The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday November 2, 2007 - 43 Oakville hockey players set to take on the world Haltigin, Watts make Canada East team for Jr. A Challenge By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF OAKVILLE GYMNASTICS CLUB DIAMOND WINNERS "No 1 Gymnastics Club in Oakville" Chris Haltigin was at school when his dad called to give him the news. "I kind of had to sit down and give my head a shake," the 19-year-old Oakville Blades' defenceman said. "It was shocking." While Haltigin earning a spot on the Canada East team for the World Jr. A Challenge may have come as a surprise to him, Carlo Coccimiglio saw it as a just reward. "He worked hard over the summer. He did everything we asked of him," the Blades' coach said. "He improved so much. He dramatically improved his physical play, his skating, his speed and his decision making on the ice." Haltigin will be joined on the Canada East team by Oakville's Jordan Watts, who plays for the Aurora Tigers. Haltigin has 11 points in 15 games this season and is well on his way to surpassing last year's career best of 20 points. But his play in his own end is where he has really improved. He and fellow Blades' defender Trevor Eckenswiller have anchored the Blades' blueline corps, each logging more than 30 minutes every game on a team that has allowed the fewest goals in the conference. Coccimiglio said Haltigin is playing with more confidence and that has been a vital part in his improved play. "I'm not going to score a lot of goals but I can help keep them out," Haltigin said. "Being a defenceman, you have to take care of your own end first." Still, Haltigin has benefited from more powerplay time and his three goals this year match his combined total from the previous two seasons. The Canada East team will open the tournament, being held in Trail, B.C., Monday against Belarus, then plays the United States on Wednesday. "Putting the Canadian sweater over my head will be something else," Haltigin said. "To play at this level, not many players get that chance. It's a big honour." Sharing that honour will be Watts. The 18year-old right winger has already had his share of big games over the past two years. Last season he helped Aurora win the Royal Bank Cup, the national Jr. A championship. The previous year he and his Toronto Jr. Canadiens won the Ontario Hockey Federation AAA midget title and made it to the semifinals and the national championship, the Telus Cup. "His skill set is very strong but his skating is his main attribute," said Aurora general manager Craig Evans. "He's very tenacious and he's got a great work ethic but he's also got above average hands and puck control and he sees the ice well." Though his role on a veteran Tiger team was GYMNASTICS ONTARIO 2007 CLUB OF THE YEAR! NCCP CERTIFIED COACHES DEDICATED GYMNASTICS FACILITY ARTISTIC, TRAMPOLINE & TUMBLING PROGRAMS AGES 18 MONTHS TO 18 YEARS 9058477747 www.oakvillegym.com 1415 Third Line MAKING STRIDES: Oakville Blades' defenceman Chris Haltigin was named to the Canada East team for the World Jr. A Challenge in British Columbia. Also making the team was Oakville native Jordan Watts, who plays for the Aurora Tigers. limited last season, Evans said Watts has adjusted well in accepting a larger role with the team this year. He ranks fourth in scoring on Aurora with five goals and 16 points in 12 games, just shy of the 20 points he scored in 38 games in his rookie season. Evans said Watts has been receiving scholarship offers from Division 1 colleges in the U.S and playing in the tournament will only enhance his skills. "Those big games and dealing with the pressure, Jordan's really experienced from that standpoint. That's one of the areas you can't really teach -- learning what it takes to win. This experience out west, playing against international competition, that's only going to help him." Germany and Russia will also have teams entered in the tournament, which will decide the medalists Nov. 11. Canada West edged Canada East 4-3 to win the inaugural World Jr. A Challenge last year in Saskatchewan. Appleby College students to compete at nationals Continued from page 42 Hockey Academy when she was four. The Grade 11 student is an outstanding playmaker. Both Jenner and Haverstock, who play for the Stoney Creek Sabres in the PWHL, scored their first international goals in helping Canada's under-18 team sweep a three-game series against the U.S. in August. Jenner had a goal and an assist in one game to earn player-of the game honours. Geneva Kilman of the Oakville Ice is the other player with local ties playing in the tournament. Kilman will play defence for the Ontario Red team. The 17-year-old Toronto native has received several offers from Division I colleges in the U.S. for next season.