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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, May 28, 2015 | 36 HALTON TRANSMISSION 559 SPEERS RD., #UNIT 3 905-842-0725 www.haltontransmission.com Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports "Connected to your Community" Loyola Hawks claim long-awaited soccer title By Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver staff The Loyola Hawks believed in their ability to win the Halton championship -- they just didn't think it would take 14 months. At this time last year, the core of the Hawks' team was coming off a junior title the year before and had just rolled through the Halton senior girls' soccer season undefeated. They had every reason to be confident. But the Hawks were upset by Bishop Reding in the Halton final. Still reeling from its first loss of the season, Loyola was dealt another setback in the Golden Horseshoe semifinal, denying the Hawks a chance to go to the provincial high school championship tournament. "That came as a surprise," said the Hawks' Natasha Susman. "We were undefeated and we went in a little overconfident." This season, the Hawks looked far less invincible. Loyola had just one win in its first three games and was having trouble just getting enough players on the field. "We played short or with just 11 for most of the season," said Loyola co-coach Daniela Orlando. "We struggled with injuries, but in the end the girls all came together." Monday, the Hawks captured the Halton title that eluded them last season, beating the Christ the King Jaguars 1-0. Coincidentally, it was the Jaguars that came into the final with the undefeated record, having beaten Loyola 2-1 in the last week of April. "This year was the complete opposite," said Loyola's Daniela Paniccia. "This year we were the underdogs." And it was a role they played to perfection. Samantha Verdurmen scored in the eighth minute and the Hawks held off a late first-half charge by the Jaguars to earn the victory. "A lot of us won (Haltons) two years ago in junior," Verdurmen said, "so it was great to come back and win. We're all really proud we were able to do it." Paniccia said playing short for much of the season, may have benefitted the Hawks in the long run. "It helped us in a way, mentally. It was a strain on our bodies but we realized we couldn't just play as individuals. And when we did have everyone there, it seemed so much easier." "These girls just dug really deep and showed a lot of heart all year," said co-coach Debbie Woolvett. "They were able to come together and work really hard for this." Loyola played Cardinal New- Blakelock relay team quickly establishing itself as a contender By Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver staff Loyola's Vanessa Corbett (right) battles for the ball with Christ the King's Anastasia Chita during Monday's Halton senior girls AAA soccer final at North Park in Oakville. Loyola won 1-0 on Samantha Verdurmen's goal. | photo by Riziero Vertolli -- Oakville Beaver man Wednesday with the winner of that game advancing to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) tournament as one of the two Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference representatives. Results were not available at press time. "That would mean the world to us because we haven't had the chance to go before," Susman said. Other members of the Hawks team are Vanessa Corbett, Carling Gould, Jessica Koves, Christine Maciel, Sarah Nixon, Lexi Noden, Jackie Pallarca, Marta Tkaczuk, Ashley Diana, Maria Buitrago, Corina Morino and Julia Craig. Since the trio of Zaria Armstrong, Kaleigh Jeffrey and Julia Scott arrived at T.A. Blakelock two years ago, the Tigers have shown the talent to be one of the province's best relay teams. But after two years, that Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations medal has proven to be elusive. Now in Grade 11, they are ready to take another run at the podium. Armstrong knows better than anyone how tough it is to earn a medal at the provincial high school championships. In Grade 9, she missed the podium in the 100 metres by the slimmest of margins -- one one-hundredth of a second. That same year, the Tigers' relay team entered the OFSAA track and field championships with the third best time in the province. But the team was disqualified for exchanging the baton outside the designated zone. "It just made me appreciate how much work you have to put in to succeed," she said. Last year, all that work paid off when she won a bronze medal at OFSAA in the junior girls' 100 metres. The relay team, however, never got the chance after suffering the same fate, a disqualification at the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference meet. Now with Taja McLean and Elise Rougier on board, the Blakelock relay squad is back See Blakelock pg. 37 Hinchcliffe continues remarkable recovery, released from hospital Oakville's James Hinchcliffe was released from hospital Wednesday and his recovery has been so promising that his IndyCar team's owner hasn't ruled out a return to racing this season. Hinchcliffe watched Sunday's Indy 500 from his hospital bed at Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital. Two days earlier, he posted a photo on Instagram of him standing in the hallway of the hospital with the message, "I'll be knocking out 5ks in no time! Long recovery ahead but lucky to be surrounded by the best friends, family , colleagues, medical staff and safety workers on Earth. Wouldn't be here without you all. Thanks for the support guys!" Sam Schmidt, co-owner of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, told the Indianapolis Star Monday that he thinks it may be possible for Hinchcliffe to return this season, maybe as early as August. Hinchcliffe will miss his hometown race, next month's Honda Indy Toronto, but given the nature of his injuries, any return this season would be a welcome sight. Hinchcliffe crashed into the wall at Indianapolis Motor Speedway at almost 230 mph during practice for the Indy 500 May 18. A piece of the car's suspension pierced his leg and upper thigh. Dr. Timothy Pohlman, the senior staff trauma surgeon at IU Health Methodist Hospital, said Hinchcliffe was in critical condition when he arrived at the hospital due to massive blood loss. The Holmatro Safety Team, which works every IndyCar race, has been credited with saving Hinchcliffe's life by stopping the bleeding while removing him from the crumpled car. At Monday's Indy 500 banquet, Hinchcliffe sent a message thanking the safety team. "While I do sit with a long road to recovery in front of me, it is very possible that my road may have come to an end last week were it not for the speedy response and heads-up action taken by our amazing safety team," he said. "Thank you so much for what you have done and continue to do to keep us safe." Hinchcliffe had made 74 consecutive starts, including four wins, since making his IndyCar debut at the Grand Prix of Alabama in 2011. Ryan Briscoe, driving Hinchcliffe's No. 5 Arrow car, finished 12th in the Indy 500. Monday, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports announced Connor Daly will drive the car until Hinchcliffe returns. --Herb Garbutt, Oakville Beaver staff Oakville IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe posted this picture of him standing in the hallway of an Indianapolis hospital Friday as he continues to recover from a crash in practice for the Indy 500. | Instagram