The Citizen, 2012-04-19, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012.Auburn’s Verwey wins two provincial dart trophiesSports
Auburn resident and Blyth Legion
member John Verwey once again
brought home the Darts Ontario
Provincial Championship this year, a
full 15 years after first earning the
title, and he paired it with the
Provincial Legion title as well.
“They’re the only two awards you
can get in a year for provincial
throwing,” he said. “It’s not easy,
and I’m proud of winning.”
The events, held earlier this month
and last month respectively, were
tough competitions according to
Verwey.
“There were some close
competitions,” he said. Anyone who
has been involved in either contest
can tell you nothing is easy there,
there is no easy ride.
“I just persevered and ended up
getting the last double before the guy
behind me could at the Darts Ontario
match.”
Winning the two trophies isn’t
easy according to Verwey who said it
takes a lot of training to get where he
was. He also said experience helps.
“I’ve been doing this since I was
28, and I’m 55 this year,” he said. “I
slacked off a little recently because
I’m not fond of the travelling, but,
with my wife wanting us to enter the
mixed doubles, I figured I’d take a
shot.”
After breaking his leg doing work
around his property several months
before the event, Verwey recovered
and started to train and ended up
with the first place prize. He and his
wife made it to the top 32 teams in
the mixed doubles out of 120 to 130
teams.
He originally got into darts
because of how accessible it was.
“It was something my wife and I
could together and it was always
available,” he said. “It’s a great game
and you can get involved
inexpensively. Even if you want to
play at home it doesn’t require a lot
to get started, just $100 for a board
and some darts.”
He said the reward can be far
greater if people want to pursue it.
There are national competitions that
pay out well.
“I’m not going to throw my life’s
savings at it, but you can if you get
really good,” he said.
When he first started Verwey had a
lot of time he could play but now he
practices once a week.
“I might pick that up with the two
national competitions I’ll be in soon
thanks to the provincial wins,” he
said. “I’m heading to the Legion
National competition in Vancouver
in May and then to Thunder Bay
with the Darts Ontario team in
June.”
The one thing Verwey hopes
people take from his win is it can be
done. He especially hopes young
people get involved since he knows
there is a passion for it in Blyth.
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Peters drafted to OHL Whalers
Blyth-area hockey player Alex
Peters decided to try and follow in
his brothers’ footsteps and
succeeded in a huge way.
Peters, whose older brothers Justin
and Anthony both pursued hockey as
goaltenders, was picked as a second-
round draft pick for the Ontario
Hockey League (OHL) Plymouth
Whalers; a team that Justin played
for several seasons before becoming
a second-round draft pick for the
Carolina Hurricanes the team he
currently plays for.
In an interview with The Citizen
Peters stated he was fairly sure he
was going to be picked up in the
draft and knew of a range of rounds
he might go in but he stated
he was surprised to be picked so
early.
“I knew where I thought I would
go but I wasn’t expecting to go so
early,” he said. “It was a surprise.”
Prior to this Peters had played for
the Huron-Perth AAA Lakers and,
during the spring and summer
months, played for Quick Feet
Hockey. Both his on-ice time in the
off-season and off-ice practices
helped him become a second-round
pick.
“I trained over the summer and
focused on my nutirtion,” he said.
“Aside from that, I just focused on
playing my game during the year
and let things fall into place.”
Focusing on the here and now and
staying grounded was a lesson that
Peters took from both his brothers
according to him.
“They taught me to just keep a
straight head and not to get cocky,”
he said. “They said be modest, go
out and do your hardest and things
will happen.”
Over the weekend Peters made his
way to Plymouth where he saw the
new facility he would be calling his
home ice and met the staff he would
be working with.
“I’m excited to be playing at a
higher level, hopefully I can make
the team and be in the same uniform
that my brother played in for a bit,”
he said, adding that tryouts will
begin between 30 and 60
days from the draft depending
on how the Whalers fare in the
playoffs.
