SPORTS Editor: Norm Nelson Phone: 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: [email protected]

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE • noon, Team USA vs. COB A junior all-stars • 3 p.m., Team Canada vs. COB A junior all-stars • 7 p.m. - Team Canada vs. Team USA Games played at Oakville Park (White Oaks S.S., north campus) Oakville A’s contingent on the COBA all-stars ... Player Position School Kevin Albrecht Pitcher Queens University.Ontario Shaun Benay Outfielder Tusculum College,Tennessee Adam Granlund Outfielder Seminole State College, Oklahoma Matt Higginson Third Base Southern University,Louisiana Tyler Hosick Pitcher Canisius College,New York Ryan Leaist Pitcher Montreat University,North Carolina Jason Lyons Short Stop Saginaw Valley State University, Michigan Marc Walton Outfielder Cerro Coso College,California

Matt Higginson leads the Oakville COBA contingent. Canadian and U.S. junior national teams coming to Oakville to play COBA all-stars on Friday Oakville baseball fans are in for an incredible “While it is still early in the preparatory phase, treat this Friday as both the Canadian and U.S. jun­ there is reason to be optimistic about the medal ior teams are in town, at Oakville Park (at White potential of this year's world junior team,” said Oaks Secondary School, north campus), for a tour­ coach in a press release. nament with the Central Ontario Baseball "The fact that we are faced with many difficult Association (COBA) junior all-stars. decisions is a reflection of both the talent level and The COBA all-stars have plenty of home­ overall commitment of this group of athletes.” grown talent, and they’re listed, here, along with Ten players attending the Canadian training their university affiliation. camp were selected in last month’s Major League Team Canada and Team U.S.A are in the midst Baseball amateur draft. of an extensive summer tour that kicks off today Here’s the Ontario players (followed by their (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday) with the jersey number) presently with the Canadian team Blue Jay Cup at the SkyDome (along with the (all are either 17 or 18 years of age). Ontario Baseball Association all-stars). Chris Emanuele 27 (Mississauga), Chris They’ll later be joined by the Australian and Leroux 25 (Mississauga), Chris Robinson 30 Italian national teams. (Dorchester), Arman Sidhu 11 (Mississauga), The national teams will play each other along Robert Bland 33 (North Bay), 40 with all-star teams in cities and towns across (London), David Davidson 17 (Thorold), Eric Ontario and Quebec. Wolfe 24 (Willowdale), Jason Gotwalt 23 It all culminates next month with the 12-nation (Mississauga), Adam Pemasilici 8 (Tecumseh) and world junior baseball championship in Matt Tosoni 26 (Whitby). Sherbrooke, Quebec, August 1-11. To access the entire roster or for more info Canada’s training camp kicked off last week about the Canadian team and schedule, log on to Jamie Smith • Oakville Beaver with 29 players, and that has been trimmed to 23 www.baseball.ca Dameian Baker (left), of the American team, tries to stop Mark Passley of the Oakville Maddawgs. players for this week’s exhibition kick-off. It will Admission is free this Friday at Oakville Park. Passley led Oakville in scoring with 35 points, including five spectacular dunks, in a losing cause. be trimmed further to 18 players for the World’s. • more baseball, inside page C6 Can-Am Challenge goes to U.S. Lang again called up to national team The second annual Can-Am Challenge at had 35 points along with five spectacular dunks. Sheridan College went emphatically to the U.S. this Sheridan's Hugh Bent had 19, Tim Woods in tonight’s battle against Norway, time around, as they made it three out of three on chipped in 7 and McMaster (and St. Thomas Saturday, 112-86 over the Oakville Maddawgs. Aquinas) grad Rodney Baptiste added 6 more. The Sheridan-based Maddawgs team was a col­ The U.S. was led by Dameian Baker (North the defending Olympic gold medallists lection of local college and university stars, both Carolina) with 25 points, Ronald Banks with 21, Oakville’s Kara Lang is one of seven U-19 current and recently graduated. Terrance McGee with 19 and Solomon Harris with national team members who have been called The U.S. team was a collection of division one 17. up to the senior national team for tonight’s and two NCAA players up here on a tour. The support of Sheridan College and its head international friendly against Olympic gold It offers the U.S. players a chance to keep their coach and athletic director Jim Flack (who is also medalist Norway. games sharp while enjoying international travel. the Canadian men’s assistant coach) adds greatly to Although only 15 years old, it will mark Maddawgs coach Dave Ferencina, who runs the the tour and also the willingness of U.S. coaches Lang’s second call-up this year to the senior Blue basketball program at Sheridan like Chad Reynolds of East Carolina and Dave national team. College, said the two years have gone so well he Springer of Shippensburg to travel to Oakville. Earlier this year, the St. Thomas Aquinas stu­ may turn the event into a basketball festival, and UPCOMING EVENTS dent, who will enter Grade 11 in September, had include a high school component. Upcoming events at Double Blue Basketball: an outstanding debut, scoring four goals in her On Saturday, the Maddawgs kept it close for the • July 25 - Shane Bascoe & Friends All-Star first three games at a tournament in Portugal. first half but the NCAA players “seemed