Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Kennedy Feasby at The Games
7 Port Perry athletes off to London for Ontario Summer Games
Local hockey, rugby, lacrosse players taking part Aug. 2-5
Seven Port Perry athletes will compete at the Ontario Summer Games in London Aug. 2 to 5, including, from left: Kennedy Feasby, Ashley Adams, Emma Woods, Haley Doyle, Kiera Kuebeck, Madeline Laird. Lucy Lee, missing from photo, will also take part. - Photo supplied by Stephen Laird
PORT PERRY — Seven Scugog athletes will be competing at the Ontario Summer Games in London Aug. 2 to 5.
Madeline Laird, Ashley Adams and Haley Doyle will compete in women’s hockey, Kennedy Feasby, Emma Woods and Kiera Kuebeck in rugby and Lucy Lee in field lacrosse.
Laird, 15, started playing hockey with the Port Perry Minor Hockey Association Timbits program at six and now plays AA hockey with the Clarington Flames.
“I am very excited to have earned the chance to participate in the Ontario Summer Games,” she said in a press release. “It means that I will be competing against the best in the province. It will be an experience that I will never forget.”
Madeline Laird, Ashley Adams and Haley Doyle will compete in women’s hockey, Kennedy Feasby, Emma Woods and Kiera Kuebeck in rugby and Lucy Lee in field lacrosse.
Laird, 15, started playing hockey with the Port Perry Minor Hockey Association Timbits program at six and now plays AA hockey with the Clarington Flames.
“I am very excited to have earned the chance to participate in the Ontario Summer Games,” she said in a press release. “It means that I will be competing against the best in the province. It will be an experience that I will never forget.”
My Apology
As we head
into the latter stages of summer in 2018, I apologize for being so
lazy, and not keeping my sports blog up to date.
I have been
admonished a few times lately about it.
I have been
a raggedy ass about a lot of things this summer.
I am
awaiting a call to have back surgery. In the meantime, I hobble
around, in some pain, and do what I can.
So please
forgive my laziness. I am now up to date.
You will not
find any “fake news” in my columns.
You should
know that by now.
Cheers,
James Hurst
July 25,
2018
Home Run Derby-2018
There is an outside
chance that some of this column may be written with a slightly
Canadian perspective. That makes sense. After all, I am Canadian. I
live most of the year in Canada. I rise to the occasion, now and
again, and swell with pride in my country.
I watched the Major
League Baseball All Star Home Run Derby last night with my grandson.
We watched every round, as competitors got knocked out because they
did not hit enough home runs. There were no Canadians in the event,
so that did not colour my perspective. There was however, one key
American clouting balls. His name is Bryce Harper, and he wears his
nationality on his sleeve. Figuratively and literally. Seriously. He
had a shirt sleeve with the Stars and Stripes on it. He carried a bat
with an American logo. He wore a red and white striped head band.
(All of the other contestants wore baseball caps.)
Harper was there,
playing in his home baseball park, to put a stamp of the activity, to
tell the fans that it was his house, and he was going to do something
about it. He went about his business carefully, and managed to squeak
out victories over his competitors to reach the final. He beat the
Braves' Freddie Freenan 13-12 in the first round. He the disposed of
Max Muncy of the Dodges by the same score. That put him in the final
against the Cubs Kyle Schwarber.
Schwarber batted first,
and hit 18 home runs in the allotted time. Such drama! Harper stepped
up to the plated to face his pitcher, in this case his father Ross.
Ross began to lob pitches towards home plate, hoping that his son
could connect on just enough of them to send then fans home smiling.
More than 43 000 fans showed up for the event.
Those of us who watched
on television were kept abreast of baseball\s latest technology from
Stat Cast, presented by AWS. That agency tells us statistically just
how far each home run would be, if it were allowed to land on the
ground rather than in a fan's mitt in the left field bleachers. This
is what we are given: 1. Exit velocity; 2. Launch angle; and 3.
Projected distance.
Some numb skull
determined that a batter could hit two home runs with a projected
distance of more than 440 feet, that he would receive an additional
30 second bonus. Sure, that sounds about right.
So we watched them
whale away, all of these big boys from both leagues. There was only
one competitor from the American League, Alex Bregman from the
Astros. He was sent packing in the first round. The top ten Home Run
producers in the American League declined to participate in the
event, for a variety of reasons.
