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The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, June6è, 2000 -23 a 0 C-11 yo- o- #2-342 Brente SL M morW-t' 87 INEL 6-WINE Top pick by Wolves vSturgeon goes in first round to Sudbury By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion Adam Sturgeon is moving Up - in more ways than one. The Merchants' baby face defenceman is ready to continue climbing the ranks of junior hockey, and the next rung on the proverbial ladder cornes way up north. Following two years in Milton, Sturgeon has been drafted by Bert Templeton's Sudbury Wolves. He was picked first by the team and I151h overaîl during the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) 2000 Prionîty Selection at Mississauga's Hershey Centre. The 16-year-old is the first Mercbant player in seven years to be taken in tbe opening round, since welI- known sniper Travis Riggin went fourtb overaîl to the Belleville Bulîs in 1993. Mucb like Riggin, Sturgeun bails [rom a small town - Erin - and spent a couple of seasons in Milton as an under-ager belore making tbe jump to major-junior hockey. Not tbat there's any guarantee be'll make the lineup rigbt away, even witb bemng a top selection, altbougb expectations are certainly bigb. "Adam was our top rated defenceman and we're bappy to get birs," Templeton said, moments after the officiai announcement Saturday. "Not only is be a fundamentally good hockey player, but he's also a very intelligent defenceman." The 5'l I, 175 lbs. blueliner's smarts and skills on the ice were neyer a question mark - but lime with tbe Merchants bas helped bim develop a maturity and tougbness that will no doubt be required 10 tbnive in the OHL. "I doubt if I would be this caîrs and confident had t not played in Milton tbe past two years," remarked Sturgeon, wbo enjoyed an exîremely strong Under- 17 camp tbis spring and was recently named one of six Ontario Hockey Association Top Prospect Award recipients. "t got a lot of support there and leamed bow to deal with junior hockey and older players." Sturgeon bas a couple of friends - forged tbrough summer training camps - playing for Sudbury, alîhough admits he doesn't know Ibat mucb about the tears. But if he needs any assurances of how good bis impending situation is, be bas only to address tbe mat- ter witb father Peter. "Playing for a leader and developer like Bert ('Templeton) is an outstanding opportunity for Adam. 1 tbink belIl grab bold of it and really prosper," said tbe eIder Sturgeon. Locals drafted Milton's Dan Rogers led a amaîl group of local players picked up St Saturday's draft - being taken in the tbird round, 43rd overaîl, by the Owen Sound Platers. The 6', 175 lbs. defenceman - wbo went bigher tban any area native in recent memory - spent st season witb tbe Mississauga Rebels' bantamn team. Daryl Knowles of Campbellville, a left Winger wiîb tbe Halton Hurricane bantams, was acquired by tbe St. Miebsels Majors in the sixtb round. A strong sbowing St tbis spring's Under-17 camp no doubt raised bis profile and overaîl selection at tbe draft. Fellow Campbellville native Cbase TrulI - a left winger/centre - was picked up in the seventb round by the Erie Otters. He played for tbe Guelpb Jr. B tears last year. Taken in tbe I 2tb round by tbe Mississauga lceDogs was Milton's Jonatban Gleed - a defenceman wbo spent 1999/2000 witb the Mississauga Rep bantams. Meanwbile, Mercbant AP forward Mac Faulkner and tbird-string goaltender Antbony Marshall were picked up in tbe I 8tb and I 9th rounds respectively. Faulkner went to the Osbawa Generals wbile the Brampton Battalion drsfted Marshall. Photo by STEVE LaeLANC Sudbury Wolvea' Bert Tamplaton (right) welcomes Mîlton Marchant dafanceman Adam Sturgeon to the tam, aflar draftlng hlm in the tirai round of Saturday's OHL 2000 Priarity Selaction aI the Hershey Centre. E.C. Drwy-Georgetown softball wars continue By STEVE LeBLANO The Champion The stakes have neyer been higher. E.C. Drury-Georgetown girls softball show- downs are always meaningful, but next week's potential clash between these league rivais would certainly be the most signiticant in recent memory. Tbe two teamas are on a collision course for tbe regional championship Tbursday, June 15. Should they meet for the tille, the local ladies will bave home-field advantage by virtue of their victory over Georgetown (8-7) May 25 - wbicb was thse bigbligbt of their undefeated season and essentially gave tbem top spot in Halton's Richardson Division. Georgetown wouid probabiy give tzp bbe edge in termns of fan support, but sureiy not in confi- dence - since over tbe lasI couple of years tbey've won the majority of bigb stakes match- ups against Dmury. Hold playoff edge That track record includes back-to-back play- off victories as weli as an extra-innings trumph during tbe finals of Ibis past Friday's Dundas Toumamrent. E.C. beld a sizabie lead but eventuai cougbed il Up and were sbaded 6-5. This was a sharp contrast to, tbe teams' lasI confrontation, wben the locais staged a major comeback 10 earn tbe win. Having surrendered one titie already Ibis spring, the Spartans wiil no doubt pull ouI ail tbe stops in order to prevent a cbampionsbip-sweep by Georgetown. "It'11 definitely be an exciting game if we meet (in the finals)," said Drury coacb Sally Gray. "We'll be looking for pay back alrigbt." Friday aflemoon's loss was the first ber tears bad auffered in a dozen gantes Ibis year. Tbey reacbed the finals by bombing Aldersbot 14-0 and Lester B. Pearson 13-1 in five-inning mercies. Lindsay Harroid, Elisha McGee and Melissa Park silenced Ibeir opposition on the mound wbile leading offensively were thse Jamieson sis- ters - Anne and Marion - as well as Cristine Hutchison, Eariier in thse week the team upstaged Milton District 9-4 and dismanîled Nelson 16-i 10 cap a 8-0-1 regular season and finish one point abead of Georgetown. The only blemisb on their record was a 12-12 lie witb Bisbop Reding, Halton's moat improved team Ibat went [rom a winiess campaign lasI year 10 actually malcing the playoffs Ibis season witb a record of 4-4-I. Tbey outdisîanced Milton District 11-6 lasI week 10 finish fiftb overali in the Richardson Division. BR's upening round playoff match-up bas thers aI Burlington's M.M. Robinson Ibis after- noon. Drury bas a first-round bye today and will bost tbe quarterfinals Tbursday aI Lions Park. Game lime is 3:15 p.m.