McNairn scores 7th ace

 

Ladies nights at the Morrisburg Golf Club are winding down for another season with the final just two weeks away on the 18th.

The gals closed out the month of August with a two, three or four-person best ball (the best score on a hole used as the team score). Winning in the two-person category was the team of Judy Laurin and Lori Anne Davies with a 43. Adding a third golfer, the score dropped to a 38, with the winning team being Dianne Gallinger, Carolyn Weegar and Crystal Belanger. Winning in the four person team category were Betty Lou Casselman, Alice McNairn, Elsie Guindon and Lydia Eamon with a 44.

The evening was sponsored by Evonic Oil Additives Canada Inc. Coming up tonight, Wednesday, September 4, there is no sponsor, but each golfer is asked to bring a $10 gift certificate in a brown paper bag which will be used in a prize/gift exchange.

The September 11 Ladies Evening will be visited by CPGA pro Phil Rankin who will present a short game clinic after dinner. Participants are being asked to sign up.

As well the sign-up sheet for the Final Ladies Scramble on Saturday, September 21 has been posted. The cost for the event is $20 and participants can make up their team to play for the most valuable “bragging trophy”.

Last Thursday night, the men’s evening was sponsored by Giant Tiger.

Low shooters were Bob Mann, with a 36 in A flight (retro), Doug McNairn with a 36 in B flight and Terry Laurin with a 40 (retro) in C flight. Net winners were Lindsay Weegar A, Larry Gallinger B, and Ken Rundle C.

Keith Robinson won for closest to the pin on the par three 11th, and Al Graham had the closest on the 14th.

The final Seniors event is set for Sunday, September 15. The day will include golf and a roast beef dinner. The cost is $14 and registrations can be made by contacting Linda Henderson.

Monday, September 23 is the final Monday morning play. It will be followed by lunch. The contact is Candace Jamieson.

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It’s not a good position to be in, but for the second straight year the Morrisburg Junior B Lions find themselves inches away from a St. Lawrence Division playoff spot as they head down the home stretch.

With 10 games left on their schedule including a make-up game against Casselman (due to this past Friday night’s cancellation), the Lions will have to put together some exceptionally good hockey to continue to play past the weekend of February 11-12 when the regular season ends.

After Sunday afternoon’s home-ice loss to the division’s first place Winchester Hawks, 7-2, the Lions are looking at a tough road ahead.

Although they will only meet the Hawks once more, they have three encounters coming up against the equally as tough, second place Casselman Vikings.

They have two games left against the Char-Lan Rebels, the team they are currently trying to catch and overcome for the fourth and final St. Lawrence Division playoff spot.

Last year, at about this time, the charged up Lions reached into their hockey bags to come up with some big wins as they set their sights on a playoff spot. Winning their final seven consecutive encounters it was a Cinderella story as they slipped ahead of the Akwesasne Wolves right at the finish line.

Can they do it again this year? Time will tell. 

Sunday, without regular goaltender Mikel Dion who is sitting out a suspension, the Lions stayed with the Hawks through the first period.

Goaltender Ryan Cooper gave up just one first period counter and that to the Hawks Brent Simms.

The Hawks pulled ahead 3-0 in the second period before the Lions got on board with a Sylvester Bzdyl counter from Michel Lefebvre and Joel Marleau.

The Hawks added another two to close out the second in the lead 5-1.

The Lions final goal was scored  early in the third period on their power play, when Lefebvre and Michael Keenan provided the set up for Alex Steingruber.

The Hawks drew 10 minor penalties and a misconduct while the Lions sat out five minors. Shots on net were equal at 33, and Matt Quirion handled the Hawks goaltending.

The Hawks demonstrated the depth of their bench with a pair of goals from Dustin Tinkler, and singles from Brent Simms, Nevin Guy, Brodie Boulanger, Brandon Belding and Brock Burge. 

Last night, Tuesday, January 17, the Lions had a must-win match against the Char-Lan Rebels.  Coming up this Friday night they are at home to the Akwesasne Wolves. Game time is 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 22 they are on the road to take on the Rideau Divison’s second place Gananoque. 

[…]

The North Dundas Rockets will be the new kids on the ice when the hockey season resumes this fall.

Coached by Dale Murdoch of Morewood, the new Junior C franchise will be a member of the eight team National Capital Junior Hockey League.

Junior C hockey is not a stranger to the Chesterville area, says Murdoch. “In the early 80s there was a team in Chesterville,” he explained.

“It’s a couple of those players who are involved in the current startup.”

Murdoch says that he and the owners have recognized a need for Junior C hockey in this area.

“We have several Junior B teams surrounding us, but more and more they are using non-local players because of the competitiveness of the Junior B league. There is a need here for local minor hockey players to be able to progress into competitive hockey beyond minor hockey.”

“Many kids end up not playing hockey at all after minor hockey. There isn’t even any juvenile hockey anymore.”

In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Murdoch is the Rockets’ General Manager.

His first steps have been to line up his coaching staff and joining him behind the bench is Brian Downey of Morewood and Nick Pass of Winchester. Both played Junior A hockey after starting out locally at the Junior B level. Downey also experienced university hockey in the United States and played at the pro level in the former Colonial Hockey League.

The Rockets will play their home games on Sundays in Chesterville. They will play a 32 game schedule against teams from Vankleek Hill, St. Isidore, Cumberland, Embrun, Papineauville, Gatineau and Rockland.

“Our intention is to bus to games on the Quebec side of the league,” says Murdoch of the fairly hefty road trips.

The first home game for the Rockets is scheduled for October 2. As ice will not be ready in Chesterville for a number of weeks, the Rockets training camp will open at the Winchester Arena at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 10. A second session has been set for Sunday, September 11 at 8 p.m.

Murdoch explains that the National Capital Junior Hockey League teams are able to protect only those players in their own minor hockey system.

“So we can protect North Dundas Minor Hockey. Embrun protects Embrun Minor Hockey players. Anyone who plays minor hockey in say, South Dundas or Kemptville, are basically free agents.”

Murdoch also explains, that while each team does have one 16 year old card, teams in the league do not use 16 year olds. “We are looking for 17 years olds and above. We are really looking for kids who have graduated from minor hockey. We really aren’t interested in taking players (17 year old midgets) from the local minor hockey systems.”

While walk-ons are welcome to the upcoming Rockets camp in Winchester, Murdoch says, as a time saving measure, he would like everyone to pre-register.

For more information or to register, he can be reached at 613-913-8266 or e-mail dalemurdoch@yahoo.ca.

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