10th, 2008 12 PM 6 PM 2 PM 6 PM 10 AM 6 PM 12 AM 6 PM 7 PM 7 PM 7 PM 7 PM 7 PM 7 PM 7 PM 7 PM Junior (1988, 1989, 1990) Spring 2009 Oakville Park The mandate of the OMBA is to have AA teams at each level, subject to availability of players, coaches and volunteers. All players must pay a one time tryout fee of $20 and must attend a minimum of 2 tryouts. For further tryout dates and locations and contact information visit our web-site at www.oakvilleminorbaseball.com