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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1987-05-20, Page 13Grandson of the Ferguson`s Seaforth A rarity for high school basketball players in Huron county has been ac- complished by Ron Vercruyssen, a student at Seaforth District High School. Vercruyssen, of RR 1, Blyth the grandson of Norm and 011ie Ferger- son of Exeter has accepted a full athletic scholarship with an American university. He recently signed a one-year renewable contract with St. Jospeh's University of Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania. It virtually guarantees him a spot on the college team for the next five years. "The one-year renewable is just a technicality," he says. "They told me that the only way it won't be renew- ed is if I don't want to stay on or if I let my grades slip or turn pro or something." The scholarship covers the cost of the college's tuition for one yjar about $6,000 U.S., provides room and board valued at $1,400 and includes a $200 book allowance. It, won't cost him a cent. During his first year, the 18 year- old six-foot ten -inch athlete will spend approximately 12 hours a week on the basketball court while his course load will be 12 to 15 hours a week. He plans to take a general business basketball star gets full scholarship to U.S. school course for the tirst year of college giv- ing him four more years after he decides on a major which he says will be in the field on business administra- tion. On a four -point scale, the scholarship student will be expected to maintain a grade point average of 1.75 or better. For the first six weeks at St. Joe's,. Vercruyssen will spend 75 minutes a day taking part in an extensive con- ditioning and weightlifting program. The next six weeks will consist of two and a half hours per day of pre -season practice, but after November 26 prac- tice time will decrease as the team begins its playing season. The team will play in 27 games in the Atlantic Ten Conference throughout the regulation season, a circuit which will take it to other schools from Maine to West Virginia. Post -season tour- naments will follow. He has played for the Seaforth District High School basketball team since Grade nine. His coach, Terry Johnston, first saw the potential of the lanky athlete early, but the youth really began attracting attention when he made the Ontario Juvenile Basketball Team in Ottawa in December, 1986, when he was first scouted by St. Joe's assistant coach, Phil Morelli. T ^ '1FSSA regionals Rising rapidly through the ranks oif juvenile basketball since that begin- ning. Vercruyssen was selected as on of the top 12 players in his divi- n in Ontario, earning a berth on the rovincial team, competing at the Canada Winter Games in Nova Scotia last February. Although Ontario placed fourth in the competition, the style of both Ver- cruyssen and of a Toronto high school star, Richard Stewart, impressed Morelli so much that he eventually signed both Grade 13 students for the St. Joe's team this fall. "Ron has had some good basic coaching with Terry (Johnston), he has size, and he has expressed the desire to be the best he can be," Mr. Morelli said."He has the makings of a fine college player." And what does the Huron County farm boy see in his own future? "If I stay healthy and really, really im- prove my play, maybe I'll get a shot at the 1992 Olympics," he smiled. It was back in October that St. Joseph's University first heard of Ron. On the lookout for a tall player that no one knew about, assistant coach Phil Morelli got a tip from a friend and a "basketball fanatic" liv- ing in Toronto. Numerous phone calls Three South Huron runners advance Three girls from South Huron District High School continued their great performances at Thursday's WOSSA track and field meet in Lon- don and qualify for the next round of competition. The three are Lee O'Rourke, San- dra Relouw and Kim Van Dongen. O'Rourke was declared WOSSA senior girls champion, Relouw seta record in the junior girls triple jump and midget Kim Van Dongen qualified in the 3000 metre run and is an alternate in the 800 metre run. The Western Ontario Regionals for OFSSA will be held Friday and Satur- day of this week at the University of Windsor and the all -Ontario cham- pionships are set for McMaster • University in Hamilton on May 29 and 30. In winning the senior girls title, Lee O'Rourke won the long jump with a mark of 10.86 metres. She was second in the 100 metre hurdles, only a half second behind the winner Trich A CHAMPION LEAPS -- LeeO'Rourke shows her iong jump skills which helped