The Sault Star from Sault St. Marie, Ontario, Canada • 14

PAGE 2 SECTION THE SAULT STAR SATURDAY MARCH 3 2012 sports I HOCKEY: Want more exposure to US colleges Soo Eagles leaving NOJHL loop to join North American Hockey League MIKEVERDONE The Sautt Star If there was just one division next year local fan fans would see leaving the NOJHL has been in the air for some time T-Birds president Albert Giommi says the downside of losing the Eagles is losing the that has existed between the two clubs over the down to six next yeac TTmiskaming dropped out of the NOJHL before the season began last fall and the Manl-toulin Islanders were bought and relocated to Kirkland Lake midway through the yean Soo Thunderblrds general manager Kevin Cain was not surprised by announcement however he is not happy about the cross-border rival Eagles leaving the league disappointing but not sure it's going to cause us to be down a team Cain says too early to speculate Cain says but tire Eagles NOJHL franchise could be revived In another location The NAIIL is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the US a matter of location going to be going down through Michigan to ullnoil into New York (State) and it's easier for schools to come and watch us The league is very well known at D1 schools in the United says Eagles head coach Bruno Bragagnolo main tiling is it givei the boys more exposure to American universities just a fact" he says The seven-team NOJHL is a good league Bragagnolo says it's a very unknown league as far as US schools are concerned It's just not Losing the Eagles who have been part of die NOJHL for four seasons could drop the number of teams In the league these people like I do I know they want best for the league so I think that franchise is just going to disappear It's going to take a little while for all this to shake out" Cain said Friday afternoon Bragagnolo confirmed comments saying the Eagles are hoping to relocate the team to another city in Northern Michigan They might partner with an existing NOJHL owner or sell the NOJHL franchise to an exist-ingownet We are definitely trying to find a spot'for our NOJHL Bragagnolo said "Whether sold to another group and kept here in Michigan or we might partner up with another group and keep it here in Michigan It's up in the air right now Bragagnolo said Speculation about die Eagles squads from the current Eastern Division (Sudbury North Bay Abltibi Kirkland Lake) more often Giommi says if it is a six-team league it can be a good thing It will mean more variety How many times do you want to see us play Blind Rivetf he asks? Giommi says travelling will probably be hardest on the T-Birds because they are in the far west region of the league and would have to travel east for every road game The T-Birds recently purchased a bus to help curb travel costs in anticipation of the Eagles leaving die league and of travelling former regularly us it will Increase our travel We'll just have to find other ways to raise' money The defending Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League champion Soo Eagles announced Friday they will leave the NOJIIL next season to join the North American Hockey League (NAHL) The Eagles purchased an undisclosed NAHL franchise and will play in the North Division where most opponents are based in Michigan Wisconsin and Illinois At a press conference in the Michigan Sault on Friday morning the Eagles said the move is an effort to give players more scholarship opportunities and more opportunities to play In front of scouts from Division 1 and Division 3 colleges in the US years The teams have been very close in the standings and most games have been decided by just one or two goals This season the T-BIrds finished only two points up on the Eagles in Western Conference regular season play They were also two points ahead of the Eagles in the moll season Last year the Soo lost to the Eagles in the Western Conference finals the NOJHL semifinals However Giommi says going to just six teams next season might not be so bad He says the Eagles franchise (ally be sold to and be operated could potent! another city in Michigan's out of UP I HOOPS: Continued Hard work pays off FR0MB1 This weekend die Knights will be in Windsor for the AAA OFSAAchampi-' onships which run from Sunday to Wednesday Knights head