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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-05-17, Page 19Page 18 Times -Advocate, May 17, 1995 This Week in Sports... • Local golfer hits hole -in -one on par four - page 19 • Rec Centre changing with times - page 21 Seniors eliminated, juniors advance in H -P EXETER - The SHDHS senior boys soccer team were eliminated from playoff action Monday while the junior boys advance to the Hu- ron Perth final. The junior's 4-0 victory earned them home field advantage when they host the HP Finals this friday at 2:00. However, the seniors 5-1 loss to F.E. Madill from Wingham abrupt- ly ended their season. But it came as no surprise to most of the team. Even though they won last Fri- day, the home game against Clinton Central Huron was an indication of how the team was executing. Dur- ing that game the senior boys soc- cer team relied on three different goal' scorers, Adam Jean, Bryan McAllister and Marty Debruyn for their goals in their semi-final vic- tory against Clinton. Debruyen, leading goal scorer for the Panthers, thought they didn't play to their fullest potential against the much weaker Central Huron team. "1 think we can do much better and we've got to come out playing better in the playoffs," he said. Coach George McEwan agrees. "If we had any competition out there we wouldn't have won." said McEwan adding that the Panthers only got off three shots against their opponent during the entire first half. "Our problem is shooting. We're not doing that very well, we're just not pulling the trigger," • he said. McEwan's words held true as the Panthers only scored one goal against F.E. Madill from Wingham in Monday's loss to Clinton. The senior girls also got a stab at the Central Huron team when they won their game 6-0 over Clinton Central Huron on Thursday. The senior girls were led by roo- kie Danielle Miners who pumped in three goals for the Parthers. Heather Davies got two goals and Gillian Gregoire scored one in what turned out to be a scoring romp over the visiting team. Assistant coach Rob Peat said the game plan was to take the early lead and keep possession of the ball for the rest of the game. The•girls executed perfectly making the vic- tory Took easy. Peat added that they had a par- ticularly strong team this year since a lot of the girls have played to- gether before on the field hockey team. The senior girls have enjoyed a particularly successful year. They finished their regular season league play in first place granting them home field advantage for the playoffs. Peat credits the strong net mind- ing performance of goalie Jana Webster who has let only two goals in all season, and strong defensive teamwork in their own zone for a successful regular season run. Pete hopes the winning combination continues into the playoffs. Big swing Six year old Joey Palsa swings at a rubber softball during a Rookie Ball House League game. Boys and girls between the ages of six and nine get a little taste of the big leagues every Saturday moming at the Precious Blood School ball diamond. Danielle Miners threw her javelin 37.38 metres to break the Huron Perth junior girls javelin throwing record in Goderich last week. SHDHS student shatters Huron Perth javelin record Miners gets record breaking javelin throw at track meet Chris Skalkos T -A staff EXETER - Danielle Miners led SHDHS's track and field team to a record breaking meet in Goderich last week. Miners threw her javelin 37.38 metres shattering the previous HP junior girls javelin record at_tte ,.Maty 9 and 10 Track and Field meet hosted by Goderich District Col- legiate Institute. Her performance surprised her; she hasn't had the opportunity to practice with the track team be- cause she also plays senior girls soccer. "At the beginning of the meet I didn't think 1 would be throwing that good," said Miners. "I thought I would only be throwing 29 or 30 metres." Her first throw was only three inches away from the record mark which gave Miners a bit of a con- fidence boost. "I said to myself 'wouldn't it be nice to to break the record." Miners isn't a stranger to winning at track and field events. During her attendance at SHDHS Miners competed at O.F.F.S.A. regionals every year and she's received a few tips on technique from javelin thrower Randy Johnson who is at- tending South East Missouri State University on an athletic Scholar- ship. For Miner's event, the record to beat at O.F.F.S.A. is in the "high thirtys" and the way Miners has Shuffleboard Hensall-May 9-6 game winners Hazel McEwan 491 Isabel Rogerson 471 Alice Thiel 441 Fergus Turnbull 412 Dave Kyle 396 Pat Davis 395 Jim Davis 374 Ina Williams 345 Exeter -May 10-4 game winners Ann Northey Doris Denham Steve Hrapchak 358 356 334 Gil Northey 282 3 game winners Tom Williams 323 Sena Gosar 254 Ina Williams 169 Mabel McKnight 168 May 11 - 5 game winners