SOCCER

Rovers win first place battle

Don Fennell, Sports Editor

Shamrock Rovers A are now the Premier Division's only undefeated team as they edged Ravens FC 3-2 Sunday.

After Ravens' striker Ismaeil Ismaeil rocketed the game's opening goal with a left-footed bender into the top corner, the Rovers went on the attack and evened the score before halftime.

A midfield pass from Brian Wilms found speedy Brent Branker to score on a breakaway to give the 2-1 edge to the Rovers. Ravens answered with Ismaeil slipping a header over Rovers goal keeper Craig Edwards to tie the game at 2-2.

But with just four minutes left, Wilms chipped a pass onto Richie Jean-Baptiste who volleyed the winner.

This weekend, all 30 Richmond Senior Soccer League squads will play the first round of the annual League Cup.

In other Premier action last weekend:

Harpreet Virk pounded in a hat-trick and Melvin Johal scored twice to lead Player's United past the Hammerheads 5-1. Jay Sisry replied for the vanquished.

The All-Blacks tripled the Flying Beaver 6-2. Eric Henderson and Tor Henderson scored twice and Bill Richards and Jeff Kaltennegger added singles for the victors, while Wayne Craig and Scott Jackson replied for the Beavers.

Jeff Getz scored a hat-trick as Sportstown FF flurried the Fury 5-0. Ray Pang and Alan McGrath also scored.

The Clippers played the Dragons to a 2-2 draw. Steve Lyons and Gareth Lanz while Reynan Johnson and Kinji Bourchier responded for the fire-breathing ones.

oDivision One: Steve Walters, Mike Kilpatrick and Novell Thomas all scored to lead the Athletics past Fairview Automotive FC 3-0.

"We only managed to create a few chances, and never challenged the keeper to make a difficult save," Fairview player/manager Noel Estacio. "But all in all, we simply were beat by a better team today."

The Wrestlers pinned the Old Boys 4-0 on two goals from Jon McPhearson and singles from Michael Swanson and Alan Ramirez.

Kam Singh scored three goals as the Steelers deflated the Pumphouse Islanders 5-0. J.P. Badyal and Alim Khassam potted singles.

Chaos beat Club Inter 4-3.

Gurmakh Ghag bagged both goals as Club India clubbed Celtic 2-0.

oDivision Two: Lives United and Shamrock Rovers B played a tense 3-3 tie at Woodward field Sunday.

Rovers blew a 2-1 lead as United scored twice in five minutes on goals by Terence Chan and Nicky Lai, but came back to tie late in the game.

Brian Hudson scored three goals as CWA Cosmos downed DSBH 4-1.

Storming Hawks defeated Ole 3-1.

ANAF outscored Subway 6-4. Del Nagra scored three goals for Subway, while Chris Chambers had two for the victors.

Ashton Mechanical beat the Rangers 4-1.

LACROSSE

Learning curve for lacrosse team

Don Fennell, Sports Editor

Richmond Roadrunners fell behind 7-0 en route to a 13-3 loss to South Fraser in under-11 field lacrosse action Sunday.

Richmond had goals from Danny McDermott, Jackson Riley and Jordan Caron.

"This is a learning year for our kids," coach Les Wolanski said. "We want to make sure we find a silver lining in every game, and today's game was a good lesson for our kids: defence wins games, and we'll have to work on that over the next few weeks."

The Roadrunners begin a two-game road series against Mission this weekend.

nIn senior men's action, Richmond fell 16-13 to the Coquitlam Adanacs on Sunday.

Kyle McEwen scored four goals for Richmond and Andy Barker added three goals and an assist.

Stingrays now alone in first place

Richmond Stingrays took over sole possession of first place with a 4-0 shutout of Delta Dynamo in Metro Women's Soccer League play Sunday.

Erin Skura scored twice and Carrie Rogers and Andrea Burr added singles for the Division 2A side. Paula Shuto led a strong defence for the Stingrays, who have recorded three straight shutouts.

Elsewhere in Division 2A, Richmond Rockets lost their foothold on first, dropping a 2-1 decision to Delta Speed. Neena Randhawas scored Richmond's lone goal. It was the Rockets first loss of the season.

Richmond Legends drew Musqueam Blues 1-1 and Richmond United and Westside Red Devils also played to a 1-1 draw.

BASEBALL

Fledgling pro baseball league to hold tryouts

Don Fennell, Sports Editor

The Canadian Baseball League is holding open tryouts this weekend in Richmond.

The professional league, which is soon to announce which cities will have teams, is looking to sign players as it heads into its inaugural 2003 season.

"This is a great opportunity for Canadian ballplayers to play professionally in their home country," league chairman Tony Riviera said. "We know the talent pool in the B.C. is strong, so we're confident the turnout in Richmond will be solid."

The league held tryouts last weekend in London, Ont. and in Montreal, Que.The third camp is 9 a.m. this Saturday at Latrace Field (Minoru Park) in Richmond.

