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The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, October 2, 2001-19 SPORTS Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Persistence pays off A littie extra effort in front pays off with a goal for the Mississauga Hawks against Miltowne Insurance during 40-and-up round robin piay at the SKD OId-timners' 2Oth annual tournamnent at Memorial Arena Saturday. But Miltowne Insurance got the Iast laugh by winning the division titie. For a related photo and full resuits of the tour- nament, see page 21. Merchants lose captain and gamne By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion The Merchants' early-season woes continued with a double whammy in Oakville Fniday. First, Kevin Arruda - Miuton's newly appointed captain and most comple player - went down with a broken ankle about six minutes into the night. The.diminutive centre, who's been burt twice already after an injury-free freshman year, crashed bard mlto the boards and now leaves a huge hole to fill in the club's front-line attack. From Ibere a punchiess powerplay, subpar goaltending and shortened bench - witb veteran defencemen Vince Guiducci and Chris Krieg out nursing back spasms and a tom MCL respective- ly - were just too much for tbe defending conference cbamps to, overcomne. Tbey held a couple of brief one-goal leads but were largely inef- feclive down the stretcb and felI 5-2. Trevor Battaglia tumed back a dozen straigbt shols in the open- ing frame before a bout of mediocrity and lack of offensive sup- port cost bim to lose f'or the third time in four games. Oakville enjoyed a capacty crowd for their offictal bome-open- er Friday and subsequently sbowed a little more întensîty than is usually seen during encouniters wtth the Merchants. Nevertheless. Milton didn't help its own cause any. An O-for-S powerplay whitewasb and bandful of defensive miscues allowed their boots to skate away witb the win. Dan Carcillo and Jason Harsbaw potted goals for the Mercbaits. Oakville was led with a goal aid two assists by velerai Rob Taraitino. Tbe 3-3 Merchants -wbo sit middle of tbe pack in their divi- sion after week tbree of the season - will look to break ai early slump wilb a home-aid-home clasb against tbe Derbys, wbicb begins lonight in Streetsville. Merchant notes: Arruda's injury aid Wes Martin's recent exil leave the teamn witb just 10 forwards ... Since retuming froru the Major-Junior Cape Breton Screamning Eagles, Harshaw bas seven points in tbree games ... Dan Bognar leads tearu scortng witb fine points, including ai asstst on Friday. Royals' third string pivot is superb in Win By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion The Bishop Reding senior football teamn has a seemingly insurmountable challenge awaiting it against Burlmngton's Nelson Lords Thursday. However, bopes for a respectable sbowing witb tbe provincial powerbouse squad are aI least a litile brigbter now - following a revitalized week two performance tbat equaled victory aI Burlington Central Friday. Offering a dramatie recovery from a bomne-opening wbitewasb at flic baids of Oakville's St. Thomas Aquinas, BR fortified its execution aid teamn unity on tbe way to toppling tbe Trojais 10-. Sixteen first downs - a new sebool record aI tbe senior level - were collected in tbe win, wbicb was delivered in large part by debuting quarterback John McGuire. The Royals' impromptu pivot bad neyer taken a snap before last week, but got the cail since botb Andrew Pepper aid Kyle Harilen were stîl side- 1NE0 lined witb injuries. Looking like aiysbing but a complete- ly tnexperienced quarterback Fniday, 4 f 7 MeGuire stayed composed ail aftrmoon in leading a rather conservattve yet effec- tive strike. 4 "John was atiiazing. 1 just cai' Ssay rc enougb about the way be pldyed, satd î t5> jubilant bead coach Joe Jurus. "We only ran four different pîsys ail day, but the offense was outstanding." BR's 241 yards of offense were also the result of an impressive one-two rusbing punch by Chris Dumnencu aid Ryan Taylor who scored the lose toucbdown early os after spearbeadîng a 65- yard drive. He also maiagcd ose of tbree interceptions on the day and sur- passed tbe century mark for yards gained. Mati lshoy, a physical staidout ou both sides of tbe lise, did a terrilîr job blocking for him aid Dumencu - who ftnssed with 70 yards and gained real estate on ail 20 of bis week two carnies. David Wynne booted botb the extra point aid a lengtby field goal before baîf-time. Wbile beld off tbe scoreboard for the balance of the game, the Royals were far front ineffective. James Kaiser made îwo pick- offs to tbwart comeback drives wbile Lue Antonelli blocked the kick followisg Burlinglon CentraI's fourtb-quarter major- wbicb if converted would bave put tbem witbin a field goal. BR also enjoyed possession for aIl but a few moments of the third quarter aid bad negative yards on osly two plays ail after- noon. Defensively, Mitcb Voisvenue led witb seves lack les wbile Rusty Parsons belped neutralize the Trojans' wide-out musbing efforts. He aid Isboy played the entire game aid gave topnotcb performances the wbole way. The Royals, wbo now bave five wins sîsce joining the division ose raiks last year , will no doubt be tbe clear underdogs against Nelson -wbo absolutely ainihilated Aldersbot 49-0 Friday. BR will bave home-field advaitage for tbe week three encounter, wbicb starts at 3:30 p.m. Milton Vs Streetsville TICKET Catch alithe Acf ion 6 Excftement *..PIE Friday, October 5th Aut......7O at 8:00 pm, Memorial Arena Aut ....... 70 (Thompson Rd.>) Seniors/Students .... $5.00 This week's Grand Prize: Children 12 & Under ..$3.00 Panasonic Personal CD Pla er