SportsOakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email [email protected] • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2009 17 Men’s soccer team to play for eastern EARLY BIRDS: Canadian title The Oakville atom AAA Rangers got Club wins Ontario Cup their hockey sea- son off to a fast after 14-round shootout start last week- ■ By Jon Kuiperij end, winning the BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR London Junior Knights AAA The Oakville Fine Homes mas- Earlybird ters men’s soccer team will shoot Tournament. for an eastern Canadian champi- Oakville posted onship next month at The Soccer five wins and a tie Centre in Vaughan. in its six games, Oakville qualified for the tour- allowing only one nament by outlasting the goal in each con- Markham Lightning in the recent test. Ontario Cup final, a game that required a 14-round shootout to decide after the teams finished regulation in a scoreless stale- mate. Lee Davison scored the final goal of the shootout for Oakville, which converted 11 of its 14 shots. Oakville keeper Dino Perri Atom AAA Rangers start season with gold in London then turned aside Markham’s last It didn’t take the Oakville atom AAA Rangers for Oakville, which finished the tournament score in the semifinal. Colton Incze made sever- attempt to clinch the team’s first long to earn their first gold medal of the rep with a 5-0-1 record. al key stops in goal for the Rangers. trip to the eastern Canadian tour- hockey season. The 12-team competition included South Other members of the team are Ian Blacker, nament. Robbie Giunta broke a 1-1 tie with three Central Triple A, Alliance, Greater Toronto Spencer McLean, Dawson Garcia, Liam Kealey, “We feel pretty strongly about minutes to go in regulation and Christopher Hockey League and USA Hockey teams. Robert Proner, Kyle Kennery, Joey Berkopec, our chances,” said Oakville’s Elliot preserved the lead with a sliding save in In the qualifying round, Oakville defeated Josh Hiebert, Christopher Bassett, Marley Hunter Madeley, who scored twice the final seconds, lifting the Rangers to a 2-1 London Green 3-1, Sun County 3-1 and Angus, Jacob Moro, Tol Gerchikov and Cameron in the shootout. “Markham pretty victory over the Whitby Wildcats in the champi- Windsor 5-1, and tied London Gold 1-1. McLean. handily won the eastern onship game of last weekend’s London Junior The Rangers then knocked off the Burlington Mark Moro, Darryl Ford, Andrew Kotulak, Canadians last year, once they got Knights AAA Earlybird Tournament. Eagles — a team that Oakville had not been able Mark Soubry, Gary Staats and Ted Blacker coach out of Ontario. It appears that the Jacob Gower had the other goal in the game to beat in six meetings last season — by a 3-1 the Rangers. Judy Gower is the club’s manager. strength of the eastern Canadian finals is in Quebec and Ontario.” The eastern Canadian tourna- ment will begin Oct. 9, with the National U20 soccer team goes Wilde championship game slated for And then there were six. eight years old. That team was very strong,” Wilde Oct. 12. When Mackenzie Wilde suits up for the said last week, shortly before departing for Cyprus Other members of the Fine Canadian under-20 men’s soccer team later this to meet his new Canadian teammates. “It’s obvi- Homes over-35 team, mainly com- month at the World Francophone Games, that ously a great honour to play for your national prised by Oakville and Burlington will make it half a dozen mem- team. I’ve always wanted the residents, are Ryan Gamble, Cam bers of the Oakville Blue Stars “I’ve always wanted the chance. Hopefully I’ll show well Walker, George Sousa, Alan 1990-born team that will have chance. Hopefully I’ll show enough and they’ll keep calling Darragh, Peyvand Mossavat, worn national colours. well enough and they’ll me back.” Carmine Issacco, Steve Ottman, Wilde joins William Hyde, keep calling me back.” Wilde caught the attention Steve Brockband, Nico Zrno, Chico Alex Semenets, Andrew of the Canadian coaching staff Rodrigues, Pat Brodie, Dino Lopez, Barsalona, Shomesh ■ Mackenzie Wilde this summer while playing for Ray Wark, Lucio Ianiero, Jamie Choudhuri and Kyle Bekker as the Toronto Lynx in the Parkes, Johnny Williams, Ricky former members of Phil Iafrati’s Blue Stars to be Premier Development League. In the past, he’s Titus, Dana Peoples, Lyndon named to a national squad. Semenets will also played in three Super Youth League national Hooper, George Kyriakakos and play for Canada in the World Francophone championships and three U20 national finals. Tony Tavares. Craig Russell, Alan Games, which get underway next week in “I’m glad they finally came to watch,” said Hughes and Kevin Maven coach the Lebanon. Wilde. team. “I started playing for the Blue Stars when I was — Jon Kuiperij.