Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-08-30, Page 14Page 14 Times -Advocate, July 19, 1995 Thunderstruck Adam Jean takes a soccer ball off the head during an Exeter Thunder Soccer game Thursday. Exeter trounced the Greek -Canadians 11-0. Dave Farquhar scored fourgogLs and Chad Gilfillan, Bryan McAllister, Jeff MacLean, Eric Hundey, Luke Sims and Trevor Boersma scored one goal each. Crediton Squirt girls capture 'A' trophy ZURICH - The Crediton Squirt girls fastball team were 'A' champions at their recent playoff tournament held August 11 and 12 in Zurich. The local team had their fans and supporters on the edge of their seat by rallying and demonstrating some very close action -packed games. These included: taking home the trophy by defeating Hensall 14-10 beating out Hibbert twice 9-8 (semi final) and 13-9, Centralia 19-16 and Usborne 15-2. The girls only lost one game during their regular league season and that game was lost by only one run. Back row: Clare Martene (coach), Kristene Regier, Margaret Geurts, Michelle Boland, Brenda Martene (coach). Middle row: Stephanie Elliot, Colleen Glavin, Robin Nicholson, Krista Hodge, Heidi Muller, Lindsey Barrett. Front row: Jackie Cruikshank, Elisha Martene, Carie Pertschy, Heather Thompson, Stephanie Wein. Field hockey clinics begin EXETER - South Huron District High School field hockey coach Jim Workman won't be instructing his field hockey clinic this year. Instead he has passed the honors over to a couple of field hockey vet- erans and SHDHS grads Becci Far- quhar and Leanne Dietrich. The field hockey clinic scheduled for August 3, and September 1, is designed to give girls from ages 13 to 19 a chance to acquire practical skills and practice physical fitness before the regular school season be- gins. "It will give interested players the opportunity to find out if field hockey is for them," said Workman adding it will also give veterans a chance to renew some skills. "Some of the grade clines are a little intimi- dated at first. The clinic will give them the chance to try the sport without the pressure of trying out," he said. The clinic will run from 10 a.m to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. behind SHDHS. Ontario's Best - The Exeter Riverview Estate baseball team take a victory ride on the fire truck Sunday night af- ter fter winning the OBA Provincial Championship earlier. This Week in Sports... • Rookie ball teams end season - page 15 • Centralia racer places second in Nationals - page 16 Ontario's Best Exeter Juveniles ball team win OBA Provincial Championship EXETER - The Exeter Riverview Estates Juveniles returned from a weekend tournament in Blenheim as Ontario Baseball Association O.B.A. Champions. Exeter played five games against three different teams before clinch- ing the All Ontario title on Sunday. In the first game on Friday, Exet- er defeated Blenheim, the host team, 12-9 in a high scoring open- ing game. Head coach Gary Hart- man said the team's motto going into the tournament was 'nobody is a hero.' "We used to have guys out there trying to hit that big home run but our new objective was for every- body to get a base hit and get the homer when the bases are loaded," said Hartman. The strategy paid off as all nine players had a hit in this game. Bill Hodge hit a home run and Dwayne McNab pitched for over six in- nings striking out three batters and walking two. He allowed seven hits before being replaced by relief pitcher' Dwight Gingerich who had two strikeouts, two walks and one hit. In the second game on Saturday, Exeter beat McGregor 7-4. Left handed Darryl Hartman pitched the entire game striking out 12 batters, walking two and allowing nine hits. Exeter offense was spread out among the rest of the team. In the third game Saturday, Exet- er handed Midland their first de- feat of the season beating them 9-5. Dwight Gingerich went the full distance on the mound collecting five strikeouts, four walks and al- lowing five hits. Bill Hodge provided the bulk of the offense for the Juveniles blast- ing home two home runs followed by a single. Going into the last day of the tournament, Exeter was the only undefeated team. But that changed when Midland came back from a 5-0 deficit and heat Exeter 8-5. Hartman said the hats were still going strong but they weren't get- ting the timely hits. "We finished innings with a lot of runners on base," said Hartman. The loss didn't discourage the coaches or the players. At that point in the weekend Exeter had to be defeated twice by the same team to be knocked out of the tour- nament and Hartman knew his team was too pumped to let that happen. The final game on Sunday pitted Exeter against a tired Midland team who had played two games al- ready. Catcher Dale Hopf led the defense in shutting down the Mid- land team, squashing five con- secutive attempts to steal bases. Centre fielder, Bill Hodge, wouldn't give up an inch making a few extraordinary defensive plays, and Hartman pitched the hest game of his career allowing only four hits during the entire game and suc- cumbing to only one error. Coach Hartman said the players were so pumped during the game he didn't need to say a word to mo- tivate them. "I'm usually a vocal coach but in that last game I didn't have to say a whole lot," he said. Over 35 fans from Exeter made the trip to Blenheim to witness the chaos and utter bedlam