coach Dave Zagordo says his guys are very excited after winning the gold medal game last Saturday at the NOSAA championships actually thought be there at the beginning of die said Zagordo who is in his rookie season behind the senior botch very surprised but very gratefuL The guys have worked hard all yean Sometimes you never know going to be there at the tows how hard work pays end It just shows! of? he said The Knights top player Alden Chard who led the high school league this season averaging 20 points per game was under the weather last weekend with die flu Howevei Zagordo says his team has had a good week erf practice and Chard is ready toga St heads into the tournament ranked 16th out of 16 teams going up against some really tough Zagordo said The Knights will take to die floor Monday morning against sixth-ranked Catholic Central which is hosting the tournament The Knights lost by 30 points to Catholic Central at a tournament in Windsor earlier in the season a very strong team very tough athletic It's going to be a very Zagordo said He knows his team will likely be up against some of the stiffest competition it has faced all yean but his guys are still primed to compete There are going dure to play hard and at the same time enjoy the experience he says everyone can say they actually attended an OFSAA championship in their high school year It's all about the experience and the memories MONTAGU: Continued A memorable mistake raoMu It is called distraction and while I regret making reporter Peter Ruled look bad (he had the right teams in the game story but most people don't realize that the editors write die headlines for the print edition not the reporters) I say that I made similar mistakes before One of my most memorable mistakes and one I still laugh about (I know I be laughing right now) came some years ago when I was writing a story on local boxing and Instead of saying Archie LakUaw (who coached the Sault Boxing Club at the time) I wrote Archie Moore who was a forma light heavyweight champion of the world Fortunately I had a sports editor back then (Alex Mitchell) who rescued me from 2012 Motor Car of lha Khar 2012Pbuat Uituranca InaMuta far Highway Safely BLi iop NTiry nai 2012 Jatta 2012 Golf 5-door 2012 fomt 2012 Tiguan Das Auto humiliation by picking up on the error and correcting it in time for the print edition It's amazing how one little distraction can interrupt your train of thought and prompt you to write something you really mean to write and not even pick up on it alia proofing your pages In any event it is an embarrassing moment fa an editor ami I apologize to not only our readers but to Ruled who is always so detailed and anal about having his facts right Throw me a bone folks as I admit that yes even I can be a bonehead at times even though some of you already know that 1-800 DRIVE VW vwca tlmtad ton Inane a Nor waSubh tough Wfamogm Rnann an app nvad end an who now aaHdaa MWP I far a now and iinnpMand 3018 Jana Mi 8012 Go 1-doaf 251 8012 toaaal 25t 2012 Tlpnaa IDT ban maM wth 5-apwdS ipaad5 apaadt ipid Manual niiiwliilow Men andudaa tl fraigh and PH INF Ml $100 nb mndMcwn lava If nppfcabla 15 OMMC laa $46 FfSA and up to $49f daular aftalnlibnrtv laa Hwrad a 0 AHUor 3t unto aqunh par aw ManlHy payaart Snow Humph Indudw and KN (midi ban MSP at only GavnmaaidlnalaaOMVICIaadnalarBdnlnlilnltailaa and PfSAIwinay to Gnawed lonappinrdcrde or may ba paid Hlgnln OwUr may aall far law Down paywwnlaraquIvBlnnl trad In dm al dying way murid Cod albanawbq $0 hr Md abllgadan of Ucanaa hnmne wglmilan opbona 1FFC appfaaU and adiar npphnbla taw an who "ONnr af applkabla an pwdwa Gnandng raugb Votowngan Rnenca an appiawd end af inlact nw and iringlalnnd 2012 JaQaOaNNaaaBfllgina nadab Catfaln candMana apply (IB Oaan Plant Gad I OaS Oil and Jala OU nedih andudadj Dwhr nay aa lor Iw Pnalar ardarNnda may banafaaaaryOSara and Atop SI 2012 and an aab)adfahangaangnaaBoaaaliaaaaltaaL 2012 Jnba Htfilna 2JI a ahown 124875 2012 a diown la 124250 2012 tonal HigfinaZ5laa dawn $31475 2012 tlguan2J)Tia5parttodMgaw dawn $405 Cartahappana and accaaaariw any banian Wild any rtabaanadfr an dawn Wavitnar your Vblawagandwta for Aula SCgalo Taba and an ngltand badaanria Ifabawagan tO Malar band Magadan a nglataad Iradanaft a Sauna bitaSnb Mngnrlnai UC 2012 VbSawngan Canada I 7.