Gil Northey 525 Jim Davis 487 Tom Williams 469 Hal Walsh 433 • 4 game winners Lloyd Lovell 379 Pearl McKnight 374 John Pepper 336 Leona Elliot 221 been throwing, she could be reach- ing 40 metres by then. Miners already knows what it's like to be an Ontario Champion. She picked up three gold medals with the SHDHS field hockey team three years in a row: but she said that was for a team sport. Miners would like to win the the javelin competition and earn a first place championship in an in- dividual event, and of course, "an- other gold medal would be nice too." The SHDHS track and field team will travel to London next to com- pete in the W.O.S.S.A meet at the University of Western Ontario May 16, and 17. Labatt's Challenge CENTRALIA - Doug House, Brian Lather and Steve Snyder placed first in a skills competition during the Labatt Hockey Chal- lenge Provincial Championships in Hamilton two weeks ago. The three were playing for the High and Dry recreational hockey team in Cen- tralia. The team glalificd for the tournament by winning the Zurich recreational hockey league chal- lenge last November. Rook plays British ice -hockey Chris Skalkos T -A staff HURON PARK - David Rook is a professional hockey player, but he doesn't play for the National Hockey League. In fact, he doesn't even play in Canada. Rook is a goaltender playing hockey overseas in a"British ice -hockey league" for the Paisley Pirates in Scotland. Hockey may not be one of Britain's top three most popular sports; however, its popularity is growing rapidly and Rook enjoys being a part of it. Rook, who has a dual citizenship, returned recently from Scotland where he just finished 48 regular season games with the Pirates, back- ing his team to a successful second place finish in division playoffs. He says when he tells people he's playing hockey in Britain they usu ally question the quality of hockey, but Rook says the calibre of tal- ented hockey players over there is actually very high. Despite the strong Canadian influence on Scotland's hockey league, he says there are some big differences between the style of hockey these two countrys adopt. "It's a more offensive league. There's very limited clutch and grab- bing," says Rook adding that Canadian hockey players tend to finish off body checks playing more of bump and grind game. According to Rook, the hockey over there is heavily oriented towards offensive playing marked by fast flowing end-to-end rushes. "Defense really isn't a priority," he says and it's not uncommon for him to face fifty or more shots on net each game. Needless to say shut- outs are extremely rare in this type of hockey. "Being a goaltender in such an offensive league sometimes leaves you wide open, but some- times you have to bite the bullet." Rook explains this type of hockey caters to the Scottish fan's craving for high, action -packed goal scoring plays. "The fans like to see goals, that's why they like goal scorers. It's more entertaining to watch," he says. The people who follow hockey in Scotland are a different breed of sports fans. Many of the audience's vocal rituals, such as singing or chanting a player's name, have been carried over from soccer games. "The fans are more dedicated, they devote their whole time to the game," says Rook adding that officials are treated with more respect by the Scottish hockey fans compared to their North American counter parts who are often the target of abusive language by spectators. Rook feels lucky to tte a part of the Paisley Pirates because of the strong community support the team receives. "It's like a mini NHL over there. You can walk down the street and see people wearing our jersey and after every game there's about 20 kids lined up outside your dressing room waiting for autographs," says Rook who doubts he would be enjoying this type of fan loyalty if he re- mained in Canada io play hockey. Rook also enjoys a high salary and an all accommodation and equip- ment paid for package provided by the club. He says hockey in Britain is starting to attract the attention of big corporate sponsors and tele- vision networks which is really giving its popularity a boost. Born and raised in Canada, Rook played miner hockey in Huron Park and played for.the Exeter Hawks it 1982 and 1988 before seizing the opportunity to play overseas. He's in Scotland 9 months a year but re- turns home during the off season to visit family. At twenty-seven Rook has just signed a two-year contract with the Pi- rates and feels he will be with the club for a few more years yet. "It's good for me," he says about the European laid-back lifestyle and all of the travelling he's been doing. "I'm lucky I get to see the world and to make a living out of something 1 enjoy." David Rook poses in front of the Scottish 1994-95 British Player of the year award, game puck and the Benson and Hedges Cup. F7ag with his player of the