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Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports 15 | Friday, January 10, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com "Connected to your Community" Loyola still the leader in new-look girls' hockey league by Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver Staff The rules governing girls' high school hockey in Halton may have changed drastically, but, surprisingly, the teams ruling the Halton league have not. This year's elimination of rep players has resulted in most teams turning over their entire roster. Yet, two months into the season, the top three squads in the standings are the schools that combined to win 10 of the last 12 league titles. Leading the way are the defending champion Loyola Hawks, who remained undefeated after downing the Nelson Flames 4-1 Wednesday at the Glen Abbey Recreation Centre. "Those teams that have had strong programs and strong coaching, the traditions carry on,"Loyola coach Dave McNamara said. "Maybe there were girls who always wanted to play for their high school but couldn't make the team before. When it opened up, we had 15 girls raring to go who wanted the chance to be Loyola Hawks." The Hawks have just three players back from last year's team, but maybe the member of the team who needed the most convincing to return was McNamara himself. A supporter of keeping rep players in the league, he was not going to coach this year. His co-coach Amanda Treacy decided to go ahead with tryouts and when enough players showed up for a team, McNamara decided, "I couldn't sit back and do nothing." League participation down nearly half from last year The transition to the new rules hasn't been entirely smooth. The league is down from 17 teams to nine, with one of the casualties being T.A. Blakelock, the Halton champion in 2008 and 2010. Smaller schools have had difficulties icing teams -- just three AA-sized schools are in the league. And Iroquois Ridge had to play a game without a goalie when its one and only netminder was injured. Overall, McNamara has been pleasantly surprised, though. "It's been a great experience," he said. "They came in with big smiles and wanted to learn. They've just embraced the team identity and are carrying on that tradition of being a hard-working team. The talent level is not what it was, but the difference in what we've seen since the first couple of Loyola Hawks players (dark uniforms, from left) Bridget O'Neill, Erica Reynolds and Jade Thompson celebrate a goal while surrounded by dejected Nelson Flames opponents Wednesday at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre. Loyola won 4-1 to remain undefeated on the Halton high school girls' hockey season. | photo by Nikki Wesley -- Oakville Beaver -- @Halton_Photog practices is incredible." It will be bad news for the rest of the Halton league if the Hawks continue to improve. They already sit atop the standings with a 6-0-1 record, followed by Notre Dame at 6-1-1 and Nelson at 5-2-1. Hawks goalies Paige Saunders, who played sparingly as the team's third netminder last season, and Jenna Culumovis have allowed just five goals in seven games. And with just two returning skaters -- Bridget O'Neill and Erica Reynolds -- Loyola is also keeping pace with Nelson and Notre Dame offensively, averaging 3.7 goals per game. O'Neill, who scored Loyola's first two goals in the win over Nelson, was a welcome returnee. The Loyola captain played for Ontario at the under-18 nationals in the fall but the two- time provincial high school track medallist is now focusing on running. Jade Thompson had a goal and an assist and Megan Lesiuta also scored for the Hawks Wednesday while Vanessa Toncic and Reynolds picked up assists. Though his team is now mainly comprised by players who played exclusively house league, McNamara said his approach is the same. "I'm coaching the same way I did last year, the same way I'd coach a boys' AAA team, the same way I'd coach any team. We're not throwing pucks out there and saying go skate. We're teaching the same systems, playing the same way." And if all continues to go well, the end results might be the same, too. Peewee Rangers at International Silver Stick The Oakville peewee AE Rangers will compete in the International Silver Stick tournament this weekend in Pelham after winning a qualifying competition in Georgina last month. Oakville won four of five games at the regional Silver Stick, including a 2-0 victory over the Ajax Knights in the championship game. Ajax had handed the Rangers their only loss of the tournament, a 5-3 defeat in Oakville's first game. The Rangers' other wins came over New Hamburgh (10-0), Georgina (4-0) and Merritton (5-1). Members of the Rangers are Caleb Field, Holden Harris, Alex Williams, Pierre-Oliver Charette, Jacob Sanga, Max Gilbert, Jonathan Bodner, Kyle Patton, Carter Pauley, PeterJoel Hooper, Luke Huntley-Brown, Ethan Oliveira, Craig Caporal, David Masar, Nicco Folino, Ryan Bevington and Ethan MacDonald. Affiliate players Nicolas Dessureault and Tyler Janovecz also played pivotal roles in the Rangers' success in Georgina. The Oakville peewee AE team is coached by Greg Harris, Greg Williams and Rob Bodner. Rod Oliveira and Andrew MacDonald are the trainers and Edward Scanga is the manager. The Oakville peewee AE Rangers are pictured after winning a regional Silver Stick competition last month in Georgina. The club outscored its opposition 24-6 while winning four of five games at the tournament.