The main reason, of
course, is that it is an unnatural baseball activity. Not the
swinging of the bat, nor the attempt to hit a long ball. But the
continued pressure to hit many long ones within a certain time is
not natural to the game. Many “Big Boppers” have suffered after
performing well in the Home Run Derby. Their contention is that it
messes with their swing, and their timing. Not all players feel that
way, but most do.
So if you expected to
see the big boys from the Yankees, or Edwin Encarncion, the former
Blue Jay, or Mike Trout, you were out of luck. Am I saying that the
format should be changed. Yes, indeed, Horace.
In the meantime, let
Harper have his day in Washington. He is, after all, a free agent at
the end of the season. Who knows what uniform he will wear next year?
James Hurst
July 17, 2018.
World Cup, Wimbledon, All Star Game
It's a busy
sports world out there, well worth a comment or two.
Alexander
Ovechkin, a Russian player who won the Stanley Cup this year, took
the opportunity to transport the Cup to Mother Russia in support of
his team playing in the World Cup. He raised the trophy to the
delight of supporters at a Fan Fest. He ate a little caviar from the
bowl, and drank several beverages as well. To no avail.
The Croatian
team beat the Russians on penalty kicks (aka “penalties”) and
moved on the the semi-finals to play the English on Tuesday
afternoon. These are exciting times for the English squad, as they
have not advanced this far in many years. The last time the English
won the World Cup was in 1966, and the star of the final game was a
man named Hurst. No relation.
In the other
semi-final game, France and Belgium square off. It should lead to an
interesting final. I will be looking for President Putin in the
stands.
They are
coming down to the crunch at Wimbledon this week. Canadians are
pleased that Milos Raonic has advanced to the quarter finals, and is
scheduled to play the American giant John Isnor. Raonic got to the
final a couple of years ago, and lost to Andy Murray. All of these
players are very finely tuned athletes, and they can break down
physically at any given moment. Raonic had had his share of injuries,
primarily because he plays such a tough physical game, No one serves
it harder. He puts tremendous stress on all parts of his body as he
stretches to return shots to all areas of the court.
Roger
Federer is still in the running, having won more consecutive sets
than any other player, ever. Rafael Nadal always plays his best
tennis on clay, but he will be tough to contend with down the
stretch. Djokovic seems to be in form. The truly great players in the
game will battle it out this week. Serena Williams was not listed as
one of the top ranked players for the tournament, but she is still in
the hunt, playing very well.
Baseball
players will be hanging up their spikes for a few days as the stars
of the game with show their stuff at the annual All Star Game. It
will be interesting to see which players will add their names to the
list to play in the “Home Run Derby”. Several players pass on
that event, even though they qualify. There is a growing feeling that
the activity messes with one's swing, and upsets a player's natural
hitting style. More often than not, successful players in the event
suffer, power-wise, in the second half of the season.
Here are the
players to watch for at the event:
American
League: First base-Jose
Abreu, Second base-Jose Altuve, Third base-Jose Ramirez, Short
stop-Manny Machado, Catcher Willson Ramos....Fielders: Mookie Betts,
Mike Trout, Aaron Judge. Designated Hitter-J. D. Martinez.
National
League: First
base-Freddie Freeman, Second base-Javier Baez, Third Base-Nolan
Arenado, Short stop-Brandon Crawford, Catcher-Wilson
Contreras...Fielders: Nick Markakis, Matt Kemp, Bryce Harper,
The
only Blue Jay assigned to the squad is pitcher J. A. Happ. There are
strong rumours that he will be traded during the break. He has has a
decent season, but has fallen off lately.
And
the Canadian Football League season continues to unravel as teams now
have four or five games under their belts. I have already purchased
tickets for the family for a game in September in Ottawa. Always a
treat!!
James
Hurst
July
10, 2018
Tavares Moves to Toronto
The most
important sports story affecting this area of the world in the last
little while has to be the signing of John Tavares by the Toronto
Maple Leafs. There were weeks of speculation as to where he might end
up as a free agent. The “Leafs Nation” was in collective
suspense. All of that mystery has been put to bed. The name Tavares
is on the contract.
He will stay
in Toronto for a few years. He will be an important part of the
building job that has been under way in Toronto for several years.
