Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-01-07, Page 6Page 6 -Citizens News, Jan. 7/76 Sports Spotlight By Ross Haugh By this time we hope everyone has recovered from the festive season and ready to get down to business for the year 1976. One of the sports highlights of the annual holiday season in Exeter is the novice hockey tournament sponsored by the Exeter Minor Hockey Association. This year's event was the sixth annual and was one of the best ever held from many standpoints. EMHA president Ron Horn was in charge and as always did a tremendous job in organization and in having games carried out on schedule. From a competitive angle the tourney was probably the best ever staged. In Sunday's six final championship games, three were decided in sudden -death overtime and two others were also decided by a single goal. It would be great to report that the Exeter Waxers won their division championship but that didn't quite happen. The local novice youngsters lost in overtime to Lambeth by a 3-2 score in the final and thus ended a 17 game unbeaten streak. Anyone that has yet to take in a novice tournament is really missing something. The competitors are eight years of age and under and very small in size but they are far from small in their attitude and desire. They do get knocked down or fall easily but time and time again they get back on their feet and right into the play. After watching the WHA game between the Toronto Toros and Edmonton Oilers on television during the holidays it would be nice to think some of the enthusiasm created by novice hockeyists could be transformed to the pro- fessionals. We are certainly not singling out the WHA or the Toros as this same listless attitude seems to apply to some teams in the National league as well. Back to the local tournament, one player from each of the three divisions received a trophy as the most -colorful player in his category. These awards went to Grant Garraw of Goderich, Trevor Esser of Belmont and Brett Batten of the Exeter Waxers, Brett was one of the smallest players to take part in the three day event but took part in the play with as much or more gusto than any of his bigger opponents. Especially in the "C" championship contest against Lambeth, Brett showed more desire and get up and go than the rest of his team-mates and clearly deserved the special distinction. GOOD BRAND OF HOCKEY One hockey league in the area which deserves more support than it is getting is the South Huron Intermediate loop comprising seven teams from Huron, Middlesex and Lambton counties. This Ieague is now operating with a tremendous executive under the guidance of president John Ansley of Grand Bend. Since John has taken over at the helm, this league has reached greater stature and has an excellent code of ethics. We are quick to point out that with John heading the league press releases have been very regular and he is keeping the media well informed. After the 1974-75 season, he organized a very successful 'wards banquet when a large number of trophies were presented to the top teams and competitors. This year the South Huron league has started the system of belt ,ring three stars at each game to provide a little more interest for not only the fans but the players as well. John sent out a letter recently to the sports editors of all the weekly newspapers covering the teams involved in the South Huron league. We would like to pass on a few of his comments regarding fan support. "If we as amateur hockey organizers would like to be more deserving of support, consider the following. First of all let's see what we can do in the arena, like putting up attractive posters advertising who is playing whom, where and when. Let 's standardize the admission to a regular competitive amount. On the way in, let's give our fans a program of a rninimum of players list with sweater numbers, names and team management. Now let's adjust the PA system and get ourselves a responsible clear speaking announcer to announce all goals and assists along with penalties. Let's start the games with the National Anthem and insist on proper conduct from players and referees. Now let's see what we can do to improve things with the press. First of all, let's issue regular releases to every local paper on a regular weekly basis before their deadlines. Let's include in those releases up to the minute team standings and scoring statistics. As well we should supply each sports reporter with some background information about our teams and leagues and up date this information on a regular consistent basis. While some of the forgoing positive comments may still sound a little far fetched'there are hockey teams and leagues which are implementing some of these ideas. In other words they have realized who their customers are — the fans and the press. Once you recognize who your customers are, you can dust off some of the fine old cliches