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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, May 7, 2010 · 46 Laughton goes third overall in OHL draft Local resident excited to join Generals The Oshawa Generals are targeting a certain type of player, it would seem. For the second year in a row, the Generals have scooped up a talented two-way centre who was captain of his minor midget team high in the Ontario Hockey League draft. Oakville resident Scott Laughton of the vaunted Toronto Marlboros is the latest to join the fold, selected third overall by general manager Chris DePiero Saturday. Coming a year after taking Boone Jenner fourth overall, the addition of Laughton is expected to give the Generals a solid one-two punch up the middle as early as next season. "It's not a coincidence in that regard. You talk about philosophically going in a certain direction and having a plan. That's the plan," DePiero says of adding quality people both on and off the ice. "We're trying to build that tradition back here in Oshawa and that's the biggest key, understanding that these are guys our fans are going to be proud of. We want to grow this championship-caliber organization organically, and that's through the draft with guys like Scott Laughton." One look into Laughton's eyes, and DePiero knew the six-foot-one, 170-pounder was a straight shooter and fierce competitor, he indicated shortly after making the pick. Playing for a Marlies team that won its own tournament, a Silver Stick championship and finished second at the OHL Cup, Laughton led the way with 55 goals and 95 points in 76 games this season, along with 109 penalty minutes. The first of four Marlies to go in the first round, Laughton was thrilled Saturday when he met a few new teammates and was given a tour of the General Motors Centre. "It's just unbelievable. I'm just ecstatic," said Laughton, who was accompanied by his parents, Craig and Bonnie. "All year leads up to this and to get picked third to the Generals is unbelievable, just so exciting." -- Brian McNair, Metroland Media Group Baseball's back HERE'S THE PITCH: Iroquois Ridge's Sona Lall delivers a pitch during Wednesday's Halton high school baseball game between the Trailbazers and Loyola Hawks. Loyola blanked Ridge 5-0 to improve to 2-0 on the season, while the Trailblazers fell to 1-2. The Holy Trinity Titans lead the Volpe Division with a 3-0 mark. RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER Ontario silver Dolphins win nearly 70 medals at Hicken Invitational swim meet Dolphins Swim Club athletes combined to win 30 gold, 22 silver and 17 bronze medals at last weekend's Mississauga Dr. Hicken Invitataional in Etobicoke. Competing against teams from across the Greater Toronto Area, Dolphins swimmers also set 19 club records at the meet. The top performers from the Dolphins squad were 14-year-old Maggie Burns and 11-year-old Zixuan Li. Li swam to 12 individual gold medal victories and established 10 new club records, while Burns swam to six gold, one silver and a bronze for her efforts in the pool. Li won the 50-metre, 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle, the 50m and 100m butterfly, the 50m, 100m and 200m breastroke, the 200m and 400m individual medley and the 50m backstroke. Burns took gold in the 200m and 400m individual medley, the 50m, 100m and 200m breastroke, the 200m butterfly and the 400m freestyle. The Dolphins club records were also set by eight-year-old Shannon Russell, swimming to six, and 14-year-old Kurt Schubert, with one. The Dolphins' other gold-medal victors were 11-year-old Meryn McCann (100m backstroke and the 200m and 400m freestyle), Shannon Russell (50m butterfly) , 13-year-old Olivia Sbaraglia (100m freestyle), 15-year-old Bronwyn Evans (400m freestyle) and 16-year-old Meaghan McCann (200m backstroke). Silver-medal finishers for the Dolphins were nine-year-old Ian Chambers (50m and 100m breastroke), 12-year-old William Dixon (50m butterfly and 100m freestyle), Meaghan McCann (50m backstroke and 50m butterfly), Olivia Sbaraglia (50m backstroke, 50m freestyle and 100m and 200m backstroke) and Kurt Schubert (50m and 100m freestyle). Bronze-medal finishes were performed by 12-year-old Morgan Chambers (50m butterfly), William Dixon (100m butterfly), Bronwyn Evans (1,500m freestyle), nine-year-old Jacob Mallet (100m backstroke), Meryn McCann (50m freestyle) and Kurt Schubert (200m and 400m freestyle). The Oakville Thunder under-13 girls' Blue earned silver at the recent Ontario Volleyball Association championships in Waterloo. Oakville went 2-2 on the first day of competition before winning three consecutive games on Day 2, reaching the final before falling to Durham Region. Members of the team are Jessica Arnds, Kasey Bleackley-Fallis, Alyssa Bordin, Hannah Delaney, Maddy Dunn, Rachel Harvey, Stephanie Hilchey, Lauren Kane, Julia Parypa and Erica Dewitt. Sona Daneshvar is the coach and assistant coaches are Herbert Arnds, Loreen Bleakley and James Hilchey.