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Sports Oakville Beaver By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2008 53 Senior Red Devils on another mission Veteran players determined to leave OT as Halton girls' volleyball champions chance to see many of their Halton rivals this weekend at a tournament at Holy Trinity, but not the team Last year, the Oakville Trafalgar likely to be their biggest obstacle to Red Devils' motivation was sending a Halton title. Georgetown has longtime girls' volleyball coach opened the season with three wins, Maria Seto out on a winning note. but the Devils will likely have to The Devils' nemesis, the wait until the new year to see their Georgetown Rebels, weren't much rivals. OT plays in Georgetown Jan. for sentiment, though. For the sec- 13. ond year in a row, the Rebels defeatThe two have rarely met in reged OT in the Halton senior champi- ular-season play, but this year the onship game, denying the Devils divisions have been realigned by from delivering their going-away school size rather than by geopresent to their retiring coach. graphical location. This year, the Devils' motivation "When the girls first saw the is a little more personal, particularly schedule, they were a little surfor seniors Monica Hirano and Jenny prised," Peterson said, "but we're Pierce. The two were both in Grade 9 going to need to play some good when OT became just the second teams to get ready for playoffs and team in the last 14 years to take the for added experience." senior girls' title OT's early schedfrom Georgetown. In "We might end up ule has not been doing so again, playing (Georgetown) easy, with games Hirano and Pierce earlier in the playoffs, against Notre could bookend their but I'd rather play Dame, Assumption high school days them in the final. I and Christ the King, with Halton titles really want to beat three teams expectand gain a measure them, especially in my ed to figure into the of revenge for their senior year." playoff picture. OT departed coach. knocked out Monica Hirano "We miss her," Assumption in last Hirano said of Seto. "Last year was year's semis and the Crusaders junreally emotional, but we have big iors were Halton finalists. potential of going to OFSAA this Still, it's the January date that year." looms large. The biggest reason for opti"It's going to be weird playing mism is that OT lost just one play- (Georgetown) in the regular seaer from last year's Halton final son," Hirano said. "With the new team. And although captain D.D. divisions, we might end up playing Dionisio was certainly a key player them earlier in the playoffs, but I'd of that squad, the remainder of the rather play them in the final. I realteam is back with another year of ly want to beat them, especially in experience and another heartbreak my senior year." fuelling their desire to reclaim the As the team's setter, Hirano cerHalton title. tainly has plenty of weapons to Ally Torrence has moved into choose from. Pierce, recently Dionisio's spot and Megan returned after missing a week with Sampson has taken on a starting a shoulder injury, pounds balls to role. With minimal disruption to the floor, while Torrence, Lauren the lineup, the Red Devils have not Egglestone and Lizzy Siklos are missed a beat. They won the con- strong hitters that make it tough to solation final at a recent tourna- double team OT. ment at the University of Toronto, The Devils also have a unique and Tuesday ran their regular-sea- weapon with Julia Zakrzewski and son record to 4-0 with a 25-10, 25- Torrence delivering jump serves -- 15 victory over the Holy Trinity a rarity in high school volleyball. Titans. With all but two players having "They're excited about this year, club volleyball experience, the they're having fun and they've got Devils seem to have more than good team chemistry because enough talent to make it to the they've played together for so long," Halton final for a sixth consecutive said Nick Peterson, who took over year. And, this time, they hope to the coaching duties from Seto. have more volleyball to play after The Devils will get their first the championship game. RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER COMING THROUGH: Oakville Trafalgar's Jenny Pierce (in red) hits the ball through the block of Holy Trinity's Hilary Frost (8) and Kristin Sprukulis during Tuesday's senior girls' volleyball game at OT. Pierce is one of several Red Devils determined to win a Halton championship in their final year of high school. Local rinks hope to make history By Tim Gall SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Two junior curling teams from Oakville have a chance in the new year to accomplish a rare feat by winning their respective provincial crowns in the same season. Katie Lindsay and Jake Walker will skip Oakville Curling Club teams at the Ontario Junior Curling Championships, a tournament that begins Jan. 7 in Gananoque. It marks the first time in modern memory that Oakville rinks have qualified on both sides (junior women's and junior men's) of the Ontario championships in the same year. Oakville teams have never before claimed the Ontario titles in the same season. In fact, a local squad winning either crown has been rare. Julie Reddick and her Oakville team enjoyed the most success, winning titles in 2000 and 2002. (That same team also won in 1999, when it represented the Milton Curling Club.) On the men's side, Oakville has captured the provincial championship only once, in 1981, when John Base skipped a local entry to the title. Furthermore, two rinks from the same club anywhere in Ontario have been victorious only once (Ottawa, 1998) in the history of the junior curling championships. "It makes me proud to have two teams representing Oakville this year at the provincial championships," said Lindsay, a White Oaks graduate who is now attending the University of Waterloo. "Oakville had a strong field of teams this year and any of them could have made it," she said, alluding to the fact that all four teams in the B-finals of the regional championships were from the town. "It will be amazing if either us or Jake Walker's team took the title because we have worked hard towards this goal and both teams are highly deserving." Lindsay said the team is happy to have the opportunity at an Ontario title and proud of its accomplishments so far, but is expecting tough tests in Gananoque. "Making provincials was very satisfying because it is the first time for all of us making it to a junior provincial and we are all looking forward to it," Lindsay said of the junior women's team, which includes Lauren Wasylkiw, Gen Bernier, Stephanie Thompson and alternate Spencer Anderson. "I don't really think there are any surprises in the field going into these provincials. The teams that curled the best (at the recent regional competitions) made it through and I think any team is good enough to win it." "Looking ahead, I think we need to focus on getting through exams and finishing school, practicing lots, and staying healthy," she added. "Our team is looking forward to (junior) provincials... and are hoping to improve on our second-place finish at bantam provincials two years ago." Lindsay said it's great to be among the few Oakville teams over the years to get this far. See Both page 54