her win the senior girls title in the recent WOSSA track and field meet. T -A photo OFF TO OFSSA -- Sandra Relouw set o WOSSA record in the junior girls triple jump. She is shown here with midget Kim Van Dongen. Both girls advance to the OFSSA regions. T -A photo 1 1 'Cookies dot. ' 1.49 Try our apple fritters, butter farts and cherry squares CHEESE Mozzarella lb. '299 Danish Blue Ib. '4.69 ■ Mrs Ilmmomgme-- Fresh Country Buns doz. 99C Nutritious Bran Muffins 6's '1.69 Delicious Peanut Butter Tasty Nu Broad lines► quality Always fresh This Weeks Features In effect Thurs., Fri.. Sat. (while supplies lost) We have tc o wide variety of Delicious Donuts1 1 i 1 JstyNu 1 Bakery &Cheese House' "Traditional quality" slnco 19291 Exotor 233-0332 — I.1• NM t• Me FM Lackie of L..inbton Central. In the junior girls triple jump San- dra Relouw set the conference record with a jump of 10.72 metres. She was third in the long jump with a mark of 5.03 metres. Kim Van Dongen qualified for the regionals this weekend with a fourth place finish in the midget girls 3000 metre run in a time of 11 minutes and 37 seconds. - Other SH athletes competing in the WOSSA meet were Craig Winbow, Jeanette Van Esbroeck, Beth Sweeney. Stacy Somerville, Carol Peebles, Rob Wonnacott, Glenn Durie, Rosemary Regier, Beth Des- jardine, Michelle Ellison, Laurie For- rester, Scott Regier and Sean Whiteford. The coach of the South Huron track and field team is Joe Fulop. Bantams draw with St. Marys The Exeter bantams were in action for the first game of the season in the new Western Ontario Baseball Association and played to an 8-8 tie with St. Marys. The local team coached by Gary Hartman and Barry Mills will be back on the field in St. Marys, Monday and at home against Varna on May 27. Jim Ahrens, Harlen Tinney and Terry Genttner shared pitching duties for the Exeter club in a game which was called after six innings because of darkness. In the Exeter first, David Schwindt singled and Steve Dubarry was safe on an error and both scored as Mark Russell reached base on another fielding miscue Terry Genttner walked. Harlen Tinney and David Schwind( singled in the Exeter second and both came around to count on singles from the bats of Brett Borden and Jim Ahrens. In the fourthjrame a single by Mark Russell sent Brett Borden across the plate with the fifth Exeter run. The locals scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead -8-6 on- ly to have St. Marys score two in the - top of the seventh to lie the game. Ex- eter failed to score in the bottom of the final inning. , The final three runs were plated by Schwindt, Borden and Tinney. Ladies dart season ends Recently. the Tuesday ladies dart league held their annual awards ban- quet at Robindales. Blue Water Roof- ing donated a trophy for the top team in the regular play. Ellen Knight presented this new trophy to the A - team Marg Wragg. Annie Lawson. Marie Ferguson, and Janice Sedlak. The second place team was the Aces Dorothy Reynolds, Rita Lessard, Marie Wall, and Betty Bowerman. The third place team was the Rebels - Marion Frayne, Irene Jackson, Barb Hearn, and Wanda Reynolds. The fourth place team was the Tambourines - Marilyn Chappel, Amanda -Hamilton, Terry Heywood. and Marguerite McLeod. The winner of the High Take Out was Marg Wragg with 96, the Most Games was Barb Hearn with 40 games, and there was a tie for High Score Barb Hearn with 141 and Betty Bowerman, Wanda Reynolds, and Marg Wragg with 140. For the spares, the winner of the High Take Out was Pearl Gans with 71, high Score was Kate Bierling with 135, and Most Games was Anna Romaniuk with 10. For the play offs, the Champions were. the Rebels - Marion Frayne, Irene Jackson. Barb Hearn, and Wan- da Reynolds. The Consolation was the Golden Girls - Julie Higgins. Jenny Devlin, Dorothy Wallace, Olive Ostland and Spares Shirley Campbell and Doris Hackney. Everyone is looking forward to another great season in the fall. led him to Seaforth high school coach Terry Johnston, and eventually Ron. "I saw Ron play in February at the Ontario Winter Games. What I saw there, and gathered later from con- versations on the phone, was that here was a nice, young man who had in- terest in basketball. We had an in- terest in him, and he had an interest in us," said Morelli. Morelli said the school realizes they didn't get a finished product in Ron, but said he has the makings to be a fine college player. "Ile has had some good basic coaching with Terry. He has size. And, he has expressed the desire to be the best he can be." But while Morelli said Ron will be an asset to the team, he said he