The Canadien Champion, Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - A21 Seed shines in first taste of international lawn bowling Enjoys unbeaten run to help Canada prevail at North American Challenge By Steve LeBlanc CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF One huge shot and a whole lot of support. That's wbat stands out for Laura Serd from bier first tasîr of international lawn bowling competi- lion, wbich presentrd itself rarlier thîs montb in Burlington. Part of Canada-s 20-member tram - coinpnised tsf hoîb elîte-level bowlers and 'developinent' play- ers, of wbîcb she falîs int the latter - the 48-year- old Miltonian adîssîts she was msore ilian a littie nervous tbrougb tise initial stages of the North Amenican Challensge. The event bas the men and women eacb spit mbt two groups of five 10 play rîther pairs or Ire- Laure bics (triples) tbrough the fîrst hait and ibrîs finish witb sin- gles or lours competition. Adding to Serds anxiety was the fact that she was named skip for pairs - for the Canadian Women's Foikins tram - and bad 10 begin amidst momning sbowers that made tbrow- îng the bowl qîîite tricky Calming influence That's wher srasoned teammate Shirley Ko proved to, be the difference. Deiiverîng some exceptional back-end play, the Wilowdale lawn bowler provided a stabilizing presence tbrougb tise eriy going o1 gaine one - aIlowing bei Milton partner 10 work througb ber jirters. "She single-bandediy kept us in the game," said Seed. But Ko wouidn't have t0 carry the tram for too long, as Serd nailed a beautîful five-point shot in the sixth end. This not oniy hoosted bier confidence, but also served as tise cala- lyst for a hunge reversai of fortune for the pair - wbo rallird fromn an early five-point defîcit to toppie their Amenican counterparts 19-12. Sai Afer d th tht he narvosnel dsapard orve. Saîd Serd, Tht was a tvotale tumard. ore got to give Shirley a lot of credît for giving me lime to colleci myseif. Her support was phenomenai?- SSolid rest of tise way strthla ianc ow ras amdel f con tatsîsk sTahrogly danin hoerwseif frome tha osaky îency during the remainder of pairs play, in wbîch she and Ko scored 20-10 and 26-9 decisions. i ed fr"The second game was actualiy neck-and-neck i ed fra while, but the final game we completely dom- înated," said Serd. Making bier efforts even more impressîve was the fact that this was bier first lime in 18-end play - significantly longer tsan that of provincial or national lawn bowling. 'Yeah you've got 10 keep your focus.", Sed would maîntaîn bier undefeated streak through the balance of the North American Challenge. Piaying vice on à fours squad led by Nova Scotias Lena Cameron, the international newcomer tumned in a rock-solîd performance in botb a round-one 28-6 massacre and 20-15 follow-up vicîory C'ville midgets fail short in finals FIthe:ed uOtr 1 are prone ta 1 hypoihermis.I The waiî gors on. Campbelivilie would strand tbree runners in Wear a PFO Headîng 10 Burlingtons lreland Park Saturday scoring position over the balance of the conîrst an Iasîered i momning, Campbellville's mîdgeîs looked poised and left rigisî on base overali. ,cth1n¶9,/ý 10 ecre her irs Ite-Municipal League (IML) La-off bitter Jason Enîmaa scoredtsfis playoff titie in more than baîf a century. and final runs for the Tigers, wbile recording RBI l Fîfîy-tbree years to be exact. were Jase tavigne and Brayden and Spencer ________ Tise Tigers bad won tise regular-season pen- Abraham. Tise broîbers would also deliver some nant just two weeks rarlier and were facîng a credible pitcbing, particuiarly Brayden, wbo Kilbride tram îbey'd rallird 10 edge in the biaîsked Kilbride over the final two innings second-last game of a 13-2-3 campaîgn. - with four strikeouts. - 10 keep cisam- However, no sucis comeback was forth- pionsbip bopes alive. comîng in the bigb-stakes rematcb, as a Spencer isad tise oîsly extra-base bit of mid-game lapse and lack of timely bîîîîng tise gamne, a firsî-înîsing double tisat casbed served 10 crusis Campbellviile's bid 10, add 10 its in Enmaa. cbampîonsbip baul. Seemingly nervous 10 start tise cbampionsbip, 'Wr jusî couldn'î bit aI the opportune limes botis terms bad a few mental isiccups before set- and bad that one bad innîng that kilîrd us," said thing down for an excitiîsg finish to 2008 p lay bead coach Larry Small, moments after tise 5-3 Tise Tîgers suffered some uncharacteristie defeat. "Its tougis." defensive glitches rarlier in tise week as well, but ) The Tîgers held their neigbbouring rivais 10 a managed 10 overcome rbem for a 12-7 semîifinal mere four bits, and just one beyond the opening win over Carlisle. frame. However, tbey gave up tbree runs in their Campbellville's midgets may very well find oîsly real breakdown of the finals - wîtb tbree tbemselves back in tise cbampionsbip hunt again t walks and an en-or aiiowing Kiîbride 10 tumn the next summer, as 11 of the 13 players are eligîble tables in the fîfîb inning. Though Camcion WoUld niake a couple ol shots that ical Iy put the Americans away in game two, the entire team showed strongly "We gelled ail the way 1 wouldn't say 1 made any amazing shots, but then we really didn't have 10. We were just really consistent," said Seed, whose iast fours game was canceled due to Saturdays aftemnoon showers. WVhen it was ail said and done, the Mîltonian had heipeci the Canadian women to the overali tîtie over the U.S. - and made a major addition to bier lawn bowling rrsumeé. "The North American Challenge is so competîtive, and to corne away unheaten was great." Seed hopes lasi weeks success boisters bier chances for an invite to Novembers national camp in Arizona, which coulci open the door t0 future internanional appcarances. "Id be thnilied to hc invited, and ibis (last weeks succes-') certaîniy heips my chances, she saîd, 3 on 3 Memnorial. Basketball Tournamnent -Aug. 23th à 24th E.C. 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