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Sports Oakville Beaver By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF MINOR'S · MEN'S · WOMEN'S BALL HOCKEY REGISTRATION www.hmbhl.com 905-637-8118 29 SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2009 Girls' hockey rivalry emerging between Tigers, Irish BURLINGTON -- For a long time, one thing girls' high school hockey in Halton has lacked is a good rivalry. Over the eight-year stretch from 1998 to 2005, two teams dominated the league as Burlington's M.M. Robinson Rams and Notre Dame Fighting Irish each claimed four consecutive titles. Things have changed recently, but the league has been so wide open that there hasn't been the opportunity to develop a healthy hate for another team. There have been three different cham"We've never pions in the past three years had that sort of and, perhaps even more telling, five teams have made an appearrivalry. We'd like ance in the final. to win every Given the way the T.A. game, sure, but Blakelock Tigers and the (Notre Dame's) a Fighting Irish were jawing at good team to one another as they left the ice following Notre Dame's 5-3 win play against." Tuesday in Burlington, that appears to be changing. Blaeklock coach The teams came into the Ron Larose game locked in a battle for first place -- the defending champion Blakelock at a perfect 8-0 while Notre Dame was 7-1, with the Irish's only loss being a 3-2 defeat in the season opener against the Tigers. That led to a higher level of intensity in Tuesday's game. For a moment during the second period, it looked as though there might have even been a fight as Blakelock's Hayleigh Cudmore tussled with Notre Dame's Katie Roganowicz. "It was for first place, it's late in the season, you expect something like that," Blakelock coach Ron Larose said of the physical nature of the game. "The whole league is more physical. We've had games against Georgetown where there's been even more of it." Though Cudmore did only drop her gloves -- she received a roughing penalty -- she came as close to the Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist and a fight in LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER DOWN BUT NOT OUT: Notre Dame's Alicia Page (left) and T.A. Blakelock's Michelle Saunders go to the ice in pursuit of the puck during Tuesday's physical girls' high school hockey clash at Burlington's Appleby Ice Centre. Notre Dame handed the Tigers their first loss of the season, 5-3. the same game) as you're going to see in girls' high school hockey. Her goal with 13 seconds left in the second period cut into the 2-0 lead Notre Dame had built by scoring two shorthanded goals in 11 seconds. Cudmore would add a second goal, ripping a slapshot into the top corner with under five minutes to play to make it 4-2. She would complete the near-trifecta by setting up Michelle Saunders for Blakelock's final goal in the last minute of the game. Irish coach Paul Leonard felt his team did a better job of harnessing its aggression but he would still like to see improvement in that area, though he conceded with a lot on the line, it was going to be an intense game. "The first time we played, we took six penalties. We were very undisciplined. We still took more (four) than I'd like today but when you have two highly skilled teams, it gets a little more competitive," Leonard said. Larose added, "We've never had that sort of rivalry. We'd like to win every game, sure, but that's a good team to play against." Having split the season series, the two-goal Irish victory gives Notre Dame first place because the Irish's margin of victory over Blakelock was greater. While there's no guarantee the two teams will meet in the final, it would certainly make for an entertaining conclusion to the season. Asked if there is a rivalry established between the teams, Notre Dame's Kolbee McCrea, who scored four times, answered, "It is now." Weir earns permanent residence at Glen Abbey Known early in his career as someone who struggled at Glen Abbey Golf Club, Mike Weir will now -- metaphorically, at least -- be there for life. The 38-year-old PGA Tour player and 2003 Masters champion has been elected as this year's inductee into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, which is housed at Glen Abbey. Weir will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame during this year's 100th playing of the RBC Canadian Open, scheduled for July 20-26 at Glen Abbey. "I am extremely honoured to share a place in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame with the many names who have done so much for golf in Canada," Weir said. "I have so much that I still want to accomplish both on the course and in helping to continue to grow the game in Canada, but this honour will always rank as one of the greatest of my career." Weir will be the 64th inductee into the Hall of Fame and the 20th male professional golfer in the Hall of Fame. His eight career victories tie him with George Knudson for most wins by inductees who have played on the PGA Tour. He was awarded the Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy by Canadian journalists as the outstanding Canadian athlete of the year in 2003 when he won three PGA Tour events, including the prestigious Masters. This year marks the 10th anniversary of his first PGA Tour win, the Air Canada Championship in Vancouver, when he became the first Canadian to win a PGA Tour event on Canadian soil since Pat Fletcher won the Canadian Open in 1954. "With his career accomplishments to date, Mike Weir most certainly has earned the distinction," said David Shaw, chair of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. "We believe there is no better time to celebrate Mr. Weir's achievements than during the 100th playing of our national Open championship." Boasting over 14,000 players nationally, the Canlan Ice Sports 3 on 3 Spring/Summer Hockey League is without question one of the largest youth 3 on 3 leagues in the world. 905-845-6989 www.icesports.com