like "the customers is always right ", "the customer is king" and "the customer pays the bills". SWISS^VISITORS - A midget hockey team from Kusnacht, Switz- erland visited Zurich recently during an exhibition tour which incl- uded games in Forest and Mitchell. The two Swiss goal tenders are shown with their team mascot. News Photo Pee wees win Zurich Lions Peewees are chalking up an impressive win record this season as in 17 starts, they have gained 14 victories, losing only three. Both games played against a strong Garden City Travel club were lost and the other defeat came at the hands of their rivals, Mitchell. The peewees meet Mitchell again Wednesday night. Top scorer on the club this year is Robert Willert with 33 goals and 11 assists followed by Kris Bedard with 19 goals and 18 assists. Also doing well in the points department are Brian Horner with 10 goals and 18 assists and Jim Willert with 13 goals and eight assists. On Friday, January 2, the peewees fought to a close 3-2 win over Belmont in the Silver Stick action. They advance to the next round of Silver Stick com- petition against Thedford on Saturday, January 10 at 12:30 p.m. in Watford. Robert Willert scored all three goals in the win over Belmont. Brian Horner assisted on the first at the 21 second mark of the game. Flyers drop close match, tplay Arkon. Sunday PARKHILL 8 - ZURICH 7 In South Huron Hockey League play Sunday, the Parkhill Mer- chants nipped the Zurich Flyers 8-7. The Flyers played a great hard skating game and outplay- ed their opponents throughout most of the game. If the Flyers continue to play like they did Sunday, it would be well worth your while to conte out and give them your support. Zurich cane out fast, scoring three goals in the first two min- utes of play. At the 24 second mark Ron Rader slipped the puck over the goal line on passes from Ron Corriveau and Dave Cyr. At 1:35 Kim McKinnon found the target with assists being credited to brother Kevin and Ron Corriveau. The Flyers had a 3-0 lead at 2:09 as Pat Bedard clicked on passes from Ron Desjardine and Glen Overholt. The Merchants finally got on the board at 6:41 as Chalmers fired in the puck on a pass from Burkman. At 12:36 of the period Parkhill cut the gap to 3-2 as Thomas found the range on a pass from Chalmers. The Flyers found their scoring punch again as Ron Desjardine converted on passes from Pat Bedard and Glen. Overholt. A minute and thirty-five seconds later Ron Corriveau fired in a shot with the assists being credited to Ron Rader and. Kim McKinnon. At 17:47 the Merchants got one goal back as Schlegel knocked in a pass from Clialmers. Before the first period ended, Zurich made it 6-3 as Ron Desjardine Stephen home renewal The township of Stephen has received two applications from residents to improve their prop- erties under the Ontario Home Renewal Program. Clerk Wismar Wein said at Monday's first meeting for 1976 that $10,000 had been received from the provincial government for this purpose and another $30,000 would be made available to those who are eligible. Any families wishing to part- icipate in this program must have a gross annual income of no more than $12,500. Wein said addit- ional applications will be accept- ed. New county apportionment procedures for 1976 will be dis- cussed along with a review of 'Bill • 182 at a meeting to be held in Goderich in the near future. Clerk Wein will attend. scored his second of the game on passes from Bob Farquhar and Pat Bedard. In the second stanza Parkhill came back with three straight goals to tie the game at 6-6. The first of them carne at 3:50 as R. Lockhart scored on passes from Fraser and Schlegel. At 7:25 Fraser scored on the power play with the assists going to Schlegel and Thomas. The Merchants scored the tying goal again on the power play at 8:35 as Burkman scored on passes from Glavin and Wall. Before the second period ended, the Flyers went ahead 7-6 when Ron Corriveau scored his second on passes from Ron Rader and Paul Corriveau. In the final frame, Parkhill. did all the scoring as they tied the game at 9:43 as Fraser fired in a pass from Walker. Less than one minute later at 10:35 Glavin fired in the winning goal on a pass from Wall. Seventeen minor penalties were called in the game by ref- erees Irvin Ford and Pat O'Brien with the Flyers picking up nine of them. The first star of the game was Chalmers of the Merchants, followed by Bob Farquhar of Zurich and Fraser of.the Merch- ants. Next Flyer home game will be Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. when they play host to the Arkona Provis. e FLORIDA MARTINIQUE ® HAWAIIAN atter Looking Better Performing Modern Round design compliments home interiorb Designed to be SEEN and not HEARD! Only 25" high; 17" in diameter, this unit holds 7 imperial gallons. PRICED AT $89.95 ONLY GARY'SERVICE GARY GINGERICH - PROPRIETOR PHONE 236-4055 Highway 21 at St. Joseph