The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 38

THE OTTAWA CITIZEN SPORTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2002 Australian leads way in Hope event Steelers will prevail in a D-Day battle -ft 'ft 53 travel for your living and you've got to fly to get to these places. So my wife, Jackie, and I said we might as well go together. If something is going to happen, it might as well be together." Canadian Tour tees off CORONADO BEACH, Panama David Ladd shot a 6-under-par 66 yesterday to take the lead after the first round of the Canadian Tour's Panasonic Open. Tied for second at 67 were Dave Christensen, Mario Tiziani, Jedd McLuen and Mike McNerney. Zoltan Ver-ess, a Kitchener native now living in Ottawa, had a 74.

The winner earns $60,060 in the event, which is an invitation tournament not open to all Canadian Tour members. Citizen news services Senden ahead by one shot after firing 65 LA QTJINTA, California -John Senden, an Australian who considered not coming to the United States to qualify for the PGA Tour after the Sept. attacks, eagled his final hole yesterday for a one-stroke lead in the Bob Hope Classic. Senden was at 15-under 129 after shooting a 7-under 65 in the second of five rounds. Brandel Chamblee had a 67 and was one stroke behind.

Phil Mickelson made only one birdie on the par 5s and closed with a bogey after hitting into the trees. He had a 67 and was two strokes back at 131, along with 1988 Hope win ner Jay Haas (68). Mike Weir of Bright's Grove, who started on the back nine at the PGA West Palmer Course, carded eight birdies through his first 13 holes to reach 14-under, but he bogeyed four of his final five holes for a 68 and was five shots back, at 134. Glen Hnatiuk of Selkirk, also played PGA West and shot a 72 to remain at 8-under 136. Ian Leggatt (69 at Tamarisk) of Cambridge, and Calgary's Stephen Ames (71 at PGA West) were both at 6-under 138.

"There were a lot of guys, especially from Australia, who pulled out because of (the Sept. 11 attacks)," Senden said. "I sort of said to myself, 'You cannot hold yourself back because of that sort of "You do what you do. You fit i MARK J. TERRILL, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Mike Weir pitches out of a bad lie on the ninth hole of the Palmer course yesterday.

He bogeyed the hole, but was still at 10 under. Tigers rip Knights, solidify hold on top spot in West guard Robinson Saint-Pierre, who gave the Knights fits with his quick hands and even quicker feet. "The running game really worked for us (yesterday)," added Garry Gallimore, who dominated the boards while scoring 16 points. "That first half was easily our best this year," Tigers coach Jimmy Langis added. "We were moving the ball up to the open guy.

We're helping each other out on defence." the Nepean Knights 77-50 to take undisputed possession of first place in the West Division of the National Capital Secondary Schools Athletic Association senior boys' league. The Tigers ran their record to 7-0 while running the Knights in circles in a textbook demonstration of the value of defensive traps, boxing out on rebounds and filling the lanes on the fast break. "We took it at them all night," said Tigers point Knights coach Scot Syme paid tribute to the Tigers' intensity. "They're the first to every ball," he said. "Most teams are bigger than them, but they rebound so well because they're so quick and intense." The Tigers full-court press was breathtaking, as they repeatedly pilfered the ball from Knight ballhandlers in building a 27-13 lead.

With Gallimore and Mohamad Essa scoring almost at Tigers 77, Knights 50 by Wayne Kondro The Woodroffe Tigers are often tagged as masters of street basketball, playing a sort of run-and-gun game that's lots of fun but lacking in discipline. However, the Tigers' pressure defence and transition offence are actually models of hardwood exactitude, as they proved yesterday in whacking will inside, Woodroffe used a 20-6 run, capped by a dazzling Gallimore steal and dunk, tb take a 28-point lead at th break. They extended their margin to as many as 36 before sending in the reserves. Essa led the Tigers with ip points. Osman Hussein added 13, and Steven Bell had 10.

The sole bright spots for thje Knights (5-2) were forwards Mike MacDonald and John Dewar, with 23 and 10 pointj, respectively. -J Law nearly danced Games away v. (Gn( LJ Captain GAREYRIS NFL Picks of the Week The eight teams in this weekend's divisional games combined to improve their collective record from 73-55 a year ago to 94-34 this season. There's not a bad matchup this weekend, but I like Baltimore-Pittsburgh as a defensive struggle old-fashioned smashmouth football and Green Bay-St. Louis for offensive prowess.

