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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-10-18, Page 14Page 14 Times -Advocate, October 18, 199 rts This Week in Sports... • Ringette teams see action - page 15 • Minor hockey scores - page 16 i Senior girls basketball win first game South Huron senior girls basket ball player Peggy Brown- lee beats a Madill defender during the Panther's 47-34 victory last Wednesday. Field hockey team undefeated SHDHS field hockey team advance to Huron Perth Conference semi-finals STRATFORD - The South Huron field hockey team earned a berth in the Huron Perth semi-finals after four consecutive wins last week. The Panthers shut out Listowel 3-0 and Stratford 6-0 on October 12 with goals from Cara Gardner, Danielle Miners, Lori Richard- son and rookies Kim MacLean and Kelly Dayman. Amanda Glavin had the shutouts for both games. The Panthers beat Listowel two days earlier in St. Marys 3-1 with Lori Richardson scoring all three goals for South Huron, recording her first hat trick. The same day they also beat host team St: Marys 4-0. As the field hockey regular season draws to an end, the Panthers remain undefeated with a 9-0 win/loss record and have outscored their opponents 50-1. The current OFSAA champions will begin defending their pro- vincial championship Thursday afternoon on their home turf at 2 p.m. when they square off against Listowel in the semi-finals. Listowel is the only team that has been able to score on South Hu- ron in regular season play. The winner between the two will face the winner of the St Marys and Mitchell semi-final match -up in the Huron Perth finals. If the Panthers win their next two games they will qualify for WOSSA scheduled to be played in Tillsonburg. Sports- Lite SHDHS hoopsters defeat F.E. Madill 47- 34 during senior girls basketball game Chris Skalkos T -A staff EXETER - Heather Davies, Julie Rooseboom and Stephanie Pearson combined for 34 points to lead the South Huron senior girls basketball team to a 47-34 victory over F. E. Madill last Wednesday. The Panthers took an early lead in the first half and never looked back during the fast end-to-end game at South Huron marking the senior girl's first league victory. Coach Terry O'Rourke credits his team's victory to their consistent defensive play and to an out- standing offensive effort from three of the team's key players. "Our defense had a lot of steals even though they had a height ad- vantage over us," said O'Rourke. "The girls blocked well and we got a few rebounds our way so it was just a matter of putting the balls in the basket." A new strategy the Panthers are using seemed to work well during the game against Madill. Instead of jostling for the ball after a free- throw, O'Rourke has his team pull back to their own zone leaving the one player to cotcentrate on her free-throw. "It's supposed to instill con- fidence in the player," said O'Rourke. "It gives the other players a rest and keeps them out of getting cheap fouls in the key area." The struggling 1-3 Panthers got off to a slow start this year losing 35-27 to Seaforth and 27-16 to Goderich earlier this month. "Our biggest problem has been in our offensive skills. We need to work on shooting and dribbling more during the off season," O'Rourke said. This is one of the youngest and most inexperienced teams he has coached and a lack of height has proven to be a disadvantage against every team they have met; however, O'Rourke feels the senior girls are getting better and more wins will come their way with some more work. "We're getting better on our catching.and passing as a team. We don't try any of the fancy stuff, we're going to concentrate on im- proving the basics but we still have a long way to go," he said. Megan Ratz lines up a free-throw during a senior girls basketball game last Wednesday. Minor soccer creates indoor league EXETER - Soccer enthusiasts will have a means to take care of their "ankle itch" during the off season as the Exeter Minor Soccer Association introduces an in- door recreational league this winter. The co-ed league will cater to players between six and 14 years -old and games will be played in the An- nex building in Huron Park. Minor soccer president, Peter Hackvoort said parents of children in minor soccer expressed an interest in creating an indoor soccer league and$9ast year the or- ganization held a mini -indoor tournament that at- tracted 55 youngsters. This year's minor soccer executives decided to in- itiate the indoor program aiming for 72 registrants, and so far they have 52 people tentatively registered. "We have decided to take a pro -active stand in pro- viding an alternative sport for kids who don't play hockey or ringette," said Hackvoort. He also added the low cost for registration will also attract those who don't want to spend the money on ex- pensive equipment most popular ice sports require. Registration fees are $30 per child, $55 for two or $80 for three. The league is'scheduled to run for nine weeks start- ing on January 8 with Monday night games Those in- terested should register on November I at the Rec Centre between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Lucan Irish win first three games LUCAN - The Lucan Irish lost 5- 3 to Mt. Brydges Saturday night bringing their record to four wins and two losses so far this season. The Irish enjoyed a three game winning streak after they beat North Middlesex 7-6 in their first game of the season, before winning their home opener 5-4 against Sea - forth on October 4, and then de- feating Belmont 7-2 three days lat- er. Lucan lost to Mitchell 4-2 last week and recorded a 6-2 win over Ayre before Saturday's loss. Mike Robb, Steve Mathews, Mike Bodner and Trevor Emms have emerged as point leaders combining