The question is whether or not he will be the key link to move the
Maple Leafs to the ultimate success in the NHL. There is definitely a
thirst in that town to sip champagne from the Stanley Cup. All
members of the “Leafs Nation” can tell you that the last time the
parade wound through the streets of Toronto to cheer on the Blue and
White was 1967. They can even name most of the players from that
team!
Tavares was
the best player on the free agent block. He was the first overall
pick by the New York Islanders in the 2009 draft. The Islanders had
been struggling up to that point, and many hoped that he could lead
them to repeat their glory days. The Islanders had won four straight
Stanley Cups from 1979 to 1983. They were led by Denis Potvin, and
relied on the talents of Mike Bossy, Clark Gillies, Butch Goring, Bob
Bourne, John Tonelli, and Billy Smith in the net. They may have won
more cups, but along came a kid named Gretzky and his pals in
Edmonton. So ended the glory days of the Islanders.
From his
first days on Long Island to the end of last season, Tavares has been
a consistently brilliant performer. He has never won a scoring title,
mind you, but has always put up fine numbers. He has been an all star
the past two seasons. I am certain he will not disappoint the Toronto
fans. Coach Babcock will work him into the lineup with his two other
fine centres, Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri. Babcock has had a
taste of success in the NHL. He was brought into Toronto as part of
the process to win the Cup. Just a little pressure on the coach.
Another free
agent signing that will rock the sports word is that of LeBron James.
On many occasions in this column I have asserted that he is the best
player in the National Basketball Association, Make that the world.
He decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers (again) and head to the
bright lights of Los Angeles. There is a long history of success in
Laker Town, and Magic Johnson, one of the greatest players ever in
the NBA did his best to entice James to sign with the Lakers. LeBron
fell a little short in the finals this past spring. He just plain ran
out of gas against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. He may
have a little revenge on his mind now that he is with the Lakers.
They have surrounded him with good talent. We shall see, come
October.
And the
World Cup of Soccer continues in Russia. All teams from Africa have
been eliminated. Some of the pre tournament favourites are gone.
England has not hoisted the trophy since 1966. This may be the year.
In soccer, it comes down to one game, win or go home. And,
occasionally, it comes down to penalty kicks. Not a nice way to lose.
Not at all.
Stay cool!!!
James Hurst
July 3, 2018
The Belleville Sports Hall of Fame-2018
From my
vantage point here on the north shore of Lake Ontario, I am able to
enjoy sports from around the world through my television. I am also
able to witness many sporting events each year, due to our proximity
to great sports venues in our area. In my travels, I have seen fine
athletes plying their trade on other continents. There are important
halls of fame throughout the world, places where athletes and
organizers are recognized for their efforts. There is one in Prince
Edward County, and another in Belleville.
James Hurst, Bobby Hull, and Arty Hurst
When Bobby
Hull was inducted into the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame, he stated
a few words that stayed with me. “ I have been inducted into the
Hockey Hall of Fame, and various other halls of fame. I have received
recognition from many agencies and countries around the world. But
none of these is as important as being recognized by your home town
folks, by the people you grew up with. That is why I am here today.”
Since that
time many other people from a variety of fields of sport have been
recognized in Belleville. The latest crop of inductees was announced
the other day, and they will be inducted on Saturday, September 15th,
at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, the home of the Belleville
Senators.
The
Belleville Sports Hall of Fame opened its doors in 1987. It was the
brainchild of Paul Kirby, a local write and historian, currently in
the publishing business in North Hastings. I served on the committee
along with Drury Denyes, Denis Newman, and Fred Brooks. Since that
time, hundreds of worthy athletes have been inducted into the Hall.
This year's
induction ceremony takes place at the Quinte Sports and Wellness
Centre (the place where the Bulls played) on Saturday, September 15th
at 1:00pm. It is always a good opportunity to meet with old friend,
and to share a story or two with the inductees.
Brian Price
is a most worthy inductee. The County resident for many years, he was
the rowing cox in Beijing when the Men's Eight team won the Gold
Medal, and in London when they won the Silver Medal. He was afflicted
with a form of cancer as a child, but overcame that obstacle to
become the best in the world in the big boat.