does not guarantee Ron will make the pro- fessional ranks. "Like all young ball players Ron will probably hope, but we don't pro- mise anything. Only one -one hun- dredth of one percent ever make to the pros. We'll give him the best in- struction and the best direction. if he makes it, then great. If not, well, he's received an education and played ball at the same time. Morelli added all they want next season is for Ron to get acclamated to competition. "We don't put any numbers on anyone as to what we expect from them. We just want them to learn and we offer a lot of individual attention. Ron will blossom in an environment like that." TALL AND BIG HANDS — Ron Vercruyssen of Seaforth District High School has accepted a full basketball scholarship with St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. Above, he holds a ball in each hand while at the right he stretches his six foot, 10 inch frame. Huron Expositor photos May 20, 1987 imes dvoc~ Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North lambton Since 11173 PagelA No No Abby second at the M Area pacers turn in good efforts Two harness horses from this area turned in excellent efforts at the Big M, the Meadowlands in East Ruther- ford, New Jersey this week. Thursday night No No Abby own- ed by Bob Hamather, owner of Huron Motor Products was second in a New Jersey Sire Stakes and Saturday night. Quite A Sensation owned •by Claire Porter of Parkhill won the final of the Graduate Series. Quite A Sensation was third in one of the Graduate legs at Mohawk Raceway a week earlier, but was in high gear Saturday with John Camp- bell of Ailsa Craig in the sulky. He went the mile in 1.53.3. The four-year-old gelding that Porter purchased as a yearling for $5,500 brought home $78.500 for his Saturday victory to put career earn- ings to $670,185. The next start for Quite A Sensation will be close to his Parkhill fairgrounds home track as he is entered in the Labatt Pace at Western Fair Raceway in London on .lune 1. Others expected to go in the Labatt feature for $35,000 are Me Gotta Bret. Armbro Emerson. Ily (las Mimbar. Atlantic Flyway and Twin B Playboy. The second place finish for No No Abby at the Meadowlands Thursday was gratifying for owner Ilamather. In the fits( start of the year a week earlier the three year-old Non Nukes pacing filly finished fifth. No No Abby was the fastest two- year-old filly pacer in North America in 1986 by virtue of a win in 1.54.4 at Lexington, Kentucky in September. ft was the eighth fastest mile ever pac- ed by a two-year-old filly pacer. In seven starts last year, she earn- ed $131,943 including a 1.57.2 track record performance in the Champlain Stakes at Greenwood in Toronto on September 1. The homebred filly is staked into Shelton best in shuffling Lorne Shelton recorded a score of 546 to lead the men in Wednesday's regular shuffleboard competition. Ross Marshall was next at 324 along with Tom Hinolt 307 and Allen Johns 300. Best for the ladies' were Verde Lightfoot 283, Pearl McKnight 236, Olive Esser). 234 and hazel Fisher 204. Through the summer months shuf- fleboard will be on Wednesday only. Wednesday May 27 there will be a special games day free for shuf- fleboarders. Everyone is welcome and please bring sandwiches for lunch. This is part of Participaction nay. everything lfamather could get her into. The biggest purse will be the $600,000 Mistletoe Shalee July 31 at the Meadowlands. While Jean Poulin was the trainer for No No Abby in her two year-old career which started at Western Fair the (raining and driving chores this year- are being handled by Ron Waples. Royals lose 1-O to Lucan Irish The Exeter Royals were in action on only one occasion this week in .Southwestern.Fastball Association as they dropped a 1-0 decision to the Lucan Irish, Tuesday night. Wayne McConnell. Birkshire Blazer pitcher from London was on the mound for the Irish and allowed only two hits. They came from the bats of Willie Lamb and Jeff Rowe. Scott Brintnell on the mound for the Royals was also very effectiveallow- ing onlyfive hits to the Lucan club. Thursday's home game against Poplar Hill waS rained out. They will be in action again tonight. Thursday at the Exeter diamond with Nairn supplying the opposition. Game time is 9 p.m. The Royals season record now stands at two victories and one defeat. SALES Middegaal !400t SERVICE 11 1 INSTALLATION Seaforth 234 Main St. N. 527-0104 Introducing Brian's Service Centre .S'imp/icily as the NEW Authorized dealer Simplicity Lawn Mowers available in all sizes Check our special spring prices. Brian's Serrate Centre Dashwood 237-3322