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The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, April 7,1998 -25 CFUITERIORS P45 MAN T MITON 878- 42830 Merchants up by two in the OHA final series Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Shryen Ls iep re n prsie l otn audydrn ons af three as shows put on by the Milton Skating Club.I AMY gets bronze medal Amy DiPalma's efforts at the recent provincial champion.ships were good enough to bronze. The Milton rhythmic gymnast amassed 64.42 points for the bronze medal at Brock University - outscoring 23 participants including a handful of national team mem- bers. She eamed the silver in rope, bronze in both bail and hoop plus fourth-place hon- ours in ribbon. A member of the Etobicoke Olympium Rhythmic Gymnasties Club, Amy will now prepare for the Canadian Championships in June. She goes to the nationals ranked second. By STEVE LeBLANC Special to The Champion Drama and dominance shared the spotlight in the Merchants' delivery of a two-game road sweep this past weekend. Milton used extreme measures to beat the Metro League champion Wexford Raiders - bombing them 11-2 in one breath and gutting out a 3-2 dou- ble overtime decision in the next. They led the best-of-seven Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) championship series 2-0 prior to last night's gamc in Milton. Steve French kissed Wexford's hopes for evening the series goodbye 1:03 mbt the second extra session Sunday. The graduating lefI winger hauled in a cross-ice pass from Chad Blundy and undressed cager Chris Short with a bottorn shelf backhand. 1I caught him going in the wrong direction and frorn there it was aIl net," said French, who joins Kevin O'Flaherty in the dou- ble overtime playoff scoring club. Raider Bernie Sigrist erased Milton's 2-I lead in the final 30 seconds of regulation time after captain Jeff Haydar took a highly questionable high sticking major. Good penalty killing Led by Shane Sullivan, the Merchants did an excellent job killing the balance of the penalty in the first overtime period. Prior to this they denied Wexford on nine straight man-advan- tage situations and collected their fourth shorthanded goal of the playoffs - scored by French on a broken play in the opening frame. Milton's first goal of the game came on the powerplay, cour- tesy of a tic-tac-toe maneuver completed by Darren (Mini) Haydar who floored Johin Rumero wîth a thunderous second-peri- od check and drew the first assist on the game winner. Sullivan, Jef Haydar, Ron Baker and Jasen Hopiavuori picked up helpers as well. Though technically the visiting team, the Merchants enjoyed far more support at the Scarborough arena. Close to 200 Milton fana made back-to-back trips east and drowned out Wexford's small following. Crowd big edge "It's a huge factor in our success," said Merchant president Gregg Carrigan, whose teamn is now just haîf a dozen wins away from going to the nationals. "It means a lot bo the guys to know they're playing for a community as well as themnselves." Milton scored a season high six powerplay goals Friday. 'Me nine-point overaîl spread represents their widest margin of victo- ry through the playoffs. Said Wexford bench boss Kevin Burkett after game one, 1I think of how Caledon lost by nine goals in game seven (of the Metro finals) and just thank God we've got a chance to show we're better than that." Uninspired play and cheap stick work was about aIl his team brought to the table in the series opener. The worst culprit was enforcer Mike Heather, who short-circuited after redirecting a shot into his own net and decked Bannan in the third. Teamnmate Nathan Gillies settled the score in the final few sec- onds of play, pummeling the loose cannon in one of the best tus- eses MILTON on page 27 Steve French Thn'is Buck moves up David Buck jumpcd longer and higher than anyone cisc at the tourth annual Ontario International Games. Representing Athietiques International Track and Field Club, the 13-year-old Milton athiete topped both the bantam boys high jump and long jump - with 1 .46m and 4.67m efforts respectively. He led an 11 -member local contingent that helped Athietiques International win the team tille at York University. Buck's Milton teammates amassed 1l silvers and nine bronze medals. Here's a rundown of their individual efforts: Aaron Reese, 10, silver in the 1,500m, 1 ,500m race walk and shot put, bronze in the 800m. Shannon Laing, 8, silver in 60m and shot put, bronze in the 200m, long jump and hgh jump. Mia Fazio, 10, silver in 1,500m, bronze in the 200m. Devon Reese, 7, silver in the 200m, bronze in the shot put, fourth in the long jump, sixth in the 60m. Lauren Beatty, 10, silver in the 60m and shot put, fourth in the 200m. Andrew Lyall, 9, silver in the shot put, sixth in the 60m. Caylanne Lyall, 12, silver in shot put. Melissa Logue, 13, bronze in 800m and 1 ,500m. Gary Laing, 10, bronze in the high jump, sixth in shot put. isymes Beatty, 13, tifth in 60m. $222 *U5l Or Get 4,8% no limit financing for up to 60 months ~ Ar Condtioning eAuto Transmission *AM/FM Cassette Stereo *à Dual Arbags e1.8 litre DOHC 120 H.P. Engîne Ask about our Toyota Grad Program a -M Flere! É- 1