Dennis Stark
graduated from Quinte Secondary School, and received a scholarship
from East Tennessee State. While there, he gained All American
honours in1981, 1982, and 1983. He also set records at the Canada
Summer Games in the 1500 and 5000 metre events.
Andrew
Raycroft played his OHL junior hockey in Ontario, after graduating
from the minor hockey system in Belleville, and some time with the
Wellington Dukes. He was drafted by the Boston Bruins, and in 2004 he
won the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year in the NHL. He moved
on to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, establishing a team record
for the number of wins. He finished his 280 game NHL career in
Colorado.
Drew Ross
made his impact on the sports world on water skis. He had a
successful career as a member of the Canadian National team, and won
several medals at the Pan American Games.
1n 1966,
Terry Wellesley, Harold Townsend and Grant Vandervoort formed the
backfield of the Quinte Secondary School football team. They won the
Bay of Quinte title, then the COSSA championship. He played his
college ball at the University of Colorado and at Texas Tech. In
1970, he broke into the CFL with the Ottawa Rough Riders. He won a
Grey Cup in 1973. He played two seasons with the Hamilton Tiger Cats,
and retired in 1976.
The 1988
Belleville Enright Midget Girls Softball team won the Provincial
Championship in 1988. They went on to play in the Canadian
Championship in New Brunswick, winning silver medals.
Finally, the
last name on the list is yours truly. In a recent column, Paul
Svoboda wrote in The Intelligencer that I am “older than dirt”. I
suppose that longevity can have its rewards.
Hope to see
you there!
World Cup of Soccer-2018
For the past
several months, many of my television channels have been telling me
that the World Cup of Soccer
was on its way. It was supposed to arrive some time in June. A quick
scan of my channels tells me that it's here, emphatically. I do
manage to sneak around the channels and fine the odd baseball game.
Last night I lucked into an Australian Rules Football game, one of my
personal favourites.
But
once every four years, soccer takes a stranglehold on the sports
spotlight, thus earning a few words of ink from your wretched,
ink-stained scribe. The whole shebang comes off under the
organization called “FIFA”. That groups controls all aspects of
the games. A very powerful group.
Once
they had determined that Russia would host these games, the
preparations began. There had to be enough large stadia. There had to
be competitive teams. They have several tournaments and games in the
years leading up to the World Cup to determine which teams could play
in the big event. Only 32 teams qualify. The host country gets a free
entry. They must round up volunteers, in this case roughly 35 000.
Referees, broadcasters, media, accommodation, sponsorship....we are
talking about billions of dollars.
After
all of the pre-Cup competitions had finished, Canada, the United
states, and Greece, to name a few, had failed to qualify for the Big
Show. No doubt that would affect some of the sponsorship activities.
Nonetheless, there is plenty of dough in the rest of the world, so I
do not see that as a big concern. Eight years from now, FIFA will
stage the show in North America, the United States, Canada, and
Mexico! Does that mean that we will have to become friends again?
Will we lift tariffs? Will NAFTA raise its flag again. Will “The
Donald” still be in the White House?
This
is the 21st
time that FIFA has presented the world with the championship, and the
first time that games will be played in Eastern Europe. Many teams
have been to most World Cups. Iceland and Panama are there for the
first time. I have forgotten the teams they defeated to get there. It
may have been England.
There
will be 64 matches played, at 12 venues in eleven cities. The final
game will take place at Luzhniki Stadium on July 15.
The
teams are shuffled together in groups of four, and are categorized
with an alphabetical letter. For example, Group “A” has Russia
and Uruguay. Each won its first game. Three points are awarded for a
win, one point for a tie. The groups are round-robin affairs, and
after they have squared off against each other, the two top teams
move on. The bottom two teams go home. In case of ties, there is a
mathematical formula to determine the winner. It is more difficult to
understand than an American-North Korean peace accord.
Some
of the teams have yet to take to the pitch for their opening games.
The bars are filling up in Toronto, as the fans begin to feel the
pitch. If you happen to be a fervent Portuguese fan, and you enter a
Spanish bar in all your regalia, I might suggest you re-think your
position. Soccer fans tend to take their game seriously.
I
would not doubt that the Russian border guards have kept close eyes
on the fans entering the country. The hooligans come from all
countries of the world, and they can become more stoked as their team
moves closer to the final game. Perhaps they are issued photographs
of Siberian work houses as they enter Mother Russia. No thanks.
