38 HALTON Jon Kuiperij TRANSMISSION Sports Editor “Connected to your Community” 559 SPEERS RD., #UNIT 3 [email protected] 905-842-0725 Sports www.haltontransmission.com SAYING THANKS TO MISTER BLADES Consolation for King’s

Thursday, November 28, 2013 | 28, November | Thursday, at OFSAA volleyball

by Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver Staff

It took the King’s Christian Collegiate Cavaliers a little time to get rolling but once they did, they were virtually unstoppable. The Cavaliers won 11 of the final 12 sets they played on their way to the consolation champion- ship at the Federation of School Athletic As- sociations (OFSAA) single-A boys’ volleyball cham- pionships in North Bay. King’s Christian topped University of Toronto Schools 29-27, 29-27, 21-25, 25-16 in Saturday’s

| OAKVILLE BEAVER www.insideHALTON.com consolation final, marking the school’s best-ever fin- ish at the tournament. “We had talked about playing a complete team game and they did it,” said Cavaliers coach Jason Taekema. “They were using each other’s strengths without getting discouraged if we gave up a few points in a row. They were competing for every point.” The tournament did not start so well for King’s. It opened the tournament against the eventual bronze medallist, Toronto District Christian, falling 25-14, 30-28. After another straight set loss to Manitou- superfan Robert Blades (seated, centre) is presented with a signed jersey by the local Ontario Junior Hockey League team prior to its home game wadge, King’s took the opening set 25-22 against Friday against the Pickering Panthers. Mr. Blades, 87, has avidly followed the Blades for more than 40 years. Louis-Riel, but its rivals rallied to take the last two | Photo by Graham Paine — Oakville Beaver – @Halton_Photog 25-11, 25-11. With a team that had four returning members from last year’s team that went to OFSAA — Jason Blades post win and loss at home, remain fourth in South Groot, Myles Medford, Zack Moll and Matt Zeyl — the Cavaliers did not want to leave the tournament The Oakville Blades split a pair of home Hockey Briefs for the two-goal victory. without a win. King’s drew inspiration from a speech games last weekend in Ontario Junior Stephanie Loukes made 35 saves for it had heard at the OFSAA banquet. The message the Hockey League play. the Hornets, who fell to 5-4-3 on the Oakville’s other goal, tying the game 1-1 players took from it: lots of people have talent, but The Blades edged the Mississauga campaign. what type of team are you going to be? Chargers 2-1 Friday before falling 4-2 in the first period. Buitenhuis made 43 Oakville will be home to the Nepean saves as the Blades were outshot 47-31. “Our captain, Myles Medford, really instilled a lot to the Saturday. Wildcats tomorrow (Friday) for an 8:30 of that attitude in everyone,” Taekema said. “He was Both games were The Blades (13-11) are currently p.m. start at Joshua’s Creek Arenas. fourth in the South Division, three asking, ‘Do we have a winning mentality?’ And he played at Sixteen really embodied that in his execution. He made some Mile Sports Com- points behind the third-place North Netminder commits to NCAA program York Rangers. Oakville has three games really smart plays.” plex. Oakville’s Katie Bidulka has commit- King’s defeated St. Michael’s 25-22, 25-8 to close Kris Bennett in hand on the Rangers. ted to Minnesota State University. The Blades will play a home-and- the round-robin and carried the momentum into the and Ross Sloan Bidulka, a goaltender for the Bramp- playoff round. And it took a team effort to do it. scored Friday for home series with the Pickering Pan- ton Canadettes of the Provincial Wom- thers this weekend, beginning tomor- “Volleyball isn’t a sport where one person can car- Oakville, with en’s Hockey League, will join Maver- ry you,” Taekema said. “It’s a skills and team game. Sloan’s power- row (7:30 p.m. Friday) at Sixteen Mile icks next season. Bidulka has enjoyed Sports Complex. Oakville will pay a re- You need passing, setting and hitting.” play marker 1:45 a strong rookie season with Brampton, Moll and Wesley Garrard provided strong passing Ross Sloan scored turn visit to the Panthers Sunday. into the third posting a 1.76 goals-against average and in the back row and setter Carter Smith did an excel- in both games last period breaking Hornets fall to PWHL leaders a .934 save percentage in eight games. lent job getting the ball to Medford and Philip Rein- weekend for the Oakville a 1-1 deadlock. Oakville intermediate AA Hornets The Grade 12 student at Iroquois Ridge ders, a Grade 11 student who earned MVP honours Blades. | Brian Watts / The Blades suc- players Cassidy MacPherson and Jenni- recorded her first PWHL win with a in the consolation semifinal. OJHL Images cessfully killed fer MacAskill scored in a losing cause as 36-save shutout in a 1-0 win over first- The Cavaliers swept Brampton Christian Acad- off six Mississau- the Hornets dropped a 4-2 decision to place Whitby last month. She has a 3-5- emy 26-24, 25-21, 25-21 in that match, which came ga powerplays on the night, and Evan the Whitby Wolves Saturday in Whitby. 0 record with two shutouts. on the heels of a quarter-final sweep of Elliot Lake Buitenhuis made 31 saves to record the MacPherson and MacAskill’s mark- Minnesota State is 5-9-0 this season, (25-18, 25-15, 25-23). victory. ers tied the Provincial Women’s Hockey including 2-8-0 in conference play. The “When (the players) got together and talked, they Saturday, Sloan once again scored to League contest 2-2 in the second peri- Mavericks play in the powerful Western decided they didn’t want to lose,” Taekema said. give the Blades a 2-1 lead, but Welling- od, but league-leading Whitby — which Collegiate Hockey Association, which “They started to communicate better. They were ton responded with three third-period outshot the Hornets 39-18 on the after- has produced the last 13 NCAA wom- hustling for every ball and making sure no ball hit markers to prevail. Sean Perichak had noon — scored twice in the third period en’s hockey champions. the ground.”