Wednesday, November 1, 2006 · Page 24 Dear Sports Writers: We wish to thank you for taking the time to prepare articles for publication in the Essex Free Press. We appreciate the dedication that each of you exhibits every time you sit down to record your team's news. To ensure that your article appears in the next edition of the Free Press, we would like to offer the following helpful tips: · Deadline for submission: Mondays by 12 noon. Late submissions may not be included in the next edition. · Length: 400 words or less. Please calculate the word count prior to submission and edit your article accordingly. Note that sponsors are recognized each week in the headline graphic. · Tournaments: The word limit also applies to tournaments. · Format: Email is preferred but faxed or hand-delivered copies are acceptable. · Contact information: Please provide your name and phone number so that we can call to clarify any discrepancies. The Essex Free Press reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, length and content. We thank you for your cooperation in observing these tips. Laurie Brett Publisher Novice A Drs Hager/Kniaziew The team took their twogame unbeaten streak into St. Thomas for a tournament last weekend. The first opponent was Innisfil who came into the tournament with a 10-0 league record. Things looked good for the Ravens with great pressure in the Innisfil end on the first shift of the game. Innisfil came right back and Brady went up 1-0. Rickeard went off with an interference penalty and Josh Scratch denied Innisfil on the power play with some great goaltending. The first period ended with the Ravens exhibiting good defensive effort. Early in the second period Innisfil went up 2-0 but midway through the second Rickeard took a pass from Brendan Jones who went in around two defensemen and popped one in the top shelf to cut the Innisfil lead in half 2-1. This was all the offense the Ravens could muster as Innisfil went on to win 7-1. The second game against Cooksville was the best of the tournament. The Ravens were able to kill an early boarding penalty and after getting called for slashing midway through the first, Dylan Dent took the puck through the Cooksville defence and closed in on the Cooksville goal, where Jared Fuerth popped in the rebound with the second assist going to Jacob Gagnon. The first period ended with an Essex lead 1-0. But Cooksville came right back in the second to tie the game 1-1. The second period continued with a great team effort from the Ravens including solid goaltending from Josh and Adam Scratch Amicarelli. Late in the second after what looked like an icing call, Cooksville picked up the puck and scored with 10 seconds left putting them up 2-1. Early in the third period after what appeared to be an innocent play, the referee slapped the hard working Jake Watters with a checking from behind penalty plus a one game misconduct. Again the Ravens were able to kill the penalty and worked hard throughout the third period attempting to tie the game but were unable to find the back of the net, eventually losing the contest 2-1. The team came back on Saturday afternoon to face Sarnia. After some early pressure by the Ravens, Sarnia was up 3-0 at the end of the first period. Sarnia was held to only one goal in the second but got two more in the third to go up 6-0. The Ravens were, however, able to spoil the shutout when Rickeard was able to convert a pass from Fuerth late in the third to finish the game 6-1. All in all the tournament was a great experience for the team who continue to find ways to improve as the season wears on. Bantam A Essex Source for Sports The Essex Bantam A Ravens headed down the 401 this past Friday to participate in the St. Thomas Major Division Tournament. Friday afternoon we faced Woodstock for game number one. Essex would score twice in the first period with Woodstock answering once. Ty Queen and Lyle Little started things off with help from Alex Thomson and Ryan Morris. Lyle scored again in the second but Woodstock had four of their own on powerplays to make it 5-3. Tony Spidalieri assisted by Ty and Lyle netted one in the third but Essex came up a little short losing the opener 5-4. Saturday morning found us at the arena with an early morning game against Noble King. Essex defeated their opponents 3-2. Goals went to Lyle, Alex and Ty with assists to Ryan and Ty. Between the pipes getting the win was Evan Howson. Game three of the round robin was against Scarborough. Essex dominated this match up and came away with an 8-2 victory. Sharing in the goals were Blain Little, Tyler Raymont, Alex Thomson, Tony Spidalieri and Ty Queen with four of his own. Helping them out were Tyler, Tony, Chad Hedrick, Lyle, Ty and Jessy Amyotte. Bantam AE Facca Construction Playing a rare Friday night game in Riverside the boys just couldn't get things going their way. About a minute into the game the Rangers scored the first goal but our boys were not about to give up. Two minutes later Brad Smith scored unassisted to tie the game. Un-fortunately with a number of penalties in the second and third periods, the boys fought hard but just couldn't come out on top. Saturday night proved to be somewhat of a repeat of Friday only this time against the Windsor Junior Spitfires. Skylar Janisse scored unassisted two minutes into the game to get the Ravens on the scoreboard first. Again with some tough penalties to kill off, the boys fought hard and never gave up. The final outcome wasn't in our favour but the boys continue to improve every week. Shake it off boys and keep your chins up! Come out and support the team this Saturday for a home game against Riverside at 6 p.m. In net with the win was Weslie Strain. The win ensured another game Sunday morning in the semi finals. This match up would be between Essex and the first place team from the other pool being London. We won this game 3-1 allowing us to advance to the finals. Essex would be facing Woodstock again. The first period was scoreless as both teams played hard. The second brought a goal by Ty Queen assisted by Tony Spidalieri. During the second period our boys laid back and Woodstock let us play. Evan Howson held the boys in the game during the entire second. The boys ran out of gas by the third and Woodstock took advantage making the game 4-1. Essex came home with the second place cup. Although the boys didn't come home with the gold, the parents and coaching staff all remarked how well the boys played. They displayed a lot of improvements this weekend playing as a team. We enjoyed some really good hockey this weekend. Keep up the good work, boys. Thanks goes out to Helle Little, the Sauves and the Spidalieris for the extra Halloween treats this weekend. We all appreciated it. ROLLY'S Cement Contractors Ltd. "WARRANTY FOR LIFE ON ALL REPAIRS" 30+ YEARS EXPERIENCE Atom A Forest Machine The Ravens continued their winning streak this week by racking up two more victories. The first was on the road against the Amherstburg Stars on Friday night. The first period was scoreless, despite end-to-end rushes by both teams. Amherstburg jumped ahead early in the second, but the lead was short-lived as Essex capitalized on a power play ESTABLISHED 1976 WATER PROOFING FOUNDATION REPAIRS Phone: (519) 562-4093 opportunity and hit the mesh minutes later. David Stafford flew in to slip one cleanly past the goalie off a set up from Mitchael (Salty) Salter and Jonah Fuerth. With the Stars a man short again later in the second, Mitchell (Huddy) Hudvagner caught a pass from Salty Salter and roofed the puck to put Essex ahead 2-1. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE "Rehab With A Personal Touch." 30 OVER Y EAR MEET THE STAFF ELAINE SIVAK Physiotherapist Graduated with honours from the University of Teesside, England. Worked 15 years at Leamington Hospital. Presently working at our Kingsville Clinic as well as at Royal Oak Long Term Care Facility and Southgate Retirement Home. S 375 MAIN STREET EAST, KINGSVILLE 519.733.4008 35 VICTORIA AVENUE, ESSEX 519.776.7222