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PAGE 12 ♦ THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦. JULY 20,2005 durhamregion.com > Brad Kelly Exotic dancers and ! lacrosse i don't mix WJ , 1 5 How the Green : Gaels won in 2002 Nostalgic or comedic? Depends on what side of the fence you sit. The weekend series between the . Clarington Green Gaels and Akwe- sasne Lightning conjures up memories of a similar such encountér a couple of years back, which is still etched in the minds of many in these parts who were around to watch, and couldn't believe what they were seeing. Let me take you back to 2002, when the Green Gaels were matched against Onondaga (near Syracuse) in the Ontario semifinals, the .winner earning the right, to advance to the Founder's Cup national Jr. B lacrosse champion-" ship because the provincial league was granted three entries that summer: the host Halton Hills, plus the two teams ■ reaching the final. Onondaga entered the series as the prohibitive favourite after an 18-3-0 season, besting the Green Gaels, who finished 16-5-1. Also in their favour was a convincing home floor 14-7 victory victory at the outset of the season. So, as the higher seed, Onondaga had the option of hosting the opening two games of the best-of-five and then travelling back to Bowmanville for the remaining .three if needed, or reversing it and starting on the road. They opted ' to host Games 1 and 2, promptly laying laying a beating on the Green Gaels by scores of 13-5 and 12-3. Now here's where it gets interesting. On the return trip to Bowmanville the following weekend, the Green Gaels pulled out an 11-7 victory on the Friday night, prompting a Game 4 the following day. It sent Onondaga officials scrambling for the phones, trying to arrange for hotel rooms that were not booked in advance. Smug to think they would w.in and return home with a sweep, or just an oversight by management? You decide. With various events taking up many ' of the hotel rooms in the immediate area, the team was forced to stay as far away as the Toronto airport for the night. Returning the. next day in an attempt to close out the series, Onondaga was foiled again, dropping a close 8-6 decision. Again, with no hotel rooms booked as a safeguard,. Onondaga was on the hunt for accommodations, this time getting something a little closer at the old Dynasty Inn just south of Hwy. 401 in Oshawa. At the time, the hotel was a haven for exotic dancers. A group of kids, far away from ■ * home, some of them legal drinking age, staying in a hotel with strippers. Wipe the smirk off your face. Needless to say, the Green Gaels were the better team the following day in Game 5, winning 7-6. A trip to the Founder's Cup later that month produced a national lacrosse championship. championship. Members of the team that year look back with a sense of nostalgia as they admire their championship rings. The rest of us find the whole thing funny. Courtice tyke teams play to a draw COURTICE - In minor tyke soc- " cer action, Courtice #7 and Courtice i #6 couldn't decide a winner, playing to an 8-8 draw, Goals scorers for Courtice #7 were Lucas Joel with six, while Jack- son Bright and Eric Laporte had one each. Courtice #6 scorers were Alex Leplzzera with seven and Natalie Col- . licutt. Outstanding goalies for Courtice t f/7 were Daniel Conners and Olivia ? Ostler. Waiter Passarella/The Canadian Statesman Taking a chance on equestrian CLARINGTON - Mari Bessell, aboard Snickers, takes part in the Trillium Horse Show and equestrian competition that took place at Chance Stables Team loses first pair to Akwesasne in East quarterfinal BY SHAWN CAYLEY Staff Writer AKWESASNE ~ Goalie Joel Weber, has factored greatly into several Clarington Clarington Green Gael wins this season. But on Sunday, just four minutes into Game 2 of the Gaels' Ontario Lacrosse Association Jr, B East division quarterfinal quarterfinal series with the Akwesasne Lightning, the goalie was called for an illegal jersey infraction and ejected. The Gaels went on to lose 11-6 and now trail the best-of-five series 2-0 with the remaining games in Bowmanville. The expulsion of Weber didn't sit well with Green Gaels GM Doug Luey. "It really hurt us when we lost Weber," Luey said. "I have no idea how the call came abopt. Joel has worn the same jerseys for the past three years and it has been legal. "It