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The Canadian Champion , Fniday, April 19, 2002--23 '.AA' midgets' season ends with disappointing finish at Ontario championships Less-than-stellar effort leads tofourth-place showing By STEVE LeBLANC The Champion It wasn't exactly the northemn excursion local midgets had in mind. Suffering a double whammy ai the Ontario Hockey Federation cbampionships in Sudbury Sunday, Milton's AA Winterhawks let both a trip to the finals and the bronze medai slip through their fingers with consecutive sub-par performances. "Il was really disappointing - both our finish and effort," explained assistant Tom Baynton, who picked up the head coaching reigns when skipper Amie Parcels retumed home to attend a famiiy wedding Saturday. While the GTHL's West Mail Lightning were the creamn of the provincial crop, Multon's OMHA cham- pions were on par with the other three teams - fromn a talent standpoint - according to Bayoton. "West Mail was a sîep abead of everyone, but i think we could certainly have corne second," he suggested. "Mentally, the guys jusl weren't there." Heartbreaking finish The Milton Toyota-sponsored crew's biggest disap- poinsment was saved for lasi - when in the afiemoon bronze-medai tilt they coughed up a two-goal lead in the final three minutes of play and wound up losing to Waterloo 5-3. 'Me game wmnner - a deflected blueline biast - was sunk witb a measiy 11.2 seconda remnaining and quickly foliowed up witb an empty netter that seaied the local midgets' collective fate. Julian Ricci estab- lisbed the lead witb a flrst-period hat-trick _ for the team's only multi-goal performance of the toumnament - while delivering a strong showing between the pipes was weekcnd ail-star and bronze-medal MIVP Kyle Gocrtz. A few hours; eariier Milton was hammered 9-i by West Mail in the semnifinals. While able to stay competitive with the eventuai champs during round-robin play - getting bianked 3- O - Milton was simpiy overwheimed by their oppo- nents' tierce breakout in the rcmatch. A 4-3 dcfeat at the hands of Waterloo in the tourna- ment opener was essentiaiiy what cost thc Winterhawks a legitimate shot ai the finals - since finishing fourth in the round-robin put themr up against insurmounitabie West Mail. Early losses costly A 1-2-i standing after preiiminary competition had themr just one point behind Waterloo - which in its semnifmral was toppled by the hosts, whom Milton had tied 2-2 Saturday afternoon foliowing a 2-0 whitewash of last-piace Sauit Ste. Marie. "'hat first loss reaily hurt, but that's jusl how the weekend went for us," said Bayoton, who added that not piaying ini any toumnamrents this season didn't help matters cubher. "Bottom line is we jusi didn't play our besi hockey." West Mail punctuated ils unheaten weekend by eclipsing Sudbury 2-i in the championsbip finals. Maldng up the resi of the local team ibis season were captain Connor Sweeney, Derek Blanchard, Kyle Burreil, Chris Coates, Lee Frittenburg, Mark Gaiick, Erick Lizon, Jamnes Mclntosh, Scott McLaughlin, Ryan Pilarczyk, Adamn Ruiz, Chris Strank, Jason Strong, Paul Szafer, Daryl Tielemans, Brett Turner and Michael Winiarz. Please fax ai of your team reports and sports story icleas to (905) 878- 4943, or drap them off any- tîme at 191 Main St. E. If office is closecl please slie siot. We belieVe... ina helping. Anyone. Anywhere. E94xra gna Athaway White Shiurt l i Women's triathion clinics get underway on Tuesday ll's once again tune to get in gear for the Milton Womnen's Triathlon. For a third straight year, organizers of the local event - wbich over the paît seven years bas grown from a 70-participant grassroots event to part of an inaugurai lhree-event series ibis sumnier - wiil hold a senies of tbree training clinics ini an effort to help botb novice and advanced athietes prepare for the Labour Day weekend coin- petitiori. The clmnics begin Tuesday with a Safe Training Practice presentation at the Milton Leisure Centre. Foliow-up sessions enîitled Putting It Ail Together and Dry Run And Transition are scheduled for June 18 and August 6 - both being heid at Kelso Conservation Area. To sign up for the ctinics or the local triathlon, call Sue Trerise ai (519) 837- 1335 or e-mail her as strerise@city.guelph.on.ca. 202 Main St. E. Dowutown Milton (905) 878-5397 Twisters OirI's Hockey 2002. 2003 Rep Team Sprinq Try-outs ALL TRY-OUTS WILL BE HELD AT MOLD MASTERS SPORTSPLEX IN GEORGETOWN Atom (10 yrs and under) April 27th 2:15 - 3:45 pm April 28th 8:00 - 9:30 arn Peewee (12 yrs and under) April 27th 3:45 - 5:15 Pm April 28th 9:30 - 11:00 arn Bantam (14 yrs and under) April 27th 6:15-7:45 pm April 28th 6:15 - 7:45 pm Midget (17 yrs and under) April 27th 7:45 - 9; 15 pm April 28th 7:45 - 9:15 Pmn Please note that try-outs tor Novice (8 yrs and under) and Senior B (open age) wiIl be held in the fall. Please cal? Kathleen Bevan at 519-853-5466 if you would like more information. Permission to Skate forma or Releases are required for OWHA players flot registered wif h HHGH. An ice charge of $10 will apply tor each tryout. Halton Hulis Girls Hockey registrationi forma wiII be available at the arena on both days for those sill wishing to register for next season.