Enjoy
the games.
James
Hurst
June
18, 2018
Snippets from the World of Sport
The amount
of recent activity from the world of sport is almost overwhelming.
Never completely, of course.
The Florida
Everblades have captured the attention of many Canadian snowbirds who
spent months in the south in the winter. During the season, there are
many empty seats at the Germain Arena on Route 75 in Estero. But
during the playoffs, fans come out in droves to cheer on the team.
Such was the
case this past week as the Everblades were in a heated battle with
the Colorado Eagles to win the Kelly Cup, the final rung on the ECHL
ladder. The series had gone down to the seventh and final game, and
the house was packed, with no tickets available at game time.
The Blades
had finished first in their division, thus obtaining the right to
host the final game. Spencer Smallman scored the first goal for the
Blades in the first period, but the Eagles replied with a goal in the
second. The Blades regained the lead at 6:15 in the third period, and
appeared destined to capture their first title in 6 years. Alas, not
to be. The Eagles tied the game just past the midway mark of the
third period, then went ahead with a shorthanded goal with 2.29
remaining in the game.
Despite
their best effort, the Blades could not reply, and the game ended
with the Eagles hoisting the Kelly Cup for the second consecutive
year. I listened to the game via the internet. I believe that in
1959, the Belleville MacFarlands' World Championship was broadcast by
telephone from Prague, Czechoslovakia. The Blades open their
season next year playing a new entry in the league in Newfoundland on
October 12th. There are a few tickets still available.
“Justify”
recently led the field at the wire to capture the Triple Crown of
horse racing. That is the second time in recent history that a horse
has been able to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the
Belmont Stakes. American Paraoah won the crown a couple of years ago.
There is such wonderful tradition in those events. It is a rare
occasion when a horse manages to win all three events, this being the
13th time in more than a hundred years.
The
Washington Capitals won their first Stanley Cup this past week with a
victory over the upstart Vegas Golden Knights. All of the hoopla at
the events in Vegas became a little tiring. The game became almost
secondary. Even in Washington, the team added a little extra. Pat
Sajak from the word game “Wheel of Fortune” was asked to
introduce the players. Apparently, he is a big fan, and has held
season tickets for many years.
Now, my
friends, it is time for baseball. Your Blue Jays have struggled
mightily this season, but managed to recover in fine style last
weekend against the Baltimore Orioles. They swept the birds, four
games straight. They got great pitching, they fielded well, and the
bats were hot. And then, Boom!! On
Monday night, not the case. A throwing error led to two runs to give
the Tampa Bay Rays a victory. As you know, it is a very long season.
162 games, in fact.
The
World Cup of Soccer is about to start in Russia. One of my networks
is showing all the games. Each to his or her own, as they say. I will
likely watch the final. Just to clarify, the game is called soccer
here in North America. Football is the game where they play with
helmets, and the Canadian Football League is about to kick off this
week.
Cheerio!
James
Hurst
June
12, 2018
The Puck Stops here!
On Monday
night, the Washington Capitals defeated the Vegas Golden Knights to
move ever-so-close to capturing their first Stanley Cup. The series
now shifts to Las Vegas, with the Capitals in a position to hoist the
Cup with one victory. It is a long haul, this road to the Cup. A team
must win 16 playoff games to become champions.
This series
began with the Cinderella Knights poised to become unlikely
champions. Coach Barry Trotz and the rest of the brass in Washington
had other plans. They had re-tooled in the off season to put together
a team that boasted a dynamic offense, and a stingy defense.
Alexander
Ovechkin has been the most important player in the Capitals' lineup
for many seasons. He has consistently led the team in scoring, and is
identified as the team's leader. He wears the “C” on his sweater,
and has that flair as a dynamic captain. He has performed well in
this year's playoff run, even when other teams think they have a
defense that might be effective against him.
Another
Capitals' player who has shone brilliantly in these playoffs is
Evgeny Kuznetsov. He and “Ovi” give the Capitals a “one-two
punch” that is difficult to contain. Each of those individuals
stations himself on the outer edge of the faceoff circle on the
offensive end, readying for a pass. They raise their sticks behind
them and slam difficult passes at the goal.
