SPORTS SPORTS EDITOR: STEVE LeBLANC e-mail slebIanc@miltoncal5dialchampiOl.COm HoIy Rosary holds off Bears for eighth straight north titie HERB GARBUTT / CANADIAN CHAMPION SOARING THROUGH THE LANE: Danielle Vis of the HoIy Rosary Hawks drives toward the basket past Jessica Gormiey of the St. Brigid Bears while Hawks teammate Shannon Ruthven, Ieft, pro- vides support. Hayley Schroder had 14 points and Marina Furik added nine as the Hawks held off a fate charge by St. Brigid ta win the North Halton girls' basketball titie 33-32. It was the eighth con- secutive titie for Holy Rosary. By Herb Garbutt METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP Tht finalsts and tht ouicome may have been predictahie. How it unfold- ed certainly wasn't. Tht Holy Rosary Hawks won their eighth consecutive North Haltoni girls basketball titde Tuesday by heatrig tht St. Brigtd Bears, their longtime rivais who have contested the iast six cf those championships. But tht Hawks, who ran their two-year unbeaten streak 10 42 games, had te hang on fer dear ie for a 33-32 victors as tht Bears raîltecl from a hiveC-point delicitint tht Ust 40scnl. missmng a shot ai tht huzzer that could have ended Holy Resarys reign. -My heart is stîl poundiîng," said Holy Rosary coach Cin Jehnston, a day after the victory What made the nail-bitîng finish al the more incredible was how Holy Rosary demtnated tht opening haîf. Despite a major disadivantage in tht height department. tht Hawks comn- pleîely shut dlown the Bears, holding them te just four points tn tht fîrsi hall - shutting thmn outt tn the epening quarter. "WC prtttv much Ilust get etîr rehounds and hiad good postion,: saîd Shannon Ruîhven, xvhe shared the rthoundtng duttes wîth Marna Hun-k. "What we were iacking in height we were able te get hack in our shooting,' saidjohnston, whe coaches tht Hawks withjackie Da Res. "We were faster on our feet and we were able te gel steals and intercept a lot of their passes." Those turnovers led te points at tht other end. Led by Hayley Schroder, who scored 10 points in tht haîf and finished with team-high 14, tht Hawks built a 17-4 lead by haiftimne. WW .ALLNGRFRDCO David Gallinger, General Manager, and Jef Green, Sales Manager, are pleased te announco that Wayne Warner bas Ioined the outstanding Sales Team at Gallinger Ford Lincoln. Wayne invites ail of bis friends & post customners te visit him at Gallinger Ford Lincoln. Let Wayne assist you wvitb your next purchase or lease of a Ford or Lincoln Vehicle wayne@gallingerford.com Vaâ &1" 7u aSd&c 196 7 655 MAIN STREET EAST, MILTON 905-875-FORD(3673) - Wîth a couple of baskets hy Ruthiven, Holy Rosary extended its leami te 25-10 in the third quarter and seemed to be on its way to an easy vtctory. St. Bnigid fought its way back into the game thanks te a fine-point run, ail scored by the Bears' Rachel Hollywood, to close the gap te six heading into the final quarter. "It was really quick and we didn't know how it happened,- said the Hawks' Danielle Vis. -"h was pretty intense after that." lmprovtng St. Brigtd's fortunes even more was the fact that Schroder fouled ot iii the imai minute of the (toattcr Tht difherence was we startcd tak- tng advantage of our height and outre- hounding them,' said Bears coach Richard Brown. -Then when thev lost (Schroder), it was a different game." St. Brigîd cut the lead to four early in the final quarter but good work b,, Vts and Furîk to create turnover's helped Holy Rosarv wo rehuild the lead to 33-26 wtith lour minutes te play. Illel Resary theri hegan te werk tht deck. --t. Bnigid xvas ferced te heul the H-awks te ;cnd Oihnt te tht hinc and the strategy werked as Holy Resarv's sheeting stidd(enl\, w~cnt celd. fheuigh insîructed hx Johnston te pass tht hall and kilI lime off thc cheik, the Hawsks leekeci for the baktet te put away their rivaIs and whcn it rattled off the nim, St. Bnigîd took tht hall dewn the court ai-d tut tht lead wo 33-30 with 35 seconds remaining. St. Brigid would capitalize once more afier a couple cf mîssed foui shots hy the Hawks, pullîng withtn one with nune seconds te play The Bears then tracked down a stray inbound pass and got one last shot off. "I1 was just hoping it was going te miss." Schroder satd. It dîd, satltng over tht nim as the Last year we won Haltons in vol- leyball and basketball," Schroder said. "To wmn two gold plaques is pretty amazing. " "Now we're trying for our third,' added Ruthven. The Hawks will try to defend the Halton titie they won last year in two weeks time. In an ail-Milton bronze medal gante, it was Guardian Angels topping St. Anthonys 34-11. HERB GARBUTT / CANADIAN CHAMPION ME AND MY SHADOW Holy Rosar'/,s Hayley Schroder looks to get a shot away against a much larger St. Brigid oppontent in Tuesday's North Halton final. IT'YS THA T TIME AGA IN! CUW Milton and District presents: THE 37TH ANNUAL cc GIANTUSED BOOK SALE Friday, March 26th, 9:30 arn to 9:00 pm and Saturday, March 27th, 9:30 arn to 4:00 prn At Milton Mail, Ontario St. S. Books for the whole family, CIDs, DVDs, talking books, cassettes, videos Proceeds support cash awards for Milton womnen furthering their education at College and University HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!