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FIELD OF DREAMS Baseball star gets his shot By JIM WILSON Beaver sports editor The call came in early December. Would he, J.P. Fozo was asked, be interested in attending Lamar University, a Division 1 school in Beaumont, Texas, on a baseball scholar- ship? Beginning in January? Now, big time offers from big time schools don't come along very often, particularly to 19-year-old Canadians. But even so. JP Fozo had to think about it for a while. Not long mind you, which is why, on this afternoon. he is speaking casually by telephone from the campus apartment he shares with a teammate. Lamar was one of about 50 US. schools that bad been in correspon- Lamar was one of about 50 US. schools that bad been in correspon- dence with Fozo, one of about a dozen that could be defined as' serious. Almost all of them were looking at Fozo for next fall. So was Fozo, who would, after all, only be graduating from high school (Loyola. although he transferred to Waterdown when his parents moved last year) after Christmas. But Lamar needed a catcher and so why, coacn Jlm unngan mgueu. should he wait until next September when he could go down immediately and pick up a few things. Never mind that Fozo had only played about eight games as catcher in his life, all of them this past summer with Oakville juvenile reps, when Steve Wilson went down with an injury. "l guess," Fozo said. "I son of lucked out." But luck doesn't explain his size, quick bat and cannon-like arm-- are.as in which he is at least the equal of more experienced Americans. There is still a long way to go, though, as he will candidly admit. ““"""'"c """J __ CD-'"'"'.' . _ "lt's a completely different experience," he says. "They take it seriously, that's for sure." He is, for instance, training six days a week, at around four hours a crack. So while Fozo has the raw tools. his fundamentals. like those of other Canadian, lag well behind, prompting his request to be red-shined for this seasons. That means this season will not count against his eligibility-hem still have four years-but will allow him to practice with the team and play See FOZO, Page 17 Sports trivia...Box " 5239 Sports picks...Box No. 5240 Sheridan Collage....To some Oakviua tyatitts......to coma Gunilla um. League...To come By TOM MICHIBATA Oakville Bearer staff After playing I96 regular-season games to eliminate one team - Royal York Rangers - the other seven teams in the West Division of the Central Ontario Junior A Hockey League began playing for keeps yesterday. Locally. the fifth-place Oakville Blades, with a 24-23-2 regular-season record, have drawn fourth-place Caledon Canadians (31-15-3) in a best-of-five series that opened at Bolton Community Centre last night (Tuesday). Game two is at Oakville Arena, Friday at 8 p.m. In other first-round series, it's Milton vs. Mississauga and Burlington vs. Georgetown. First-place Brampton Capitals have drawn a bye. Here's a look at the Oakville-Caledon series: OAKVlLLE: One of the team's defi- nite strengths during its second-half surge. Brass is equally confident in veteran Martin Ethier (3.88 GAA) or rookie Dave Dolecki (3.95 GAA). Both play a similar stand-up style. Ethier plays with a lot of passion but, at times, becomes overheated, CALEDON: Adam Shepherd (3.75 GAA) and Greg Gardiner (3.08 GAA) are a Good looking phones deserve a great package. ,t"2te T NATIONAL i'ti'ii'iih7ii'iss WUENDINI 1ied a catcher and so why, coach Jim Gilligan argue I 5295’?" Bell Mobility DIN ?ackag ket Ad $151468 @1333 <5ng aplay eff ' [913) set war OAKVILLE 828-9200 formidable one-two punch. Shepherd. a Metro League all-star last year, started the year as No. I but when he got injured, Gardiner did an excellent job. OAKVILLE: The systems of former coach Paul Beckner never caught on and the defence experienced rough times. The shifting of Justin Ball and Mike Roberts between defence and forward added to the unsettle- ment. But under Greg Ireland. the “I concepts have been clicking. Ml Rookie Rick MacDonald has come “1 along nicely while vets Sandy “I Sajko (13 goals and 24 assists in 46 “I games). Ball (4SGP-ll-l9) and Danny Digironimo have been stabilizers. The late-season addition of Jason Ricci 117 points in 20 games) has further enhanced this position. Warhorses Sajko and Ball must step forward if the Blades are to advance. CALEDON: Derek Mann i43GP6-20) is the kingpin. He's a 19-year-old who's been through the wars with St. Michael's in the Metro loop the past few seasons. Bill Fry (34GP- 10-29) and Torn Wilson t42GP- mum! ’SPOR TS Green Bay gives up on Mandarich IlllllllLilttr ",_-illtrllr-- Illlk ()Nllllllllll. in DAKVILLE Biotkwoll Size CENTRAL ONIARIO JUNIOR A HOCKEY LEAGUE WEST DIVISION PLAYOFFS 0mm. a cum- (MIN-tin) GAME on: - may", (1mm). Bollo- Conluin Cum. M NO - may. 0mm- Ann (I p...) out THREE - and". m Conn-my Cam (no In.) GAME FOUR (a may) - an”. 0mm: Inn (2.15 an.) M FIVE (It locum-1m. um a... can (no a.