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The Canadien Champion, Tuesday,.S"blITbO< 28, 19W9-17 vEarly drives don't get it done for Mustangs By STEVE LeBLANO The Champion Reaching the end zone twice on the first two plays of the year is enough to give any football team a confidence boost. But perhaps it's one that came a littie too quickly and easily for the senior Mustangs' own good. Ed Stavnitzky bas seen it before. A gridiron veteran for nearly two decades. he knows only too well how a false sense of securi- ty can develop from an initial taste of success. 'I've seen tearns that score right away and tbink 'Hey, tbis is going to be a cakewalk'," said the new bead coach for Milton District 111gb School. Wbether it was a case of overconfidence or lack of experience, or in ail likelihood a combination of tbe two, tise local squad was silenced after tiseir early offensive output and beaten 12-8 by tbe bost Georgetown Rebeis Friday in season opening play. Foiiowing John Melito's 22-yard pass to Ian Robinson - who went anotber 40 yards for tbe major and then rusbed for a two- point convert - MD bad only marginal success at driving tbe field. Wbiie Robinson bad sorne impressive gains, rnissed blocking assigniments left Melito - currently filling in for injured pivot Jon Sprenger - open to a pair of sacks wbile a variety of otber rookie miùstakes cost tbemn tbe shot at a garne one victory. "We bad no penetration frnt the outside early on. Incidentai penalties and fumbles, little tbings like that kiiled us today," rernarked Stavnitzky. "We've got to fix some tbings ai practice next week." To Milton's credit, tbey did bold the bost team scoreless tbrougb tbe second baif witb some fine tackles - by Corey Bowen, Wili Hoey,-Weston and Brett McClure - and strong pasa protection. Botb Rebel toucbdowns were delivered by leading rusber Andrew Hann. Tbey came four miànutes into tbe contest and mid- way tbrougb the second quarter, sandwicbing Use visitors' scor- ing. Melito connected on four of seven tbrows and coilected 83 yards during the opening baif before switcbing to an all-ground gaine that got tbe tearn witbin the 25-yard line twice. Tbe second Urne, tbey tried a fake punt pass and were nearly Photo by STEVE LoBLANC Milton District High's Ken Drumnmond (22) looks to bypasa a Georgetown Rebel defender In senior'football play Frlday. MD loat th. season opening clash 12-8. picked off. action. ise Mustangs travel to Oakville's St. Tisoras Aquinas Friday. Meanwbile, MD's junior team starta Use season tornorrow at Tiseir borne opener is slated for next Tbursday, Oct. 7 againat borne versus Buriington's Lester B. Pearson. Bisbop Reding - at wbicb tirne Sprenger sbould be back in Garne time is 3:30 p.m. vMerchants run record to 5-O, crunching Caps By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion ise Mercisants' offensive onsiaugbt continues to gain stearn as tise new season mills on. Scoring 19 Urnes tbis past weekend, tbey put two more notebes in Use win colurnn to remain unheaten ae 5-0. Enjoying more cbernistry Usan could possibly bave been expected Usis eariy in Use year - witb so rnany new recruits in the lineup - tbey're averaging more tbtan. eigbt goals a garne and bave managed no lesa tban seven on any single evening. Friday at borne tbat firepower burned Braimpton 10-2. Wbile tbe forward units worked wonders inside enemy lines, tbe blowout was due in part to a sbockingly letbargic performance by tbe so far uninspired Capitals - wbo beading into iast nigbt's tilt in Buffalo were still winleas. "It's pretty surprising. Brampton is usualiy one of tbe top teama, but tbey've corne out really slow," remarked Mike Wbeeiban, wbo tailied tbree tirnes for bis first ever junior bat-trick. "We've got to pounce on tbese type of teams, before Usey start playing like tbey're supposed Tbe I 8-year-old winger bas been particularly potent to date witb five goals and nine assista to lead teain sconing. He said being part of a talent- ed line - with proven performers Elliot Altberg and Pbil Barski - bas belped bim get off to anotber strong season start. Added Wlseeliban, "We're moving tbe puck well and getting a lot of cbances. Hopefuily we can kecp it going." Altberg and Barski also buried tbe biscuit Friday. Tise Mercbants' bit parade was rounded out with goals by Mark Beisel, Dan DeLong, Ryan Eby, Ian Malcolmn and Mike McGrane. Goaltender Joel Cameron made a Mike Whe.lihan few nifty diving saves and stopped two dozen sbots overaîl to record tbe win. At Mississauga's Iceland Arena Sunday, Milton delivered a second-rate effort for mucb of the evening but still had enough juice to topple the Chargera 9-5. Win number five was bighlighted by a third period hat-trick by Jeif Petherick and a five- point sbowcase (a goal and four assists) by Rob Martin. Mississauga evened the count three times in the opening frarne and chased cager Luc Lamothe from the net. Cameron worked the final two periods - allowing a couple of goals on 28 ahots. The Merchants' blueline gave up a handful of breakaways and, more often than flot, looked rather vulnerable. Barski and Eby tallied twice to help cernent the victory wbile Altberg added a single. i TO Y 0 r À AVI E S- -,