www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, October 3, 2014 | 22 Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports "Connected to your Community" Never a doubt Even a rocky start couldn't derail King's Christian's Kyle MacDonald as he relied on his new-found confidence to win the Halton golf title By Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver staff When his tee shot on the first hole at Hidden Lake's old course landed behind a tree, it would have been easy for Kyle MacDonald to think, `Here we go again.' For the third straight year, the King's Christian Collegiate golfer started the final round of the Halton Secondary School Athletic Association golf championship in contention for the individual title. Two years ago, he began the last day one shot off the lead before shooting a 78 and finishing eight shots back in a tie for third. Once again in the final group last year, he was tied for the lead before struggling to an 83 and dropping to eighth. He entered Tuesday's final in a four-way tie for first but after finishing the first hole with a three-putt double bogey six, it looked like the title might be slipping away again. But relying on new-found confidence gained from what MacDonald calls "probably my best, no, actually it was my best," sum- mer of golf, he shook off the early trouble. The Grade 11 student went on to shoot a two-under 69 to hold off Georgetown's Gray Potter to win the Halton title by two strokes with a two-round total of 146. "This past year I've been more calm," he said. "I know I have the stuff, the physical ability, but usually, I'm pretty anxious before a round. I've been trying to let my game take me in the right direction. I've been happier on the course, not grumpy or upset if I make a bad shot. If I do (make a bad shot), I just think, `OK, turn it around.'" That's exactly what he did Tuesday. He stepped up to the 129-yard par-3 second hole and hit a wedge to three feet. He knocked in the putt to pull back within a shot of the lead. After back-to-back birdies on No. 5 and 6, followed by three straight pars to close the front nine, MacDonald was tied with Loyola's John Burghardt for the lead. Little did he know that his biggest challenge would come from two groups ahead. That's where Potter was putting together the best round in the Halton final in the past 25 years. Potter fired a 67, bouncing back from an opening-round 81 and climbing from 10th to challenge for the title. MacDonald would dash Potter's comeback bid by playing three-under over the final eight holes. "All week, I had been struggling with my ball striking," MacDonald said. "On the back nine, I had the best ball striking I've had all year. I was giving myself nice easy birdie chances." MacDonald's six birdies on the day also helped out a charitable initiative he's involved with through the American Junior Golf Association, which benefits the First Tee Program for young golfers. It also benefitted his team, which qualified for the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference championship by tying Burlington's Corpus Christi for second place behind Notre Dame. Joining MacDonald at the Beverley Golf and Country Club will be Braydon Evans (165) and Alex Matheson (169). "I'm so excited. That's the most fun I've had playing golf," MacDonald said, put- ting his past final rounds behind him. "I just decided, I'm here with my buddies, go have fun. It's so nice to (qualify for GHAC) as a team." Also heading to GHAC as individual qualifiers are Burghardt and Abbey Park's Brad Currier. Burghardt was among the four co-leaders heading into the final round. He was even-par on the front nine and shared the lead as late as the 11th hole, but back-toback bogeys on No. 12 and 13 dropped him out of contention. He finished with a 75 to take fourth place. Currier also shot a 75 to crack the top-10 with a two-round total of 157. Iroquois Ridge's Jasmine Yang finished second to Halton girls' champ Kristen Giles. Yang shot an 84 Tuesday to go along with her opening round of 87 at Wyldewood. Her two-day total of 171 left her seven shots back of Georgetown's Giles, a Grade 9 student who had rounds of 84 and 80. White Oaks' Natasha Stasiuk was fourth with rounds of 98 and 93 and Yang's Trailblazer teammate Marisa Dionisi was sixth. After 10 years, Iroquois Ridge's pink campaign continues to deliver powerful message By Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver staff Julia Arronato quickly realized how much her new high school got behind a cause when she arrived at Iroquois Ridge in Grade 9. "It was crazy," she said. "Coming from a small private, it was amazing to see so many people come together and get so much support. It changed the whole school environment." The rallying point that made such an impression was the school's annual Partners in Pink campaign, which raises awareness and money for breast cancer research. Started by now-retired teacher Lynda Anstett in memory of a student's mother, the school's annual pink events celebrate their 10th anniversary this year. The annual football game, with players donning pink socks, will be held next Thursday at noon with the Trailblazers taking on White Oaks. Teacher and football coach Kris Reeve says the goal is to extend the reach of their breast cancer awareness activities beyond the school. "We really want to make it a northeast Oakville event," he said. "Last year we had a great turnout from the feeder schools." With a $2 buy-in for Ridge students, he expects between 1,000 and 1,500 people at this year's game. "It really does bring the school together," said Lauren Ratcliffe, a Grade 12 student who heads the student organizing committee with Arronato and Mackenzie Haas. "Teachers even incorporate it into their lessons." As an example, Ratcliffe said marketing classes work on advertising and promoting the various events. There will be a garden party later See Football on pg. 23