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42 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday May 16, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Pitch, Hit & Run winners Finishing first in each of their events, Kyle Hann and Nicholas Trogrlic-Iverson both easily won their age divisions at the local Aquafina Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run competition, held last weekend at Cornwall Park. Hann had the best scores in pitching, hitting and running at the 13/14 age level, while Trogrlic-Iverson swept the titles (tying for first in pitching with Jack Berczi) to win the 9/10 division. Also winning all-around crowns were Ethan Paulos (7/8) and Tristan Pompey (11/12). Pompey won the 9/10 local title last year, going on to become the first Canadian to be crowned as an MLB Pitch, Hit & Run champion at the Major League All-Star Game in San Francisco. All four all-around champions qualified for the sectional competition, to be held in Mississauga. Also moving on are individual event winners Ben Schdelewitz, Tyson Bartlett, Kevin Kocken, Troy Lacoste, Pascal Marcotte and Berczi. Pitching competition measured accuracy by requiring youngsters to hit targets from a distance of 45 feet. Hitting scores were determined by measuring distance and accuracy off a tee, and running featured a timed sprint from second base to home plate. All-around champions at the sectional competition will earn a spot in the Toronto Blue Jays team competition, to be held at the Rogers Centre in June. Winners there will advance to the MLB Pitch, Hit & Run finals, which will be contested at New York's Yankee Stadium July 18. Local keeper to ply his trade for elite Portuguese squad By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Marcel DeBellis has learned firsthand how quickly life can change. In December, DeBellis was attending Oakville Trafalgar High School hoping to attract the attention of some U.S. colleges and earn a soccer scholarship. Then, on January 3, the phone rang at the family's house. Less then 48 hours later, he was in Lisbon, Portugal, trying out for S.L. Benfica -- the country's top club and one of Europe's best. Marcel DeBellis Two previous trips to Europe -- to England when he was 12 and Italy when he was 13 -- had planted the seeds of playing professionally in DeBellis' mind. Still, he knew the opportunities for Canadian players were few and far between. "I was excited and never expected for anything to happen from this," DeBellis said. "At the most, I thought that Benfica would ask me to come back for another trial." DeBellis made the most of the opportunity, though. By the end of the second day, Benfica had made up its mind. "They didn't even want him to come home with me," said Dominic DeBellis, who accompanied his son on the trip. Marcel DeBellis did come home, but not for long. The day after finishing his exams at the end of January, DeBellis returned to Portugal and signed a two-and-a-half-year youth contract, with a three-year option to turn pro. "I never thought I would be training and playing in Europe at this age," DeBellis said. "It never crossed my mind, it was just a dream I've had, and now I'm here and sometimes I still can't believe it." The tryout came about through former Benfica goalkeeper Nuno Santos, who DeBellis had trained with at Eurostar Goalkeeper Academy. Santos had been in contact with his former club, and Benfica had inquired about any young keepers with potential. Santos recommended DeBellis. "He's has a good physical presence in the box, being 6'3" said John Moreira, academy director at Eurostar. "He's a good shot-stopper, he's got good distribution, he's very athletic and he reads the game very well. He's above average in all areas." For DeBellis, it has been a rapid development at a position he fell into by accident. He was a striker early in his playing days with Oakville. Then six years ago, while playing in a tournament, his team's keeper was injured. DeBellis offered to step in. "I fell in love with it right away and, after that tournament, I started to share the positions between striker and goalkeeper for the next year until the opportunity came up to play goal full time," DeBellis said. Moreira said the foot skills learned as a striker continue to help DeBellis today, perhaps giving him an edge on other keepers. Moreira first coached DeBellis with Erin Mills' under-14 team in 2004, where DeBellis backstopped the team to the Ontario Cup and the trip to the national championships. "He's got the intensity and the commitment to the position. He pushes himself," Moreira said. "He's one step closer to playing with the first team and I don't think there will be any problem with him being a pro, according to the feedback we've received." It's been a whirlwind since the phone call that led to the 17-year-old packing up and moving halfway around the world. Trying to communicate with teammates while learning the language -- he has a Portuguese tutor -- has proven to be the biggest adjustment. His teammates come from all over the world -- Romania, Brazil, Argentina -- and DeBellis said a few do speak English. Dominic DeBellis admits it was tough to see his son move away. "We were excited for him and scared because it is so far away," he said. "He told us he didn't want to sit down in 10 years and wonder, `If only I gave it a chance.'" Marcel said soccer has helped him in making the sudden and drastic change. "The training here is hard, but I enjoy it," he said. "When I have a bad day, or I miss home, the practices or playing clear my mind and that is where I am truly happy. When I'm playing soccer." Dawson used to underdog status Continued from page 41 26-year-old would be playing for the league title for the third time in four years. Like the previous two Champions Cup finals with Arizona, Portland will enter the game against the Buffalo Bandits as the underdog -- a fact that doesn't deter Dawson, despite losses to Toronto and Rochester in the previous finals. "In the NLL, with the playoffs being a one- game shot, anything can happen,"he said. "A lot of people counted us out. We've got great players and they've stepped up their game in the playoffs. I've tried to tell the guys there's a reason we're here and it's not because of luck." That doesn't mean Dawson would turn down any assistance from Lady Luck, though. "This is my third kick at the can," he said. "Hopefully, the third time is a charm." The true story of a man, a pig and their journey to the table. Look for this innovative series Look for this innovative series in The Hamilton Spectator Saturday May 24 The Hamilton Spectator Saturday, May 24 to June 7. h il d June 1003