Blades blast Tributes quickly pour in for former Aquinas teacher Cougars, fall to Toronto Continued from page 20 21 · Wednesday, December 19, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com It was a weekend of extremes for the Oakville Blades' offence in Ontario Junior Hockey League play. Friday, the Blades scored a season-high dozen goals in a 12-0 blitzing of the Burlington Cougars at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex. The following evening, however, Oakville was limited to a single marker in a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. Nathan Renouf, Jimmy Cusan, Patrick Chore and Kyle Jenkins scored twice each for the Blades in the rout of the Cougars. Jonah Renouf and Harrison Domagala each contributed three assists, while Kris Bennett, Sean Perichak, Matt Alvaro and Zach Berg had singles. Evan Buitenhuis made 37 saves to record the shutout for Oakville, which capitalized on six of 14 power-play opportunities. Saturday in Toronto, Perichak opened the scoring in the second period but the Blades were unable to beat Junior Canadiens netminder Denny Dubblestyne on any of their other 39 shots. Toronto tied the game near the midpoint of the third period, then scored the winner with 3:05 left in regulation time. Spencer Bacon took the loss in goal for the Blades despite making 29 stops. Oakville is scheduled to play twice this weekend in its final action before the Christmas break. The Blades will host the Mississauga Chargers this Friday at Sixteen Mile (7:30 p.m. start) before travelling to Orangeville Saturday to face the Flyers. left on the drama program." That was clearly reflected in the online tributes that sprang up Monday. "I was lucky enough to have Mr. Szpakowski as a teacher for 4 years. RIP you will be greatly missed," wrote Colleen Redmond. "Thinking back to the high school plays... I have met some great people there that I otherwise would not have known or been this close with. I have Mr. Szpakowski to thank for bringing us together, giving people courage, making people smile and because of that I looked forward to his class every single day." Daly couldn't help but smile upon seeing another tribute on Twitter asking people for their favourite Szpakowski quote (#TweetASzpakowskiQuote). "I just laughed," he said. "They were all things I had heard him say a hundred times." Szpakowski would arrive hours early for practices in the morning and then stay for several hours after school to oversee the production of a play. Somewhere he found time to coach rep volleyball outside of school as well. The drama program obviously held a special place in his heart, though. With the school being rebuilt last year, Szpakowski was those schools excelled at volleyball. For Esteban, Szpakowski had an even more asked to reflect on his memories of the old gymnasium. Rather than single out one of the far-reaching impact. Upon graduation, he many wins he guided his teams to on the found himself teaching alongside his former teacher at Aquinas. court, he chose to remember "I was by far the youngest the productions that had played "I have Mr. Szpakowski to thank for bringing us person on staff," he said. "He out on the stage. developed me as a young eduSzpakowski also taught gui- together, giving people cator. His experience as an tar lessons in music classes courage, making people educator helped me and he and played at masses and other smile and because of gave me some good advice." school functions. In the sporting world, his that I looked forward to This year, despite having an coaching techniques were as his class every single undersized team that didn't varied as his talents. have a single club player on its day." "Sometimes he was a menroster, Szpakowski coached tor, sometimes he would get Colleen Redmond, writing the Raiders' senior boys volon you if you weren't working on Twitter about former St. leyball team to an undefeated hard enough, sometimes he'd Thomas Aquinas teacher season, capped with the Halton Tier 2 championship in sit back and let you figure it Ron Szpakowski November. out. He never coached kids the "They call us the small school with the big same way," said Esteban. "He was able to figure out what each kid needed and coached heart," he said afterward, "and this team really reflects that." them to be their best." This week, that heart is broken as the Esteban said it was no coincidence that wherever Szpakowski taught during his school mourns the loss of a teacher, a coach 24-year educational career, including St. Luke and mentor who will always hold a special and Burlington's Sacred Heart and St. Mark, place in the Aquinas community. HSSAA winter seasons resume without public schools By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Despite the absence of public high school sports teams, the Halton Secondary School Athletic Association is marching on with its winter season. The HSSAA amended its schedules last week to form new leagues that feature only Catholic schools and Oakville private school King's Christian Collegiate. Competition in boys' basketball, girls' volleyball and boys' and girls' hockey resumed last Thursday after a brief interruption caused by the recent cancellation of extracurricular activities by public high schools in Halton. The cancellation of varsity sports programs in public high schools across the province is due to work-to-rule sanctions being imposed by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation in response to Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act. "It was a little bit of work, but not too complicated," HSSAA convener Darrin Curtis said of rewriting the schedules. "We just had to ensure the publics were not participating. And they're not, for the time being." Under the new format, Catholic schools and King's Christian Collegiate will all play eight-game schedules in volleyball and basketball, playing every team once. Hockey seasons will consist of 10 games. If varsity sports programs resume in public high schools before the end of the winter sports season, a public school league would be formed at that point. However, Curtis said, public schools would have to play a minimum of 50 per cent the number of games the Catholic schools played in order to be eligible for OFSAA qualifying. -- For an extended version of this story, log onto http://bit.ly/ T5oZOv Call Alycia at 905-845-3824 ext. 278 ahowe@oakvillebeaver.com HOME IMPROVEMENTS CONSTRUCTION PAINTING ATTENTION PROFESSIONAL ROOFERS: THIS SPACE CAN BE YOURS Home Renovations/Additions Drywall speciality/Taping Experience in custom building gives that added touch to big or small jobs Electrical/plumbing/carpentry guarantees quick precise completion of your reno or addition. Remodel a kitchen/bathroom/ basement install new cabinets & counters/tiling PAINTING Inter-Can Painting Inc. PROFESSIONAL PAINTERS Reno/Handyman Over 30 Years In Business · Plaster Repair · Stucco · Interior/Exterior · Personalized Service · Free Estimate Hubert Klein (owner) PAINTING & WALLPAPERING José Ramirez For Free Estimates call Royal DECORATING LTD. 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