“ Earn 1 hlll VllLtlor um 54 spent on urc and white Ask ttyur participating retailer 4O memo mom C ORSA or 65ftl 3 E 75R13 f 85/70R AIR MIL? 82S SBL 86S SBL 213 868 SB 4-24) are the offensive types OAKVILLE: This is the area of most concern. Blades fmished with the third puniest attack in the division and a whop- ping 46 goals behind Caledon. Dan Dclmonte il06 points. including 38 goals) and Matt lnterbartolo (4SGP-33-30) repre. sent the team's best offensive talents but they will be watched closely by Caledon's checking units. That means chaps such as Anthony Mensa (9-D). Mike Roberts tll- 18). Kent Williams (Fl-16), Matt Honchar (13-16) and Jeff Saranko (8-20) from the secondandthirdlinesmustbeattheir best to help take the pressure off Messrs. Delmonte and Interbanolo. The real dark- horse here is Roberts. Since being moved E OAKVILLE BEAVER 1 297 Spears Road (at Dorval) 845-4227 $40.95 $41.95 $46.95 $51.95 $54.95 Price Ii TtTC12Mt' ARRIVA Whitewoll Size sss fits' a , vurtith; _ '4 Green Bay Packers have given up on Oakville's Tony Mandarich. But whether Tony Mandarich has given up on pro football remains to be seen. Mandarich, who became a free agent at the end of the season, will not be invited back the Green Bay Packers' training, camp, the National Football League club announced Friday. In a prepared statement, Packers general manager Ron Wolf said it would be in Mandarich's "best interest to attempt a fresh start in pro football somewhere else." That meahs Mandarich, the larger-than-life offensive tackle who was selected second to a forward line with Delmonte and Ralph Radzki. he's been one of the team's most surprising and effective attackers. _ CALEDON: Ben Davis and Jody Spagnol are the keys here but the Blades will have to also keep a close eye on line- mates such as Jeff Harper (29-39-68), Claudio Orlando (34 points in just l4 games) and Cord Burbidge (l7-25). Orlando was an excellent late-sea- son acquisition from Weston of the Metro junior loop. Kerry Ryan, between Kevin McKinnon and Steve Lecoure. is a good two-way line while the Britt Taylor-Sean Grogan-lustin Lund troika likes to - . get its nose dirty. Caledon took five of the seven meetings between the teams this season but under new coach Greg Ireland. the Blades won the last two....Previous games have been rugged affairs. Oakville expects Caledon to lay on the body and attempt to intimidate its younger, smaller players...Neutralizing Davis (46GP-37-92-ll9) and Spagnol (4lGP-40-4l-81). is a must for Oakville. Price 303 Upper Middle Road E. 338-0011 AH 561°? Ji fgi overall in the 1989 NFL draft, will be allowed to seek employment with any team this sea- son. The Packers would not have to be com- pensated by any team that signs him. . _ Mandarich, 26, did not play this past seasim because of medical problems, although he started 15 games in 1991 and 16 in 1990. A heralded all-American out of Michigan State, Mandarich used his size (6-foot-6, 315; pounds) and bragadoccio to secure a four-year,: $4.4 million contract from the Packers. I Friday's announcement was another blow: for Mandarich, who last month was shaken is), the death of his 31-year-old brother, formed CFL star John, of cancer. I - ”WEE." Spagnol WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1995 PAGE 16 GREG IRELAND: "if we skate the way we can, their defence won't be able to keep up...We're not going to get involved in their (intimidation) tactics. The guys will back each other up." GREGG CARRIGAN: "Oakville plays a good defensive game. We would have preferred (to meet) a team that doesn't play as well systematically...We have to use our team speed a lot more than we did in our last two meetings...l think we have an atti- tude advantage. We have some character people... This will be a rough-and-tumble series with plenty of bodies--and egos--bruised when it's all said and done. But Caledon's aggressiveness could mean lots of time in the penalty box. Canadians have an edge on defence and forward (goaltending's a saw-off) but, under Ireland, Oakville was the division's top second-half team. The series should go the distance, with the Blades winning the fifth game. TOM MICHIBATA Oakville Beaver staff Last week turned into a chamber of horrors for Oakville Trafalgar High School sports teams. On Tuesday, the Red Devils senior boys basketball team lost in the semifinals to M.M. Robinson, Then on Thursday, the hockey team put in a listless effort in a quarter'. Final playoff loss to Bishop Reding. But that all changed Friday night, when the school's junior and senior girls volleyball teams cap- tured Halton title games during three-and-a-half hours of gut-' wrenching action at Sheridan College. The juniors scored a come-from- behind 3-15, 16-14, 16-14 decision over Georgetown Rebels in a re- match of last year's final (also won by OT). The seniors, after splitting the first two games - 17-15 for BC in the opener, 15-9 for OT in the second-- won the rubber 16-14 on a See DEVILS, Page 17 Devils nigh for Trafalg 1r volleyball Davis is the feeder and Blades will try and take the pass away from him while attempting to jam OT's Kristy Thrton (12) and Julie Vanier block Central's Heather Partridge in the Halton girls vol- leyball final. (Photo by Raiero Vermin) THE BEST VALUE BURLINGTON TORONTC 332-5111 847-1623 '-DAY and WEEKDAY MEMBERSHIPS NOW AVAILABLE WEBER We've compared ... MILLCROFT offers its members BOOK YOUR COMPANY TOURNAMENT Now DRUMS-5585 Upper Middle Rd Codmry Club Drive Hwy. "