much Charity Game. But Canada had agreed to play in a lower more prepared and in better shape as we faded down • August 1 - Registration for all Fall & Winter division for. that tourney and take a young the stretch,” said Ferencina. Basketball Programs at the College. squad. “We started fast but could not keep it going.” • September 28 - Parent and Child Family Camp. Tonight’s international friendly promises to The Maddawgs were led by Mark Passley who For more info call 905-844-4166. be much tougher, obviously, with Norway being the defending Olympic champions. With the Toronto city workers strike over, the game is confirmed for Centennial Stadium, Murphy helps Canada to win over U.S. 7 p.m. The game will pit Canadian head coach Even in crucial World Cup rugby qualifier Pellerud against the team he led to a World Cup championship in 1995 and will involve several Canada’s national rugby team, with Oakville’s Americas qualifying round, which includes home- intriguing match-ups as both teams feature Phil Murphy in tpw, recorded it’s second key World and-home matches against Chile and Uruguay next prominent WUSA players, including Canada’s Cup qualifying win 36-13 over host U.S. Saturday month. Charmaine Hooper. in Chicago. Murhpy, who rose through the Oakville Pellerud’s squad includes seven players who Canada won the opener at Fletchers Fields in Trafalgar high school and Oakville Crusader club are on the Canadian Under-19 team preparing Jamie Smith • Oakville Beaver Markham last month 26-9 over the U.S. Eagles. programs had a stellar season playing professional­ for the upcoming FIFA U-19 Women’s World Oakville's Kara Lang, 15, called up to national The pair of wins give Canada a great start to the ly with Perpignan in France. Championship, which is being hosted in west­ team in tonight’s game against Norway. ern Canada, Aug. 17-Sept. 1. “I consider this roster to be one of the best-known women’s soccer player. Oakville tennis players shine at provincials strongest that I’ve had,” said Pellerud. “With Hamm was 15 years and 139 days when she seven Under-19 players there is a good balance Ontario’s best tennis players battled it out in at the Victoria Tennis Club in Vineland. made her American debut and Lang eclipsed between young and older players and it is an the U-16 and U-12 age groups last week, and Here’s a summary of the top Oakville finishes: that mark by nine days when she suited up exciting roster in my opinion. when the dust had settled, Oakville had more than • Erika Perez wins girls singles, U-16; against Scotland in the Algarve Cup tournament “Knowing that Norway are the current the its share of podium placings, including one sin­ • Lyndon Casey (Oakville), Paul Clough in Portugal in March. While Hamm had to wait Olympic Gold Medallists, this is a real test on gles champion. Erika Perez won the U-16 girls (Mississauga), win boys doubles, U-16; until she was 18 to get her first goal, Lang the progress we have made. It will be a good championship. • Eric West (Oakville) and Brandon scored just two days later by netting her first kick-off for our preparations for the Gold Cup The U-12 events took place at the Toronto MacDonald (Oakville), runners-up in boys dou goal against Wales. (in October).” Lawn Tennis Club, the U-16 girls were held at the bles, U-12; Since then Lang has been on a roll with six Tonight’s match will be the first of six for the Milton Tennis Club, and the U-16 boys were held • Monica Hirano, 4th, girls singles, U-12. goals in seven games. national squad as it prepares for the Gold Cup Tonight she and Hooper will spearhead tournament in Vancouver in October that will Canada’s attack against Olympic gold medallist Spots still available for McKay’s hockey school serve as the qualifier for the World Cup finals to Norway. be staged in China next year. “It was an awesome experience to play along A high powered hockey school is coming to one hour of skill development. Lang wasn’t even born when Canadian star with Charmaine for the first time in France ear­ Oakville this summer, led by director Doug Limited openings still available, including two player Charmaine Hooper made her internation­ lier this year,” said Lang. McKay, former coach of the New Jersey Devils. spots for goaltenders who receive specialized al soccer debut for Canada at the age of 18 in “And it will be will be exciting to team up He has another Devils coach, Jim Schoenfeld, in instruction. To register, call (905) 634-7035. 1986. Just as Hooper was then considered a star with her again at home for the first time.” tow and they are supported by a couple of NHL in the making, Oakville’s Lang is now being It has been an amazing year for the Oakville players — Eric Cairns (New York Islanders) and Pick-up basketball Thursdays touted as the player to watch. athlete who made the jump from a club team to Dave Andreychuck (Tampa Bay Lightning). Home Court Basketball have organized a men's Lang has already made history by becoming the national team. The CCM hockey school runs next week (July pick-up session over the summer at Appleby the youngest player ever to play internationally “I was very surprised and very excited when I 22-27) at River Oaks Rec Centre. and also the youngest to score, erasing the mark first got a call from Even (coach Pellerud) that he The two hours on-ice instruction includes one College, Thursday nights, 7:30-9 p.m. Call 905- 469-8676 or www.homecourtbasketball.com held by American Mia Hamm, possibly the hour of professional power skating instruction and (See ’Lang', inside, page C7)