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The Canadian Champion, Friday, October 26, 2001-25 Merrui~ eefupranks with pair of acqisitions By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion The Merchants' search for players has finally bore fruit. Milton stili hasn't gotten its hands on any breakthrough perfonners, but did make a couple of acquisitions 10 beef up the ranks this past week. Miltonian Jacob Vanderbreggen - who toiled with neighbouring Georgetown last year and began this season with Petrolia's Jr. B squad - now joins younger brother Josh as a Merchant. The 19-year-old bas been an ail-purpose utili- ty player in recent years and is expected to con- tinue in tbat rote with Milton b elping fill out tbe forward lines for now. Vanderbreggen brings both size and junior experience to a lineup that's in nerd of both. Jacob and Josh represent tbe first Merchant brother act since Jeff and Darren Haydar. Meanwhile, Hamilton midget graduate Justin Nattress, 17, is flow recovrred firom a broken collarbone and is set to join a blueline unit that's îhinned out and rather fatigued. Milton's defense will be further fueled by the retumn of veteran Chris Krieg - wbo's due back a litIle rarlier than initially expected from a tom MCL. The Merchants are also looking 10 acquire Miltonian Travis Van Loosen, but have bad dif- ficulty ironing out a deat with the Burlington Cougars. Also on the team's wish list is an interima goal- tender to belp rookie Sean Samuel untit early December - when starter Trevor Battaglia is due back from a broken collarbone. -The problen is finding aî ;top-gap goalie. We only nerd someone until December, but cao we leave Sean by himself for that long?" questioned general manager Nick Slawsun. In addition to Battaglia, captain Kevin Arruda remains sidelined with a broken anide while vet- cran rearguard Vince Guiducci - who's bren plagued with back spasms in recent weeks -is questionable for this weekend. The 5-8 Merchants. who're three points out of a playoff spot, boss OakviIle tonight and then travel 10 Georgetown tomorrow. Jr. 'Stangs topple Aquinas By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion Milton District High's junior football teamn will in att lielihood have home-field advantage for opening round playoff action Thursday. That would be good news for any term - but parlicularly so for one that has yet 10 be beat on its own turf. MD maintained that record during ils regutar season finale against Oakvitle's St. Thomas Aquinas Wednesday. Able 10 shut down the visiîing offense like tbey did in two previnus home games this season, the division two Mustangs knocked off the sbort-staffed Raiders 13-3 10 square their overall record aI 3-3. "Wr were watking a Il over theru in the second haif," said head coach Richard Grant, who at press time yesterday was stilI awaiting word on bis term's ptacing and firaI-round opponient. "We were really bit- ting tbemn hard and they were grîting fatigurd." Greg Cote, MD's inside linebacker and defensive captain, added another chapter 10 bis remnarkable season and enjoyed support from up and down the Iineup. Said Grant, "Greg's rratly starling t0 separate bimself from the rest of thr play- ers. He's tumning into a real standout." Ryan Wildfang and Jordan Munn scored the touchdowns, both on short munning plays 10 cap lengthy drives, while kicking a second-quarter single was Todd Arruda. Somne big completions by quarterback Jay Prie Io Craig Harding and John Van Es set up the gamne winning major. which fotlowing St. Thomas Aquinas' early field goal. From there, the bosts used their haîf- back option t0 fuît advantage in delivering an insurance toucbdown. Limiting Ibeir penalties down the stretch factored mbt the victory for the local jun- iors, who on home turf Ibis season didn't give up any points past haîf-time en route 10 three straigbt wins. MD wilI tikely finish fourtb on the year and start the playoffs against rither Aquinas or White Oaks - botb of wbomn îhey braI in low-scoring affatrs. PosI-season games begin aI 2 p.m. DIVISION PEEVIEE HUU5 LI T!M DRIEAN CAR GARAGE PRESSE LAWI OFFICE SCOOTERS SNACK SHOP BRIAN'S AUTO REPAIRS SCORE TEAM CANADIAR TIRE NOM! CINEMA VIDEO TOVINE DENTAL OROUP ROSS IXON FINANCIW. OCT 21 ATOM LION'S CLUB NIA BRIAN'S AUTO REPAIRS NIA GUS MOWBRAY NIA SEARS NIA GALLINGER FORD NIA MCCUAIG INSURANCE NIA OCT 21 NOVICE GOODUIFE F1TNESS BLACK 5 GOODUIFE FITNESS RED 1 GOODLIFE FITNESS BLUE NIA OOODLIFE FITNESS GREEN NIA SHOPPER'S DRUG MART 2 BRIAN'S AUTO REPAIRS 2 AUSTEN NOBLE INSIJRANCE 5 NU-TECH RECRUITERS 4 OCT 21 BANTAM A UT! TRANSPORTATION NIA BRIAN'S AUTO REPAIRS NIA ROESATAT WIRELESS NIA BEN-GUIP LM!. NIA NU-TECH RECRUITERS NIA SIJNNY OASIS INTER1NET NIA SENIOR JOUNSON CONTROLS DOCO a DENTS MILTON CHRYSLER MOD0E ProudIy Suppods ~ Milton Minor Hockey Tel: 876-4647 Fax: 876-1100 100 Nipîssing Road, Unit 9 Milton, Ontario L9T 582 Ssshind Milton Mail KEY CENTRE KWIK KOPY ICFC Get up and *wg ttro... A TradmoST ofVle&Tut$ne1« FIUNMURE APPLIANCES & ILICI'RONICS M ï- WLGGb<I DIVISION li 1 zu