Wild-card recap: I was 2-2 against the spread. Tomorrow's games Philadelphia at Chicago (-2 v2), 4:30 p.m., Fox: You can't get much closer statistically than the Eagles and the Bears. Chicago has the NFL's No. 1 scoring defence (12.7 points per game), Philadelphia is No. 2 (13.0).

The Eagles have the No. 9 scoring offence (21.4) to the Bears' No. 11 ranking (21.1). The Bears were 7-1 at Soldier Field and the Eagles were 7-1 on the road. In every way is this game a tossup.

It's nice to see Da Bears back in the NFL playoffs, but let's face reality: They wouldn't have made the playoffs if not for a fifth-place schedule. Only three of their 13 wins came against playoff teams (two over Tampa Bay and one over San Francisco), but their three losses came against playoff teams Green Bay (twice) and Baltimore. But the Eagles, too, built their 11-5 record by beating NFL also-rans Dallas, Kansas City and San Diego. There's no doubt Philly's Donovan McNabb (25 TD passes) is a better quarterback than Chicago's Jim Miller (13). McNabb is emerging as an NFL superstar, and he brings a rushing element that Miller lacks.

Pick: Philadelphia. Oakland at New England (-3), 8 p.m., CBS: The last two times these teams met in the playoffs, the winner has gone to the Super Bowl (Raiders in '76, Pats in '85). That's not likely to happen this year, but this game features two of the AFC's top QBs: Oakland's Rich Gannon (No. 1) and New England's surprising Tom Brady (No. 3).

Two Browns to watch, too: Tim of the Raiders (1,165 yards receiving, nine TDs) and Troy of the Patriots (1,199 yards, five TDs). The Raiders' up-and-down season especially their three-game losing streak to end the regular season leaves one trying to figure out which team will show up against the Patriots. New England ended the season on a six-game winning streak, but like the Bears, the Pats (11-5) built their record by beating patsies. The great equalizer against the veteran-laden Raiders will be the weather. This is a Saturday night game, and the worse the conditions get, the more I like New England's chances.

Pick: New England. Sunday's games Baltimore at Pittsburgh, (-5 v2), 12:30 p.m., CBS: Uh-oh. Just when you thought the Ravens were dead, they go out and remind everyone that they're the defending Super Bowl champs by routing Miami last weekend. Baltimore doesn't have the NFL's No. 1 scoring defence this year they're No.

4, the Steelers No. 3 but its statistics match up with Pittsburgh's. The Steelers, despite having a better QB in Kordell Stewart than the Ravens have in Elvis Grbac, scored only 3.1 more points per game. While their TD numbers were similar (Stewart threw 14 TD passes, Grbac 15), Stewart can run the ball (537 yards, five TDs). Grbac? Let's just say he's not mobile (18 yards, one TD).

Sure, the Ravens have won their first five playoff games, but the Steelers are about to take that next step to becoming an NFL powerhouse. Having a healthy Jerome Bettis back in the lineup doesn't hurt, either. Look for these AFC teams to play an awesome defensive struggle, with the difference probably a field goal or two. But after everything is written, don't forget this stat: The road team has won the past six meetings. Pick: Pittsburgh.

Green Bay at St. Louis, (-10), 4 p.m., Fox: Brett Favre against Kurt Warner. Antonio Freeman against Isaac Bruce. Ahman Green against Marshall Faulk Fireworks in January? You bet. Two of the NFL's offensive powder kegs go head to head, and that means point, points, points.

If St. Louis didn't have one of the league's best defences, Green Bay would have a shot Sunday. But the Rams have the NFC's No. 1 defence, a far cry from past seasons when most Rams wins were of the 41-38 variety. In only two games all season did the Rams give up 31 or more points.

Overall, they gave up an average 17.1 points per game. The Packers yield 16.6. But home field gives St. Louis a big advantage that the Packers won't overcome. A close game would be a winning margin of 10 points or less.

Even that might be too much to hope for. Pick: St. Louis. and a cameo appearance by the famous Kingston rock band, The Tragically Hip. Nova Scotia skip Mark Dacey won the Canadian mixed title on Sunday at the Mayflower club in Halifax.