for 25 in six games. After Lucan got off to a bad start losing their first I I games last sea- son, coach Scott Bogart is rel- atively happy with his team's four wins this early in the year. "The game against Belmont was our greatest effort, the game against Mitchell was our worst," said Bogart. "We were out -hustled and we only got 17 shots on net. Sometimes that happens and you get 18 skaters all having a bad night at once." Bogart and his coaching staff will be doing some line juggling trying to fill positions for various players missing action from injuries and accommodating some of the team's players still playing midget. Lucan's next game will be at home October 18 when they host HagcrsvilIe. Motorplex postpones season -ending drag race GRAND BEND - After enjoying a summer full of sunny weekend weather, Grand Bend Motorplex cancelled their drag racing season - ender due to rain. It is only the second time the dragway has been rained -out since it opened the track last spring. Dubbed the Final Showdown, the last scheduled race at Grand Bend has been postponed for this Saturday where the track's two fastest Funny Car racers will com- pete for track supremacy. Paul Noakes and track record holder Herb Rodgers will go head to head for the Motorplex grand champion title. The October 21, 22 weekend will also feature Garry Veale and his top alcohol dragster as well as the last weekend for bracket racing with a total purse of $29,000 paid out to the track's fastest dragraccrs. The magic of figure skating Chris Skalkos T -A staff EXETER - "Skating is magic, the ultimate combination of sport, ar- tistry and fitness..." This motto is embraced by the executives and the members of the Ex- eter Figure Skating Club. Approximately 80 people are skating with the club this year and all of them, regardless of age, have one thing in common. They love to skate. Promoting the enjoyment of skating is just as important for the club as advancing a skater's skill as the organization takes a recreational approach to figure skating. "I think having fun should be emphasized as skaters work towards their goals," said Patti Firth, one of the two professional skaters teaching at the club. Firth, who has been giving figure skating in- structions for 16 years, said a skater will improve as long as they are truly enjoying what they are doing. "You can only teach them so much. The desire to be there has to come from the skaters and they have to have fun and enjoy skating," she said. Firth said she has noticed an increase in the sports popularity after Canada hosted the Winter Olympics in Calgary. Since the Canadian Figure Skating Association made it mandatory for instructors to com- plete a National Coaching Certificate Program, the standard of coach- ing has also risen producing good skaters across the country. "Whether you're in a big city or a small town you can always find good skaters," she said. John Bauman has been coaching at the club since he turned pro- fessional five years ago. He said the club also offers members an op- portunity to compete at higher levels such as The Home Competition featuring skaters from Huron, Oxford Middlesex and Elgin. "Everybody here has a chance to com- pete...the competition is not demanding but it's there if they want it," he said. On top of building a sense of balance and de- veloping one's agil- ity, figure skating is also a mental ex- A • ercise. "Executing the figures takes a lot of thought. It really builds your concentration level," said Bauman. The club doesn't require any pre- requisites from its members, they accept beginners and the experienced alike and there is no pressure for skaters to improve quickly as they are encouraged to develop at their own comfortable pace. "You don't need any special skills, just a desire to be here," added Bauman. Organized skating in Exeter dates back to 1954 when Wilma Brintnell, an Exeter resident, began informal skating instructions. The fol- lowing year, the club officially came into being and in 1963 the Canadian Figure Skating As- sociation approved Exeter's application for membership in the CFSA. Today, the club has grown to include Free Skating, Dance, Stroking, Figures and Precision skating in the advanced Canfigureskate pro- grams. A Canskate program for beginners is de- signed to teach skaters the fundamentals such as Anna Pryds practices a spin at the Rec Centre Thursday night. balance, posture, stopping and turning. The 45 minute sessions set to music furthers a skater's coordination, motor skills. creative rhythm and self- confidence. Competitive programs are also available for skaters who have advanced high enough technically to have their skills assessed ag•.inst national standards. Club member, Shelly Miller, said she has been figure skating since she was five years -old. Miller said she took up skating after losing interest in dance lessons. A figure skating performance on the television is what first turned her on to skating and it's the entertainment value of figure skating that keeps her interested today. "Figure skating combines sport with entertainment. people love to watch figure skating," said the 17 year- old from Dashwood pointing out that artistic presenta- tion counts just as much as technical merit in compirti- tion. However, Miller feels the physical aspect of skating is the most important considering the amount of training required. "Training is an important part of any sport and a lot of training goes into figure skating," she said. Miller would like to participate in an ice show such as the icecapades but for now she is content with skating strictly for the sheer enjoyment. "I love skating. 1t gives me a sense of freedom 1 can feel throughout my whole body," she said. "Being on the ice is such a great feeling."