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A20-The Canadian Champion, Friday, June 2, 2006 SPORTS SPORTS EDITOR: STEVE LeBLANC e-mail sleblanc@haltonsearch.com HOME: Notre Dame Irish out- fielder Mark Surya handily beats the throw home to Milton District Mustang catcher *1_ Banaschewski for the wînning run courtesy of a sixth- înning sacrifice fly by Trevor Woodjets i n Wednesdlay afterjnoons Halton championship at Nelson Stadium in Burlington. The Mustangs were 4%, beat 2-0 by the powerhouse Irish ~ to finish out a memorable playoff drive. For full resuits, see page A2 1. RON KUZYKI SPECIAL TO THE CHAMPION '06 Marauders have a lot to live up to Kicik oJJ season tomnorrow night in Oshawa The problem with being too good is - well - being too good. Any team as successful as the Milton Marauders knows the feeling. Theres nowhere to go but down. Disgruntled players good enough to start for other teams sit on the bencli, egos mun out of control, every team in the league guns for you; anything but a cliampionship is a disappointment and newspaper writers find something negative to take from even an undefeated regular season. The good thing about being good is wtn- ning, and thats something the Marauders know how to do - and expeet to do again - this year. In a somewbat surprising development, head coacli Barry Emo is back witli the team after declaring his intention to, step down last summer. He listed several reasons, including being less exliausted than lie ini- tially expected, and leaming new and hetter coaching techniques during his lime ait the University of Guelph. There's also no doubt that romping through the regular season and then losing to a team in the playoffs they should have beaten didn't sit well with him. Not that he has anything to prove, already with a nation- al championship under his belt. Even so, this year's Marauders will lie mun much differently If players aren't committed to the team, then the team. won't lie commit- ted to them. "We have a differeni approach to pretty mucli everything on this football team," said Emo, whose gridiron waniors kick off 2006 play tomorrow evening in Oshiawa. "We're sticking to the team con- cept. I told the guys that the finished puzzle looks like a cliampionship. We have to fit all the pieces together and if one piece doesn't fit, we'll go out and find another piece that Out in Ileft fi eld does fit." On the field, the Marauders still haven't committed to a starting quarterback. Returning to the fold are both outstanding filI-in Josli Spanick and the man he replaced early last season due to, injury - Domenic Camastro. Also on board are Neil Balthazaar, wlio's played wîth Tni-City and lias CIAU experience ai Guelpli, and Ryan McGill, the Marauders' pivot in their inaugural season. At running back, Steve Lubin lias left the team to join the Markham Raiders. That hurts, but the Marauders still have team- leading rusher Jon Nedeljkovic, plus Chad Kennedy from Oakville and PJ. Wilhiams, who's moving up from the Burhington Braves. John D'Ovidio and Nigel Wilkinson are returnees at the fullhack position. Milton's Mike Long is expected to play, and also back is fan favourite Joel 'Mighty Mouse' Guevarra. The receiving unit will be revamped, with the two leaders in receptions from last sea- son no longer with the team. Andy Taylor has also defected to Markham and Theon James is not playing this year. Jamie Radway has returned and Elvis Moorings, a six-foot- seven-inch slotback lias moved over from Oakville. There are a couple of university receivers in camp and returnee Cliris Green and Miltons Dan Johnson and Matt MacPhail are in the mix as well. The offensive line took a huge hit, with most of the starters from last season deciding to hang up the pads, but Emo feels they've recruited well and that the position miglit be -see MARAUDERS on page A23 " 18-hole Cbampionshp Golf Cours " Driving Range and Practice Facility " licenced Lounge and Bar " Golf Tournamnents " Weddings and Receptions " Private and Corporate Functions RM " Monda>' to lhursday " Far>' Bird fweekdays before 8:3Oam) * Twilight (evei-yday after 4:OOpm) " Weekends <Fdday to S.nday & Holidays) Hw i4) -er Rd.'~i "W *1 -,