It is the fifth time in the past 10 years that Nova Scotia has won the mixed and the third time in mixed history that the winning team clinched the title at its home club. From the hack The Ottawa Valley Curling Association Mixed Bonspiel begins today with opening ceremonies at the Carleton Heights club on Normandy Crescent. The bonspiel ends Sunday night at Rideau. The men's challenge round starts tomorrow in Bancroft. Brian Cochrane and Ron Diguer of the Ottawa club, Jeff McCrady of Rideau and Josh Adams of Granite are the Ottawa teams competing for a spot at the Nokia Cup provincial championship Ontario women's championship begins Tuesday in Thunder Bay.

Anne Merklinger and Darcie Simpson of Rideau lead their teams into the competition. Ottawa-area zone playdowns for bantams (16-and-under) were held last weekend. Advancing to the boys' regionals tomorrow in Russell are Todd Reilly (Navan), J.J. Hollister (Morrisburg), Thomas Donovan (Brockville), Robert Bush-field (Brockville), Chris Gardner (Carleton Heights), Kent Fraser (Richmond). Advancing to the girls' regionals tomorrow in Cumberland are Elizabeth Deserres (Winchester), Caitlin Briden (Navan), Laura Payne (Prescott), Erin Morrissey (Rideau), Rachel Homan (City View), Pam Carstens (Granite), Amy Guest (Royal Kingston), Katie Zarichney (Cataraqui).

For comments or suggestions, readers can reach Barre Campbell at Schmirler will be broadcast on the CBC's Life and Times program. Schmirler, skip of the Canadian women's team that won the gold medal at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, died of cancer almost two years ago, leaving a husband and two young daughters. The CBC says much of the footage used in the upcoming documentary has never been broadcast before. You go, Agnes For the seventh straight year, Agnes Charette of Buckingham has won the Quebec senior women's championship. Charette, a member of the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame, beat Gael Montpetit of Lachine in the final last weekend.

Charette has won three Canadian senior women's championships. Her appearance at the national senior tournament in St. Thomas, this year will be the 16th time she has attended the championships. Anne Dunn of the Gait club in Cambridge won the Ontario senior women's title on Sunday in Meaford, beating Mary Gellard of Unionville. Dunn defeated Joyce Potter of the Ottawa club in one semifinal.

Gellard went to the final after beating Lois Graham of the Dow's Lake Navy club in the other semifinal. Rideau's Dave Van Dine came close, but lost the Ontario senior men's championship game 7-5 to Bob Fedosa of Brampton. Fedosa stole a pair in the fifth end to take control. Van Dine beat Reg Plaster of Ottawa in the semifinal. The national senior tournament begins Feb.

2. The sliver screen Men With Brooms, a comedy film about a curling team that will star Paul Gross and Leslie Nielsen, is to be released March 8 by Atlantic Alliance Films. Good timing for the release the Scott Tournament of Hearts will just be over and the Brier set to begin. The film features music by popular Kingston artist Sarah Harmer BARRE CAMPBELL Extra Ends Can Kelley Law consider herself fortunate? Time will tell. The skip of the Canadian women's curling team at next month's Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City injured an ankle while dancing at a party for the Kia Masters of Curling tournament in Gander, Nfld.

Law was tripping the light fantastic with fellow curlers. Then bam she was on the floor, clutching the ankle and wondering how she managed to steer her way into the predicament. Anyway, Law spent some anxious moments in a hospital waiting for the X-ray results. A fracture so close to the Olympics (her first game is Feb. 11 against Great Britain) would surely have put her on the sidelines in Utah.

The X-rays were negative and Law limped away on crutches with a sprain. She said earlier this week her preparations for the Olympics would proceed as scheduled, and that she would be ready to play in the first draw when the Olympics begin. Just in case that does not happen, you should know that Cheryl Noble is the spare player on Law's team. Julie Skinner would likely become the Canadian skip should Law not be able to compete. It all sets up an interesting curling tournament at the Olympics.

Suddenly, the Canadian women are not heavily favoured to win the gold medal as they were prior to Law's imperfect pirouette. A fitting Schmirler tribute On Tuesday at 7 p.m., a biography of the late Sandra MNIEL ALFREDSS0 JANUARY 24 7:00 P.f.1. Quantities limited! peitliJt: fmili liii Zut, EM Pirnr Scats ni II seats brought top bj X. Accessorize wffiEj Choose fiSy'' Choose i tonnnZL "BEST Vf SKOAL OFFERS A 'fSSSr II EVER" forLease wjwm) cjoh; Here's how to get yours CR-V LX 5spd. SOLD OUT CR-V EX Auto javcnlcjbl CR-V LX Auto SOLD OUT CR-V LE Auto ajlgble.

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