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Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports 19 | Wednesday, August 20, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com "Connected to your Community" Kinley McNicoll reacts after helping Canada to a win over Finland. |Eric Riehl -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog U20 World Cup `life-changing' for Canadian captain McNicoll Now that it's over, White Oaks high school grad Kinley McNicoll summarizes her involvement in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup as a "life-changing" experience. Canada, captained by the 20-year-old defender/midfielder, was eliminated from the tournament with a 2-0 loss to Germany in Saturday's quarter-final contest in Edmonton. "It hurts to go home... but we fought in this tournament," McNicoll, whose squad overcame an opening-game loss to win its next two contests and advance out of group play, told the Canada Soccer Association website. "It was such an incredible experience. There's no other way to describe it. It was an absolute dream come true for all of us. Stepping across the lines of the field in front of thousands and thousands of Canadian supporters was absolutely amazing." McNicoll now prepares to return to the University of Wisconsin, where she is entering her junior year. Last season, she led the Badgers in points and assists as a midfielder. Oakville native Matt Spencer had two assists as Canada won its seventh straight Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup under-18 hockey championship with a 6-2 victory over tournament host Czech Republic Saturday. The defenceman drew the only helper on Mitchell Marner's first-period goal, one of four Canada scored in the opening frame to take an early 4-0 lead. He also recorded the lone assist on Nicolas Roy's tally in the second period, making the score 5-1. Canada finished the tournament with a 5-0 record, outscoring its opposition 32-10. Spencer, who captained the Oakville minor midget AAA Matt Spencer Rangers to a provincial cham| Terry Wilson -- OHL Images pionship in 2013, was selected third overall by the Peterborough Petes in the 2013 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection. He will be eligible for next year's NHL Entry Draft. Local blueliner assists Canada in Ivan Hlinka U18 hockey win Coached by NLL players, OMLA squads claim provincial gold and silver by Jon Kuiperij Beaver Sports Editor Rock stars, Hawks a good mix cruited by Rock owner Jamie Dawick to coach Hawks rep teams, and Buffalo Bandits head coach Troy Cordingley is also involved with the OMLA system. "A lacrosse-first facility (like TRAC) is rare in Ontario. It's become a meeting ground and a great place to hang out for lacrosse players," Merrill said. Garrett Billings, who led the Rock in scoring last season with 101 points in 15 games, is the head coach of the bantam 1 Hawks squad that lost Sunday's provincial final in double overtime. He said the expertise of pro players complemented an already strong lacrosse base in Oakville. "Honestly, I think (the foundation for success) was built before the Rock ever came to town. These players (peewees and bantams) are 13 and 14, so it's not like they started playing when we moved to town three years ago," Oakville peewee 1 Hawks player Owen Sage celebrates with several exuberant fans after scoring a goal in Oakville's 10-6 win over Orangeville in the provincial box lacrosse A championship game Sunday at Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. |Graham Paine -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog T he professional lacrosse environment in Oakville must be rubbing off on the town's younger players. That's the opinion of National Lacrosse Leaguer Patrick Merrill, who coached the Oakville peewee 1 Hawks to the second Ontario box lacrosse A title in Oakville Minor Lacrosse Association history Sunday. Merrill, a member of the Toronto Rock, credits the building of the lacrosse-specific Toronto Rock Athletic Centre three years ago and the number of NLL players training out of the facility for the success of the peewee Hawks and of the OMLA in general. Merrill is one of several pro players re- said Billings. "A lot of credit has to be given to the people who built the (OMLA) organization. Now, it's a perfect combination... and we're starting to see a very big presence of Oakville at provincial championships." "Over the years, there have been a lot of great athletes in Oakville," Merrill added. "Keeping these great athletes in (lacrosse) at a young age, rather than choosing other sports, is an important thing." One of those athletes, New York Islanders superstar John Tavares, was a member of the Hawks' other provincial championship team -- the bantams in 2002. Oakville knocked on the Ontario title door once again last year, with both the peewee 1 and bantam 1 teams see Peewees on p.20