14 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2009 Ruys scores six, but Raiders fall in Halton boys' hockey final By Kevin Nagel METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP SCORING SPREE: Matt Oliviera of the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders (left) celebrates his goal in Thursday's Halton high school boys' hockey Division 1 championship game. The Raiders scored seven other times in the contest -- six of those goals coming off the stick of Josh Ruys -- but still lost the game, 9-8 in overtime to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER BURLINGTON -- The Notre Dame Fighting Irish needed every one of the nine goals it scored in the Halton high school boys' hockey Division 1 final Thursday in Burlington. The Irish's Kyle Dowie won a faceoff and converted the ensuing pass from Matt Page for the winning goal in a 9-8 overtime thriller over St. Thomas Aquinas. The Halton title was its own reward, since both teams moved on to OFSAA qualifying games regardless of Thursday's outcome. Page's assist was his third of the game to go along with four goals for a seven-point contest. He had to share top billing with flu-ridden St. Thomas Aquinas star forward Josh Ruys, who happened to record a seven-point afternoon himself, scoring six goals. Ruys' last goal tied the game at 8-8 with less than two minutes left in regulation. The Irish will play the winner of yesterday's (Friday's) Hamilton Catholic final between favoured St. Thomas More and St. Jean de Brebeuf for the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference title and a berth in the all-Ontario AAA/AAAA tournament later this month. Aquinas, meanwhile, will battle Burlington's Lester B. Pearson Patriots Tuesday for the A/AA title and a berth in that OFSAA tournament. That game will be played at Oakville Arena, beginning at 2:30 p.m. In Thursday's Halton final, Notre Dame took a 2-0 lead and didn't trail until the third period, when Ruys put Aquinas up 7-6 on a shot from the point with the Irish two men short. Page, however, tied the score on a slap shot and put Notre Dame ahead 8-7 when he took advantage of a turnover at the blue line with 2:20 remaining. Ruys' sixth goal forced overtime. Jeff Cooper, with two, and Evan Koritko and Chris Pezzetta had the other Irish goals. Matt Oliviera and Chris Lancia complemented Ruys' efforts with single markers for Aquinas. Both Page and Ruys, who combined for 14 points, played Jr. A hockey last year. "I've played against him when I was with Hamilton and he was with Brampton," said Page, who has scored four goals in each of his last two games. "He's a big guy. You've got to lay the body on him (to slow him down)." Ruys and Aquinas, though disappointed with the loss, still have OFSAA aspirations. "No one (here) is upset," Ruys said after the game. "Everyone gave it their all and we're looking forward to playing Pearson." Skaters qualify for provincials Two local skaters will compete at the 2009 HomeSense Trillium STARskate Championships next weekend in Waterloo. Emma Mogus and Jade Zeron both qualified for the all-Ontario championships by finishing in the top three of their divisions at the Boston Pizza Skate Canada Central Ontario Section STARskate Championships, which were held recently in Emma Mogus Brampton. Mogus, a member of the Milton Skating Club, finished first out of 78 skaters in the preliminary ladies division at the Central Ontario meet. The 10-year-old Pope John Paul II student's solo won on the merits of two clean axels, a double salchcow and fast, smooth skating skills. Zeron, who skates with the Oakville Skating Club, placed second in the junior silver ladies division. Two other Oakville Skating Club members reached the finals in the junior bronze ladies division. Moriah Chiang finished fourth, while Claire Beuchler placed 12th. Jade Zeron The Trillium STARskate Championships will be held March 14-15 at RIM Park. STARskate is a Skate Canada-sanctioned program representing the achievement of skills, tests, achievement and recognition. OSC concludes season with club competition The Oakville Skating Club concluded its season last weekend with its annual club competition, which saw 122 skaters of all levels and ages showcase their talents with their fellow club members. Singles freeskate gold medals were awarded to Sarah Shelley, Phoenix Miller Bush, Eda Guler, Sarah Lian, Carly Fiset, Rachael Jones, Nicole Rodriguez, Samantha Heard and Emma Nielsen. Mackenzie Firth, Shelby Seymour, Cecilia Bearss, Stephanie Li, Alexa Shelley, Hannah Nilsson, Katie Buck, Daphne Boehmer, Aylene Peter and Lauren Woodward earned silver medals. Bronze medalists included Tessa Sjolander, Clarissa O'Sullivan, Natasha Beaudoin, Caroline Neely, Heesoo Ko, Clarie Buechler, Rebecca Bukovcan and Hailey Barnes. The competition featured 48 first-time competitors skating alongside some very seasoned skaters. NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER "With so many skaters taking part in our club competition, Karen Lee performs her routine at the we are looking forward to continued growth, development and Oakville Skating Club's annual club success for many seasons to come," said Oakville Skating Club competition. technical director Joni McPhail.