on the field after the Juveniles clinched the provincial title in the fifth and final game. Hartman credits his team's stellar performance to their experience playing in the London District Baseball Association (LDBA). The fierce competition the Juveniles faced in the tough league better prepared them for the OBA league games where the pitching wasn't as strong. The Juveniles arrived back in Ex- eter around 9 p.m. Sunday night and were treated to the traditional ride on the Exeter Fire De- partment's Fire truck. The truck cruised up and down Main Street showing off Exeter's latest Ontario Champions who had no problems vocalizing their joy. Back at the Exeter Riverview Es- tates lounge the team gathered with their friends and family to cel- ebrate well into the evening. The scene was one of jubilation as team members walked around slapping each other and signing baseballs while the rock and roll beat of Da- vid Wilcox's "Laying Pipe" blared on the stereo. "It doesn't sink in until you're on the fire truck yelling and scream- ing," said player Darren Kints. "It's hard to explain what it feels like to be the best in Ontario," he said. "It was a full year of planning corning through an one weekend everything fell into place 100 per- cent," said Hartman. This is the first time Hartman has led a team to a provincial championship in his 12 year coaching career. "I've won provincial champion- ships as a ball player but never as a coach and I tell you it feels better as a coach." Sports- Lite Oke wins back to back gold Chris Skalkos T -A staff EXETER - It's been a gold medal summer for Courtney Oke. After Oke won a gold medal at the Ontario Swim Meet Champion- ships in Etobicoke on July 8, 12 year-old Oke won another at the Inter- provincial Canoe and Kayaking competition in Welland Ontario. She earned her first gold inedal at the provincials in the 200 metre butterfly stroke clocking a time of 2.35 minutes setting a personal best record for Oke, heating her previous time of 2.39. "I've never really won a big medal before, it felt good to beat swim- mers i've never beaten before," said Oke about her gold winning per- formance. "It was a close racc between myself and the second place swimmer but it felt like the best i have ever done." Oke also placed 5th in the 100 metre butterfly stroke at the meet. Upon her return home she was awarded with a plaque from Mayor Ben Hoogenboom and the Town of Exeter congratulated her for her pro- vincial victory, The win qualified Oke for the Youth National Swim Meet held in Ottawa in May where she will compete against the top 11 and 12 year old swimmers in Canada. Prior to the swim meet, Oke completed an intense one week training session in Horida where she practiced technique and learned about proper diets for aquatic athletes. "We worked on specific things like turns and strokes...the little things that might help you in a race." While in Florida, Oke had the opportunity to speak with Nick Baker, Olympic training coach and motivational speaker. "He talked about winning and showed us that you can do whatever you set your mind to if you try," said Oke. Courtney's mind must have been set on winning when she and three other girls paddled to a first place finish in the Provincial Canoe and Kayak Chantpionships earlier this month. Oke was only introduced to the sport of canoeing at camp Akomak this summer. She said she was unexpectedly asked to fill in for a C4 (a group of four canoeists) com- peting at the bantam level. They qualified for the provincials by com- ing in second at the Western Ontario Championships but after tipping twice in practice it didn't look as if they were any match for the com- petitors from the year-round paddling clubs. "Winning was both unexpected and exciting considering we were just a bunch of summer camp girls thrown into a boat," said Oke. The canoeing championship was thrilling for Oke, but she admits swimming is her first passion. "I wouldn't quit racing for the canoe but it's fun and I'd like to pursue it," she said pointing out that the main muscles of the body used for swimming are also utilized in canoeing. Oke was first introduced to a swimming pool when she was only three months old. Courtney's mother Debbie was the instructor for the Exeter Swim Team and she hoped Courtney would get involved with synchronized swimming. But Courtney chose a different path in aquat- ics. "I prefer the competition of racing," said Oke who still does syn- chronized swimming for fun. Oke joined the Exeter Swim Team when she was six years -old com- peting in the eight and under class and at nine -years of age she started to train with the London Aquatic club. "I was intimidated because I was the youngest one in the group and I was always last," she said remembering what it was like trying to keep up with the older swimmers. • Oke will now be training with the Youth Group, the same club but a more advanced group of swimmers. "I've trained with them already and it's definitely a harder workout." Courtney is taking some time off for the summer holidays before she begins training again in September. Winning a gold medal in the Na- tional Swim Meet in Ottawa next spring is Oke's next challenge; how- ever there is yet another, more bigger challenge lurking in the hack of her mind. "I would like to compete nationally but my lifetime goal has always been to get to the Olympics."