HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1986-04-23, Page 7THE HURON EXPOSITOR, APRIL 23, 1986 — A7
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Keith McGlurreheetnk, P proudly displaying lhoto
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Val -Ont rlo June team ne by traditional victory skate
Murray
Junior D trop
STEADY DEFENSE helped
forward on SE elSeaforth geatorih Centenalres down the
Seaforin front
15. Centenalre goaitenderdKeith McCluefender rBennette wring l Delhi
mamas in five a
Ps ane a Des,
during the final game, played
Deihl
Played !n
Rates photo
Centenaires' ATI -Ontario title...
How does it feel to be a provincial year's Centenaire roster contained only three
champion? out of town players: Andy Russell, a product
"It's the best feeling in the world right of the London High School hockey system and
now," said Seaforth Centenalre Captain Brian Steckle and Mark Johnston, both from
Dave Murray, after the team eliminated the Zurich.
Hock ylhi Associationes four J Junior D playoff finals. team ames to one in the Ontario waereathe most ys the last tenjoy enjoyable seasonswo with
him,
"In all the years I've been playing sports, because most of the players on the team had
I've never had a feeling like it," he added. grown up playing minor hockey together.
The Centenaires, who were eliminated by The coaching duo of Bob Ward and Tom
Grand Valley in the OHA semi-finals last Chessell really gave the team the support and
season, won the title with a combination of direction it needed, says Murray.
• disciplined team play and brilliant individual "You have to give those guys a lot of
efforts. This year Grand Valley pushed credit," he said..
again, ace in
forcing them to come Seafortto the brink of elback ftrom ion a 3-1 the ronceter division, tthefinhinghe Centenaires emersen In first ged on
deficit in games, to win the series four games top of a five -team double round-robin playoff
to three, with a dramatic overtime final series, with a record of seven wins, one loss.
contest.
The Delhi series may have seemed a
cake -walk by comparison, but as Murray
points out. there are no gifts in all -Ontario
competition.
"Delhi was a tough team. They hit harder
(than Grand Valley) but they didn't capitalize
onTeeirchances." t didd of the final series.
capitalize on their
opportunities. resulting in the fust All-Ontar-
io win for the team, since its formation in
1975.
Murray says the team morale was never
low during the playoffs. even when the team
trailed Grand Valley 3-1 and faced elimina-
turned out to be pivotal to the outcome, as place of Gary Lazou, who played the first four
Seaforth got a break with a fluke goal one games.
minute later. Period two was all Delhi, as they scored
Gerrard Ryan, attempting to do no more first on the power play, at 11:29 of the frame,
than dump the puck into the Delhi zone, Ron Depoorter found a comer of the net with
ended up scoring the game's first goal. Ryan a wrist shot from the faceoff circle.
floated a shot from outside the blueline, Delhi's Tim Christo got his second assist of
which took an unexpected rston in
glass and caromed into the net off the pads of alonece off the the night
when
against McClure. Thurston scored on
a startled Vincent Moore in the Delhi goal. his own rebound. Tom Sheldow also assisted
John Dale assisted. on both Delhi goals.
Moore, saw his first action of the series in Delhi held onto their slim lead until Jerry
the final game, as Delhi coach Doug Moyaert W right completed a passing play from Jim
tried to inspire his team by inserting Moore in Campbell and Barry Campbell to knot the
Ironesally, their one round-robin loss was
delivered by the Grand Valley Harvesters,
the team's old nemesis, who took them to the
maximum seven games in the final series.
Seaforth won the opening game of the
Delhi series 4-2 In Delhi, then built up a
two -game bulge with n 5-2 win at home,
before dropping a 2-1 decision at home In
game three. A 7.3 mall win in the fourth
contest set up the series clinching the final
game on April 15.
Though the Delhi series was a physical
one, the series probably produced the team's
lowest total of penalty minutes for a
five -game stretch. This burst of self-control
tion. was no accident, said Murray,
"i don't think we were down on each "The one game we did lose, we lost
other." he said, adding. "11 was more because we retaliated. The coaches told us.
implied. than as if anyone had said anything. "They're going to stick you. They're going to
but Grand Valley put us out before and rm run at you. but if we stay away from the
sure everyone was thinking. 'I don't want this penalties we're going to come out on top for
to be our last game." sure," said Murray.
Centenalre manager Glen McClure shared SEAFORT1l 4. DELHI2
the pplayers' faith in themselves. and Seaforth won the final game at home, April
remained confident throughout the harmw- 15. before a wildly -supportive capacity -plus
Ing semi-final round. crowd. by a 4-2 margin.
1 wasn't really wonted. I knew we could The first period was a scrambty affair, with
do it," Mr. McClure said. adding he was neither team mounting any sustained offense
„very pleased" with the team's perform and no good scoring d i ntces produced until
anee. the final minutes.
Mr. McClure was instrumental ei turning Centenalre netminder Keith McClure
n res inbuilding
t local talent in recent years and faced the Cente- minutes Ie the period, after aover bluelhte
Murray feels the localization program was giveaway gave a Deihl forward a dean
the turning point in the team's success. This breakaway. McClure made the save, which
count with 5:55 remaining in the final period.
