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The Caniadian Champion, Friday, Septeniber 3.,1999 -21 v'Merchants Antoabrnefrlcllu plan to deal _____in lb o zefr o a cùl goaltender The Milton Lawn Bowling Club now ha anationalue=Mllo TcaHtiis'own, By STEVE LOBLANC The Champion The Merchants' comings and goings have picked up steain as the regular season draws dloser. The biggest news ao far out of training camp ta the club's recent decision to part company with veteran goalie Jeremy Wenzel - who was originaily expected to tend the twine for a fourth and final year. But with the arrivai of Pickering's Joci Cameron and the continued strong play of netminding hopefuls like Anthony Marshall of OakviIIe, Milton management feel they'll be better served by dealing their longtime backup and strengthening either their defence or forward lines. Wenzel ia now being shopped around and shouid have a new home within a cou- ple of weeks - likely in time to stait the new season. "After three years, we thought it best to go in another direction," said Nick Slawson, Milton's director oCf hockey operations. Stewart going Alao not due back now is Ryan Stewart. Problema with his family, who feit he wasn't getting enough exposure in town, have cauaed the team to sever ties with the promiaing young centre. He too will be deait to another club shortly. Looking to step in and fill hia shoes are a number of hopefuls including Miltonians Frank Fazio, Paul Pedulla and Joah Vanderbreggen - ail of whom are expect- ed to aee exhibition play tbis weekend. Said Slawaon, "I think this is the lateat three local boys have survived our camp in the three years I've been here. They've ail shown a lot of grit, particularly last Saturday against Collingwood. They had a veteran Iineup out there that was very aggressive, and these guys didn't turn away at ail." The Merchants' offence should be fur- ther aided by the recent disbanding of the asee WHEEL on page 22 lTe foursomes national debut was in a word, b, While coming away with a medal was o doira plishinent - eapecially for a teain dut only mtmt er his past spning -failing to qualify for the grî was tough te swallow for ail concerne Mllton'a Ken Armutrong dlspays the national taom bowling bronzê modal ho recently won, as part of a toam suprsntlng the local club. Paeticularly because of the manner in which it slipped away. "V/e were even with Alberta 14-14 ait the end of round one and there was plenty of tdîne to have extra endis, but there ame o tie breakers at the nationals," explaineai Armstrong, who feit sortie- wbat cheated by this format "Alberta bad a lot of lucky abots ini that one and had we gone on te win, we'd have made it to the golai gaine. I diink they need to look ai changing the rles." Milton's skip wasn't neadly as clisappointed with the draw as he was with losing to Nova Scodia 17-13 - a gaine duat they shoulai have handily won. 'Te Otarie champs staked themselves to an early lead but deir castein opponents battled back with a six-point rurnaround down thse stretch to deliver perbapa thse biggest upset of tise week Added Armstrong, "V/e could probably have affordeai a lied per- formance by orne of us, but we were ail off and they (Nova Scotia) haddsheir best game of the tournainent."l His HlM hnunince sponsooed foursomie was in top forai for ail odher gaines - at le"s as much as they coisld be on par"aiarly fast greens that were extra challenging - including the bronze battie in which they exacted a nxeasure of revenge against Alberta and annibilated them 24-3. Eas'ly lead ho Team Ontario placed an 8-0 stranglehold on the gaine early and neyer looked back. 'They (Alberta) just couldn't find the green and weoe neyer real- ly in it at al," explaned Chais Stadnyk. The local teain prevailed in four of five other matches, losing only to eventual champion British Columbia 22-13. Their wins carne against Manitoba (25-12), Saskatchewan (i5- 15), Prince Edward Island (22-13) and Quebec (25-16) - who went on to tihe titie ganse, by virtue of their one point lead over Ontario after mroud-robin play. "MMatde with Alberta really put us behind the eight hall aend coat us a trip to due finals," said Armstrong. "However, duere were a lot of positives about the nadionals as well and for our tirai ine duere -we did very well." ý W areAflton' o a t ored eie f