Despite his
best efforts, Marc-Andre Fleury has not been able to solve the
Capitals. He has performed brilliantly, but not quite good enough to
bring home the bacon for the Knights. At the other end of the rink,
the Caps' Braden Holtby has been sensational. He has thwarted the
best efforts of the Knights' best scorers, frustrating them to no
end. He has been the difference-maker in this series.
He has had
some help. The forwards and the defensive corps of the Capitals go to
great lengths to block shots. Have you ever been hit by a 100
mile-an-hour shot? If not, I do not recommend putting yourself in
that position. The Capitals' players throw themselves in front of
shots with great abandon, and usually limp to the bench after the
effort. But the bottom line is that the shot did not reach the net,
that another scoring opportunity was lost, and the team could move on
offense.
The Caps are
no strangers to playoff hockey. They have been invited to the dance
11 times in the last 12 seasons. This is the first year that they
have separated themselves from all of those nemeses that kept them
away from Lord Stanley's mug. They now lead the series three games to
one, and there is no reason why the won't sew it up in Vegas.
At the
American League level, the Toronto Marlies are battling with the
Texas Stars in the final for the Calder Cup. Leaf fans are keeping an
eye on this series, in anticipation for next year. The Leafs should
be able to supplement roster losses from the baby Leafs.
And finally,
the ECHL is wrapping up its season as the Florida Everblades have
taken a 3-2 lead over the Colorado Eagles in its quest for the Kelly
Cup. It is East meets West in all of these championships, as we head
into the summer months.
Enjoy your
playoffs.
James Hurst
June 5,
2018.
Baseball, Basketball and Junior Hockey
The Toronto
Blue Jays wrapped up a weekend of baseball on Sunday afternoon with a
win over the Philadelphia Phillies. They won the series two games to
one, to begin a 7 game road trip. They headed to Boston to play an
afternoon game on Memorial Day.
Americans
recognize Memorial Day in a variety of ways, much as we do
Remembrance Day. One traditional event that captures the imagination
of many Americans is the running of the Indianapolis 500, always very
exciting. This year's winner, Will Power, crossed the finish line
four seconds in front of the rest of the racers.
For the
Jays, the series win was their first since April. They have not had a
good May, and have slipped in the standings to rest above the
Baltimore Orioles, who are securely located in last place. The Jays
have not played consistently good baseball, and have failed to find
players to play well at certain positions, especially at shortstop.
Middle infielders are critical to the game. A team always likes to
have a great combination of shortstop and second baseman to work
together, especially for double plays. Sometimes, it takes years to
develop the magic.
That has not
happened for the Jays, as they have recently resorted to using their
catcher, Russell Martin, to play shortstop. He is the seventh player
they have used at the position this year. The gap, of course, is due
to the injuries to Troy Tulowitzki. He has been missing since last
July, and he is not yet ready to step into the lineup. Gift Ngoepe,
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Yangervis Solarte, Aldemys, Diaz, Richard Urena,
and Gio Urshela have been given a shot at the job.
The Red Sox
hammered the Jays Monday afternoon. Even Donaldson came up lame at
one point in the game. That would be a bitter pill at this point in
the season.
The National
Basketball Association Championships begin this week in
. The Boston Celtics fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in game
seven on Sunday night. LeBron James again provided the impetus for
the victory. He player all 48 minutes in the game. He was grabbed,
punched, twisted and fouled repeatedly in the game, but managed to
score 35 points, including key baskets in the final minutes. He left
no doubt that he is the best player in the game today.
On Monday
night, the Golden State Warriors came from behind to win game seven
against the Houston Rockets. They now face the Cavaliers, once again.
Fourth time in four years.
The Memorial
Cup wrapped up last weekend in Regina. The host Pats faced the
Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the final game with a potent lineup, leading
the tournament in most offensive categories. The Titan goalie came up
big, as they say, in the final game to shut out the Pats 3-0. It was
the 100th Memorial Cup. Many of the players in the
tournament will end up in the NHL in the next few years.
On Monday
night, the (Las) Vegas Golden Knights and the Washington Capitals
began their battle for supremacy in the hockey world. They were the
most unlikely competitors, and the odds makers will dole out big
bucks to those of you who chose that match up at the beginning of the
season. The Knights drew first blood with a 6-4 win at home.
Busy time,
in the sports world!
James Hurst