is frustrating because with Weber, who is probably the best goalie in the league, chances are the outcome of the game would have been different." The Gaels had already dropped the opening game of the series one night earlier, 6-4. They now find themselves themselves in a deep hole heading into Game 3 at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation 'Complex 'Complex Friday at 8 p.m. But Luey isn't counting his team out just yet. Joel Weber "Obviously it is disappointing to go down there and lose both games," he said. "That's not exactly what we had in mind, but that being said, we need to re-group and be prepared to start all over again on Friday. "The series isn't over yet," Luey added. Game 2 saw another twist aside from the jersey incident. Officials called the game off with 6:44 remaining in the final Redmen on the ropes in Major Series Loss tonight would mean missing the playoffs for first time in 29 years BY BRIAN MCNAIR Staff Editor WHITBY - Shawn Williams is too popular for his own good, or for the good of the Brooklin Redmen. Playing without their captain, who was the best man at an out-of-town wedding, the Redmen dropped a crucial 15-11 decision to the St. Catharines Athletics Saturday at the Iroquois Park Sports Centre, dealing their playoff hopes a severe hit. The fatal blow could be delivered tonight by the Mann Cup champion Peterborough Lakers, who bring their Major Series Lacrosse leading 11-4 record to Iroquois Park for an 8 p.m. start, Barring any tie games, the Redmen (4-12) must now win tonight and Sat urday in St. Catharines and have the Akwesasne Thunder (5-11) lose to both Peterborough (Friday) and Brampton (to be re-scheduled if it has a bearing on the standings) in order to make the playoffs. A tie in the standings would go in Akwesasne's favour based on a 2-1 head- to-head record. If the Redmen do fail to make the playoffs, playoffs, it would mark the first time since 1976, when a 7-17 record left them in last place in a five-team league. Williams also hurt his cause to defend his league scoring title, as lie now trails Akwesasne's John Tavares by six points and Peterborough's Scott Evans by three. Caret Kikok and Jeff Zywicki scored three times each for the Redmen, who were also without sniper Mike McLcl- lan. Peter Lough, with a pair, Jon Ni/.i- ol, J.D, Smithson and Ryan Sharp also scored for Brooklin, while goalie Gee Nash had three assists. Rob Taylor and Billy Leljeuvre had seven points each for the Athletics, who improved to 6-9-1 and clinched a playoll spot, une due to poor floor conditions. 'The floor was soaked," Luey explained, t was so wet that it wasn't safe to be out ere and at that point, and even though ic minutes is a long time in a lacrosse une, it probably wouldn't have made a fference in the outcome." Scoring in Game 2 for the Green Gaels ere Adam Derks (2), Shane Sargent, like Carson, Mitch McMichael and unes Barton. Game 1 scoring came from Phil Mcll- Dne, Justin Fox, Carson and McMi chael. ' THE SCOOP: If the Green Gaels can win Friday night, Game 4 will be played Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. with Game 5 scheduled for Sunday, also at 2 p.m.... Doug Luey said the team needs to find its offence, having only scored 10 goals in the first two games:.. The Lightning has given the Green Gaels a taste of their own medicine so-to-speak by winning the first two games of the series at home, which the Gaels did to Akwesasne in last year's playoffs en route to a sweep. SPECIAL MAYOR'S REPORT DARLINGTON FUSION U14 SCANDANAVIAN UPDATE Everywhëre I went this past week, people were stopping me to ask about the Darlington Fusion U14 Girls Soccer Club that is playing in Denmark, Sweden and Finland. It has been an exciting trip for the Darlington Fusion players, coaches and families. The team took part in the Dana Cup No. 1 in Denmark and played a great tournament. Their game scores were: GAME 1 : FUSION 3 ASKER 0 (NORWAY) GAME 2: FUSION 4 , ONSALA (SWEDEN) 1 GAME 3: FUSION 0 FALU (SWEDEN) Fusion won their group and moved on to the quarter finals. The next games for Fusion had the following results: QUARTER FINALS: FUSION USA SEMI-. FINALS: FUSION 1 LINDSDALS (SWEDEN) The team from Lindsdals went on to win the championship game. What a great showing for the Darlington Fusion to finish 3rd in their first international Tournament! Good Luck in the Gothia Cup!