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34 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday June 20, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Longhorns searching for answers after another close loss By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR There are two contrasting ways for the Oakville Longhorns to look at their season thus far -- frustrating and encouraging -- and Barry Emo sees them both. "It's perplexing to me right now," said the Longhorns head coach, whose team sports a 1-2 record in Northern Football Conference play after dropping a 27-23 decision Affordable mortgage solutions for first-time homebuyers Have you reached a stage in y a homeowner? Congratulat can also be a bit overwhelm decisions. Financing for you most common approach is competitive mortgage marke offering great rates but also i new customers. 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Given this, it is important to choose a mortgage that allows you to increase your payments and make prepayments. Cash Back option. If you are able to save up for the downpayment there are still other fees to consider. Depending on the financial institution and the mortgage term you select, you could be eligible for an amount between 1/2% to 5% of your principal mortgage amount back in cash after mortgage funding. This can be a good option to ease a tight cash flow, especially after saving for your downpayment. The cash back you receive on your mortgage is tax-free and can be used any way you wish. Some first-time homebuyers find it helps with the hidden or closing costs associated with purchasing a home which can usually amount from 1.5% to 3.5% of the total cost of your home. - News Canada Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie. "The way I see it is, we should be 3-0, not in the situation we are right now. We haven't found a way to win the close ones. I'm trying to find positives out of it... as much as it's disconcerting, (the two losses) are games I felt we should have won and against very good football teams on the road." Saturday's loss, which came a week after a 24-16 defeat at the hands of the defending national champion Oshawa Hawkeyes, was particularly head-scratching for Emo and his staff. Oakville piled up more than 400 passing yards -- 283 of which were hauled in by former McMaster University standout receiver Vaughan Swart -- and didn't punt the ball once. The Longhorns defence, meanwhile, limited the Steelers to 29 yards on the ground and less than 250 yards total, and Oakville held a 23-20 lead midway through the final quarter. However, a number of costly mistakes -- particularly the five interceptions of Longhorns quarterback Tommy Denison, a missed 12-yard field goal and a fumbled punt return that Sault Ste. Marie recovered for a touchdown -- combined to send Oakville home empty-handed. The Longhorns had a chance to win the game in the final minute, but Denison was picked off deep in Steelers territory to snuff out Oakville's comeback hopes. Despite the turnovers, Emo was more than pleased with the performance of Denison, who has won the battle for the starting pivot job over Josh Spanik and Michael Hyatt. "There was pressure (from Sault Ste. Marie's defensive line) and the situation on a couple of (the interceptions) was where Tommy was trying to make a play, threw the ball up there and needed his receivers to go up and get it," said Emo. "Another time, a receiver didn't hear an audible and we ended up with two receivers and two defensive backs in the same area, and there was another when the ball hit our receiver's hands and bounced into the defender." Will Mayhew, in his first start of the season, had five receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown. Swart added a 23yard touchdown reception and Denison scored Oakville's other major on a one-yard run. Defensively, Michael Borisenko had four tackles, a batted ball and a forced fumble for the Longhorns. Jeff Hardiman added four tackles and Wayne Sliwinski picked off a pass. Oakville will try to even its record at 2-2 when it hosts the winless Quinte-Limestone Panthers this weekend. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at Bronte Athletic Field. Brown earns international gymnastics silver Abbey Park High School student Alyssa Brown won the silver medal on uneven bars last weekend in the individual event finals at an international women's gymnastics competition in Natal, Brazil. Brown had earlier helped the Canadian team finish second at the three-nation invitational competition. Brown and Stephanie Pacitto of Mississauga joined Marcie Bernholtz of Richmond Hill, Gael Mackie of Coquitlam, B.C., and Sydney Sawa of Calgary on the Canadian team. In all-around competition, Pacitto finished fourth. Brazilian gymnasts swept the podium. Brown was 12th. On uneven bars, Ana Claudia Silva of Brazil won the gold medal followed by Brown and Rebecca Downey of Britain in third. Brown was fifth on beam, fourth on vault and sixth on floor. SPORTSBRIEFS Division. The Buzz, 3-3-1 in its past seven games after opening with a 9-0-1 run, is tied with the Mimico Mountaineers (13-5) atop the division. The Halton Hills Bulldogs, meanwhile, sit two points back of the lead and will play two of their final three games against the Buzz. Oakville split two games last weekend, scalping the Mississauga Tomahawks 10-3 and falling 11-5 to Mimico. Spencer Taugher scored a pair of goals in both games for the Buzz. Also netting goals during the two games were Ian Goertz (three), Braden Gallant (two), Josh Ruys (two), Dylan Gilbert, Ryan Abu-Ali, Taylor Sykes and Josh Barrick. The Buzz will visit Halton Hills Saturday for an 8 p.m. start, then will return home to host the Bulldogs the next day (2 p.m. at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre). Oakville will conclude the regular-season schedule Tuesday with a rare mid-week home contest against the Barrie Tornado. Buzz being challenged for division lead Despite going unbeaten in the first half of the Ontario Lacrosse Association junior B season, the Oakville Buzz now finds itself in a three-way race for top spot in the South East High school basketball players make the cut Iroquois Ridge student Jordan Clarke and Holy Trinity's Danny Foster-Roman have cracked the 15-player roster of the Ontario Basketball Association boys' under-17 Central West regional squad. The two players will participate in the 2007 Juvenile Development Program Camp at York University later this summer, and hope to represent Ontario at this year's under-17 national championship tournament in Sherbrooke, Que. LOOK FOR Summer Party Superstore Financial Peace of Mind ... ...the most Valuable Service we Provide SIZZLIN' SALE! 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