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Steove Mofiat of Wilfrid Laurier University‘s volleybail Goiden Hawks goes down on one knee and keeps his eyes on the point of contact while keeping the bail in play in an Ontario Universities Athietic Association game with University of Waterioo Warriors Thureday at WLW.Warriors won 15â€"2, 0â€"15, 16â€"8, 154 but Hawks went on to win at Mohawk College. Richard O‘Brien photo Tim Wharnsby Chronicle Staff Area hockey fans have been treated to some fine play so far this season by local teams like the Jr. B. Siskins and the two university varsity squads, the Golden Hawks and the Warriors. But at the same time, we are not so fortunate because we do miss the play of some Waterioo natives who are off in other locales furthering their hockey careers, and in some cases their educaâ€" It‘s been a tough grind so far this season at Miami University (in Ohio) for exâ€"Sisâ€" kins Chris Archer and Steve McGrinder, but they are looking to the new year with optimism . We got off to a great start, winning three out of the first four, two against Michigan, and wound up ranked 14th in the nation," Archer said. "But then we ran into the defending national champs, Michigan State and lost two straight, and started a slide. ; The holiday season has allowed us to catch up with some of the players who are making our city proud. "Our downfall was a combination of bad play and injuries. We lost six of our eight defencemen to injuries. This has caused our coach to do a lot of line juggling which included many of our forwards having to play defence. I made the move to centre for awhile," said the right winger. Miami went on to lose nine straight, and since then have a record of five wins and 13 losses. And as for Archer and McGrinder, their season has also been full of injuries. . 2o c o0 McGrinder was injured in midâ€" November while playing Ohio St. During a powerâ€"play he was hit hard causing torn ligaments in his right knee. In the 14 games he did play in he scored two goals and three assists and thought he made the adjustment well to U.S. college hockey. "I started out well. I was on the first power play unit, and first defence unit when the season started. In my first four games, I scored three points, and was one of the three stars in my first college out for six games with an elbow injury and YÂ¥ oung continues to be a strong defenâ€" the n“w:" 15 'f‘.’l‘:‘ i:e h.:s managed t0 sive player, as he heads the Mustangs score two goa‘ls and six assists. penalty killing unit, and in the seven # 00# * games he has played, he has managed five One of McGrinder‘s teammates of last â€" £0@ls and six assists. He has also had the season in Owen Sound and the season iNjury bug. And because of a partially before with the Siskins, John McKerrow, Separated shoulder, he missed three has also made the movement to university â€" Sames earlier in the season. Sisks‘ Girardi k dj adjustment to Jr. B game," McGrinder said of his first year at Miami (near Cincinnati). He is scheduled in make his return to the ice at the beginning of next month. The second year forward Archer was out for six games with an elbow injury and the flu. In 15 games he has managed to score two goa‘ls and six assists. Richard O‘Brien Chronicle Staff If Martin Girardi had played defence for the Waterloo Siskins as well as he‘s capable of right from the start, chances are he wouldn‘t have spent Christmas with his family in Sault Ste. Marie. Like teammate Jamie Pegg, Girardi was one of 25 players picked for the Ontario underâ€"17 team that played three mrmnus-mtm. Girardi done well at the underâ€"17 training camp this past summer at University of Waterloo‘s Columbia Iceâ€" field but he got off to a slow start with wuhcdu-mmm Siskins of Midwestern Junior B Former Siskins continue careers at universities hockey. Staying on the Canadian side, McKerrow is playing for the University of New Brunswick. McKerrow appears to have made the adjustment rather well to the university game, as the coach of New Brunswick, former Waterloo Warrior goalie Rick Nichelchok, has him playing centre on the ‘"It‘s a lot tougher than tier II and Junior B hockey, mainly because the players are a lot older and have a lot more experience." He adds: "I had a bit of trouble at first adjusting, but I‘m conâ€" fident now with my game and I‘m looking forward to a good second half." first line of both the powerâ€"play and penalty killing units. â€" o _ In his first 10 games of the season, McKerrow has scored two goals and seven assists. New Brunswick is in third place in the five team conference. Injuries have also been a factor in exâ€"Siskin goalie Don Einwechter‘s second season of pro hockey. w According to his older brother Dwight, Einwechter was having a good training camp and exhibition season for the Peoria Rivermen of the IHL, before breaking his foot playing basketball. This accident sideland him for two months. He made his return early in December,, and since then has played some excellent which included a 43 New Year‘s eve victory in Salt Lake City where he earned himself the third star. This was a much needed boost for the Rivermen, who from a team standpoint are having a terrible season, last in their division. The good play from Einwechter earned him a new contract this season with the Rivermen, which guarantees him an invitation once again to the St. Louis And at the University of Western Ontario, another exâ€"Siskin, Peter Young decided to return to the Mustang‘s lineup, after a year‘s absence. Blues‘ training camp next year. After taking last year out to concentrate on his studies, Young decided to rejoin the Western squad because he knew they would have a good team. "I came back this year because I figured we have a good chance of going all the way. It looks like it is going to be between us, Laurier and York," Young hockey the year before in the Soo. The underâ€"17 team had to cut players and Girardi was one of them as a result of his slow start. only of uid u“.' ellllll k'." zs’n Girardi, who turned 16 in November. "I felt pretty bad about it. 1 started off slowly because I had to adjust to being away from home and everything. About Wzam&?«wmfia&e end of season. nutfi'uu aggressive player who could e his g a lot better." §â€"11, 180 ib. defenceman hopes to be (Continued on page 30) A‘ team at the