Kevin Melady put the Centenalres ahead
for good when he bulled his way into the
crowded net -front area and scored while
falling, with 4:36 left to play. John Dale and
Dave Akey assisted on the goal.
With 47 seconds on the dock, Andy Russell
gave Seaforth some breathing space with his
insurance goal. Dan W esenberg and Melady
drew assists,
Keith McClure turned in, a 33 save
performance, while Moore was initiated to
011A final competition with a 42 shot barrage
from the Centenalres.
...a team effort
BY PATRICK RAFT'S
Team spirit, balance and two-way play
were the ingredients which formed the recipe
far en gel•metario championship team, the
1985-80 Seaforth Junior D Centenalres.
"W got 22 or 23 guys working together
all the time," said Centenalre Coact Bob
Ward, in a late season interview. "We've
also got everyone going both ways," he
added.
Co -coaches Ward and Tom Chessell, in
their second season with the team, did an
excellent job in orchestrating the Cente-
naires' regular season and playoff success • a
job made easier by the quality hockey players
on the squad.
Beginning with strength down the middle,
the Centenaires featured three lines capable
of posing a scoring threat against any team.
With such balance evident, it's hard to call
any threesome"The Big line." however, the
trio of John Dale, skating between team
captain Dave Murray and swift skating Jim
Campbell, loomed large in every contest.
Murray, a tireless worker with a scoring
touch, !ed the team both on and off the ice.
With lightning speed and moves to boot.
Tim Campbell left countless opposition
defencemen looking flat-footed_ icor of
the hardest shot on the team (and maybe the
league) Campbell was deadly accurate
Whether shooting from the wing or manning
the point on the power play. Back of the blue line, Keith McClure
Dale, an werwexcellent pupplied with de
sure showed himself to be the premiere goaltend-
firefis wingers were well supplied with peeks to er in Junior Dhockey. In aleague where 35-40
opposing gJerry WrightSkating magiciain Jerry W played for shot games am the
and norm, McClure
the most part, between Kevin Melady and stand-up style glove hand to
Dan W ascii • Wright's moves and hockey backstop the team to victory.
unbeatable on face-offs and was reliable in all
sorts of pressure situations.
Kevin Williamson, a big, rugged winger
who could also score goals, cleared plenty of
skating mom for Russell and left winger Mike
Betties.
Betties, who also played for the Seafortb
Mil lets this season, is a swift skater with a
gt,, shot and proved himself a keen
competitor in the playoffs.
Defensive specialist Bill Dale saw most of
his playoff ice time in a penalty -killing role
and performed admirably. Centreman Mark
Johnston and winger Brian Steekle both
from Zuri r, and Darrell O'Connell rounded
out the team's fourth unit.
The team's stalwart defensive corps were
spearheaded by defensive -minded mainstays
Tome/unser, Rob Core, Barry Campbell and
Pete Bennett Mainly a stay -at borne crew,
these four were quids to move the puck out of
their own zone and kept the crease area clear
of rebounds and opposition forwards with
considerable success.
Dave Akey, who returned from playing
Junior B in Listowel in time to jain the
Centenaires for the stretch drive and
playoffs added some depth and offensive
thrust to the defense.
Gerrard Ryan, a tough, rushing blueliner
and Mark Stapleton a hard-hitting defender,
completed the blue line crew.
WINN( 0 GOAL -- From this unlikely position, Centenalre me team's 4-2 victory to the final game of the 01 -IA Junkie photo
forward Kevin Metady, 14, stored the gems winning goal in inlets, April 16.
sense also e him an integral part of the DerekCooperpmvided the other•halfof the
power play unit. team's goaltending tandem for most of the
Melady, the definitive, all-around player,season, although Midget goalie Ray Anstett
proved it's possible to be both a goal scorer Jr. and Bantarn-aged Trevor Fortune also
and an effective comer man. His checking made appearances in the regular season and
abilityaIsoearnedhimt1uedrallengngtaskof tri back up -roles in the playoffs.
shadowing some of the top scorers on Centenarre managerf� McClure's man -
opposing teams during the playoffs. age ial and ad'ministratiee efforts were
The two-way playof W eseeherg made thiS eastruMental in molding this all -Ontario
an invaluable defensive unit, and he also goad.
collected his share of polite. Andy Bob Gridiaic, Jim Paulin and Lerry East
The aria -season acquisifaon also made their contribution as trailers and
Russell, of the London area, gave the team etiiiv t managers. as did cerin Cardao
three fdst-rate Centres. Russell was almost as it amend helper. F
TEMPERS FLARE — Although fights were rare in the final
series, tempers do tend to flare in the heat of An -Ontario
competition, Here. officials acted quickly to prevent
Centenaires' Dave Akey, 3, from mixing it up with the Delhi
Flames during the final game of the series, played here April
15 Raft's Photo
1