Peters said that his reaching this
level is thanks to several key
influences in his life.
“I have to thank all my coaches,
my parents and my brothers and
sister,” he said. “I’m thankful for the
opportunity to be drafted and I’m
looking forward to the upcoming
years.”
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Bantam AA Lightning fall short
in provincial championship
Despite clawing their way into the
playoff round, the Saugeen Maitland
Bantam AA Lightning were
eliminated by the top-ranked Whitby
Wolves in a hard-fought battle at the
OWHA Provincial Championships
last weekend.
In a game that many insiders
considered should have been a gold
medal match-up instead of a
preliminary playoff-round game, the
top ranked Wolves downed the
number two Lightning 3-1.
The Wolves opened the scoring
early, but the Bolts stormed back
with a power play marker to even the
score at one. Lexi Smith tipped in a
Jamie Simpson point shot off a feed
from defence partner Ciara Lark.
The score remained tied much of
the game thanks to some key saves
from goaltender Morgan Baker until
Whitby scored another late in the
third. The Bolts pulled their
netminder for an extra attacker and
pressured in the Whitby end for the
tying goal, but the Wolves dumped
one down the rink into the open net
to ice the game.
The Lightning began their
preliminary round at the provincials
with a 1-1 tie with the Peterborough
Ice Kats, despite outshooting their
opponents 43-6. Miranda Lantz
scored with assists going to Tori
Terpstra and Nikki Zabel. The Bolts’
scoring drought followed them into
their second preliminary round game
against the Barrie Sharks where the
Lightning were shutout 2-0. The
third game against the Clarington
Flames was a must-win for the
Lightning to advance. The Lightning
confidence and balanced scoring
attack returned with a 7-0 win over
the surprised Flames.
Scoring for the Lightning were
Terpstra (2), Smith, Simpson,
Ashlee Lawrence, Avery Reeves and
Kaitlin Eckert. Assists were awarded
to Neve VanPelt (3), Smith (3),
Lantz (2), Cassidy Mason, Maddie
Duncan, Hannah Herman, Lark and
Zabel. Rebecca Ropp turned aside
all Clarington shots for the shutout
in net.
The much-needed win moved the
Lightning into the playoff round
against the eventual Provincial
Champion Whitby Wolves.
The Bantam AA Lightning wish to
thank all sponsors, coaches, trainers,
managers and volunteers who
helped make their season a success.
The players have little time to
recover as try-outs for next season’s
Lightning teams begin next week.
Check the try-out schedule at
www.saugeenmaitlandlightning.com
REGISTRATION 2012-2013 SEASON 6-7pm
WRAP UP NIGHT 6:30 P.M. WED. APRIL 25, 2012.
• post-dated cheques accepted
• $100 cheque dated
April 25, 2012 for
Cash Draw Tickets
• New Players for all age
groups welcome
refreshments provided
FEES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
TO HOST PROVINCIAL JUNIOR TEAMS.
Craig Hennessey 519-522-0809
INTERESTED
IN PLAYING
GIRLS
HOCKEY??
The West Huron Wave Female Hockey Association
is hosting teams from Novice through Midget,
BB/B through C and HL (as numbers merit).
3 skates for $50 —try-outs are being held at the
Maitland Recreation Centre in Goderich
on April 27, 28, 29 and 30, 2012
(see website http://sites.google.com/site/thewavefha
for specific times).
For more information please contact:
Beth Pritchard 519-524-5841 or beth4prit@gmail.com
Deanna Hastie 519-524-6665
Vicki Campbell 519-527-2581 or sandcam@tcc.on.ca
(come join The Wave for the 2012/13 season)
Pit stop
Alex Fielding did his best to replace a tire at a pit-stop
mockup at the Hullett 500 – Hullett Public School’s annual
carnival and auction. The April 13 event featured food and
fun as well as silent and live auctions to keep people of all
ages entertained. (Denny Scott photo)