www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, January 16, 2014 | 28 HALTON TRANSMISSION 559 SPEERS RD., #UNIT 3 905-842-0725 www.haltontransmission.com Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports "Connected to your Community" the Eagles on the ropes, they chased a ball down deep in the back court, keeping it alive before winning the point. Each team would fight off set point once more before a diving Onaope Egbedeyi came up with a crucial dig and Gorrell finished off the point. Melissa Langegger, continuing her strong play in the middle, then came up with another block to finally help the Eagles win the set. "I was a little worried," Gorrell said of her team's slow start. "I know a lot of the (Trinity) girls from playing rep against them. They're a good team. We're basically neckand-neck." The Eagles would again fall behind 15-11 in the second set before taking five straight points -- and never relinquishing the lead -- behind the serving of Williams and the attacks of Gorrell and Niki Bozinoski. "This group is a group with amazing skill," Burr said. "We've taken a lot of players from different (rep) teams and they continue to get stronger and stronger as a group." Trinity also boasts a strong contingent of rep players. Nash and Julia Kaczorwska, who missed Monday's game, are teammates on Lakeside, one the province's top teams. Returnees from last year's OFSAA bronzemedal team, Danielle Henriques, Kendra Wynter and Taylor Straub also bring extensive rep experience. Despite the loss, Holy Trinity coach Dan Russell said he was impressed with his team's composure. "In the timeouts, they were calm and laid back. That's where last year's experience helps," he said. "Last year, they struggled to stay calm. Now we're down three or four points and they're saying to each other, `We just need one good pass.'" Like the Eagles, the Titans also boast a strong young group with Erica Witt (Grade 11), Simone Hardenne and Valeria Granda (Grade 10) in Monday's starting lineup. That should keep the budding volleyball rivalry between the two schools alive for a while. And while the two teams will be among the top contenders for the Halton Tier 1 title, the good news is when it comes to divvying up OFSAA medals, Abbey Park, a triple-A school, and Holy Trinity, quad-A, won't have to compete against one another, leaving plenty of medals to go around. What if? One year after lost season cost them shot at OFSAA medal, Abbey Park girls serving notice they're a volleyball power by Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver Staff The Abbey Park Eagles could only wonder. What if? A year after winning the Halton junior girls' volleyball title without dropping a set all season, those players made the jump to senior last year and opened the season with three straight wins. But the withdrawal of extracurricular activities by public school teachers brought their season to an abrupt end. Instead, the Eagles could only watch as their Halton rivals, the Holy Trinity Titans, went on to earn a provincial bronze medal on the Sheridan College court in Oakville. Could the Eagles have earned an Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) medal? "It's difficult to think about last season," said Abbey Park's Tori Gorrell. "We only got three games in." Fortunately for the Eagles, they're young enough to have another chance to answer that question. The Abbey Park squad that took to the court at home Monday featured just one Grade 12 starter -- setter Sarah Scott. And after scoring a 30-28, 25-20 victory over Holy Trinity, which posed the biggest threat to a core group that has yet to lose a high school league match, Abbey Park improved to 10-0. "That was a hard-fought win," said Eagles coach Julie Burr. "It was fantastic volleyball and it feels good to pull that one out." Trinity came into the game having won 11 straight since dropping its season opener to Abbey Park player Sarah Williams (in blue) hits over the block of Holy Trinity opponent Erica Witt Monday at Abbey Park. | photo by Riziero Vertolli -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog Nelson. The Titans looked intent on keeping that streak going as they built an early 13-7 lead behind the powerful attacks of Megan Nash, who is bound for the University of Central Arkansas next year. Abbey Park would battle back with a couple of points behind some creative setting by Scott, who effectively mixed in short sets for former Ontario beach volleyball champion partners Gorrell and Sarah Williams. Still, the Eagles did not take their first lead until going ahead 23-22. The Titans twice staved off set point before pushing Abbey Park to the brink. After a disputed call put Extras in Tim Hortons commercial get to meet Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby Sharon DeVellis says she'd rather give her children unique opportunities than material gifts. It'll be difficult for the Oakville resident to top the most recent experience she was able to expose her sons to. When DeVellis was recruited by Tim Hortons to help shoot a commercial starring an unnamed famous hockey player, she asked if she could bring her sons, 12-year-old speed skater Adam and nine-year-old minor hockey player Liam. The unnamed famous hockey player turned out to be Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby. And though Sharon, Adam and Liam did not take the Hamilton Copps Coliseum ice with Crosby for the advertisement -- they were extras in the crowd -- they did get a chance to meet Canada's 2010 Olympic hero afterwards. "He said hello to all of us and shook my son's (Liam's) hand. It was a moment I won't ever forget," said Sharon, a 42-year-old freelance writer who also appeared in a President's Choice advertisement last year with Loblaw Companies Ltd. executive chairman Galen Weston, Jr. "(Liam's) eyes were huge. After Sidney shook his hand, Liam looked at his hand like he would never shake it again." Since actors and extras weren't permitted to tell anyone about their involvement in the commercial until the ad aired Jan. 3, Liam had to keep his encounter with Crosby a secret from his friends. "When they said I could (tell people), I went to my school and told everyone in my class," Liam said. The ad debuted on television during TSN's coverage of the IIHF World Junior Championship. (A YouTube video of the commercial can be viewed at bit.ly/1d76qAf) Canadians are invited to visit the Tim Hortons #JumpTheBoards app on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ TimHortons) to enter for their chance to get on the ice with Crosby. The contest ends Jan. 25. -- Jon Kuiperij, with files from Stacey Escott, Hamilton Spectator