There will be prospects coming from as far away as Japan for the tryouts. Players who are interested in participating are encouraged to pre-register. Send name, age and phone number to info@canadianbaseballleague.com or by fax to 604-689-1531.

SOCCER ROUND-UP

United comes from behind to tie

oU-14 Boys' Metro: Richmond United tied Lower Island Selects 1-1 Saturday.

Three minutes after falling behind, United's Ricky Sahota tied the game nine minutes into the second half.

Richmond midfielders Brett Livingstone, Mathew Taylor and Mojib Emami were solid in helping limit Lower Island to one goal.

oU-13 Silver A GIRLS: Richmond Wildcats played a strong Abbotsford Blast side to a 0-0 draw. Amelia Ng got the shutout for Richmond.

With the draw, Richmond's record stays level at 1-1-1.

oU-12 Boys: The Richmond Renegades and West Vancouver Strikers played to a 1-1 draw.

Cameron Stokes got the equalizer in the second half.

Evan Jacques also beat the Strikers' keeper, but the play was called back on an apparent offside.

oU-12 SILVER 1: Travis Quinn scored a hat-trick as Richmond City United whomped the Dunbar Strikers 7-1

Mohammed Rahmety, Chris Massot, Luke O'Shea and Ryan Cuthbert also scored for Richmond.

Declan Rodriguez set up four goals for United, who completely dominated the game.

Giant steps

Andrew deSousa laces up for his second season with the Vancouver Giants

Jim Mullin, Contributor

Richmond's Andrew deSousa is the Vancouver Giants' homeboy.

Unlike his teammates who have been assembled onto the roster from Prairie hamlets, lumber towns and Czech villages, the Richmond Minor Hockey graduate skates in his own back yard.

"It's an unbelievable feeling," deSousa says of his experience in the Western Hockey League revival in the Pacific Coliseum. "Every game day I'm just so excited to play. The atmosphere, the fans are behind you 100 per cent, even after a season like we had last year, they still came out and supported us."

Even with a six-foot-two, 215-pound frame and Bertuzzian sideburns, playing and living at home comes to one thing that his teammates don't have.

"I guess it's different for me since I get to come home to mom's home cooking."

Last season, the first year Giants' individual plus-minus statistics read like a thermometer on a December evening in Inuvik. However, one number emerged on the stat sheets to the folks in media row midway through the season. DeSousa's plus-minus made it past the freezing mark.

"It's funny, because there was a time last season when I wasn't playing well and I was getting down on myself," deSousa recalled.

His plus-three, with seven weeks left in the season, provided local scribes with a positive stat to eyeball on a game-by-game basis.

"All of a sudden I got a shot of confidence," he said. "And the media was on me for my plus-minus and I wasn't even aware of it."

On an expansion team that was outscored by, on average, more than two goals a game, he concluded the season a minus seven, a testament to his self-described style.

"Out there, I'm the kind of guy that wants to take care of my own defensive end. I believe that good defence obviously brings out good offence. Last year, I was fortunate enough to be out there when a couple of goals were scored, so that actually got me pretty pumped."

DeSousa was originally drafted by the Tri-City Americans second overall in the 1998 WHL bantam draft.

Scott Bonner was the Ams' head scout and vice-president of hockey operations back then, and when he moved back to this side of the 49th as the general manager of the newly-minted Giant franchise, he claimed deSousa in the 2001 expansion draft.

"The one thing that really stands out about Andrew is that he is such a nice kid," Bonner said.

"When he was a 16-year-old in Tri-City, he tried to rush the puck forward and make plays and that's not his game. His plus-minus began to come down when he focussed on playing a steady defensive game."

Pressure and high expectations accompany a first round pick in any league. DeSousa survived the pressure, but knows what some of his younger teammates are facing as the Giants embark on their second campaign.

"You know, I look at guys like Mark Fistric and Joe Logan and a couple of other rookies, and I have sympathy for them. It's a tough situation, because making the jump from minor hockey to the Western Hockey League is just such a huge step. There's lots of pressure on you, lots of media and lots of people expecting big things out of you."

So what kind of advice does deSousa have for Fistric, a 16-year-old first round pick in 2001 along with Logan, who was selected 20th in the same draft?

"It was tough when I was 16, but I learned a lot from (former Tri-City coach) Don Hay and (assistant) Terry Bangen. It's difficult to deal with initially, but once you get through it, it makes you stronger."

Coaches made an impact in his rookie year and a new staff with the Giants has already made a positive impression throughout camp and the exhibition season.

"With this year, you have to look at the coaches. Last year was a year, well, you'd like to forget about it."

With only 13 wins in 72 games last year, the Giants axed rookie coach Milan Dragicevic and went shopping for a new coach. They found former Kamloops Blazers coach Dean Evason.

A 12-year NHL veteran, Evason registered a 108-83-14 record in three years with the Blazers. The veteran of five National Hockey League teams has the attention and respect of deSousa and his Giants' teammates.

"You don't play in the NHL for 12 years if you don't do things right. He's so organized; he's a real professional guy all-around. He's the type of guy you need here to get to the next level."

The next level for the Giants is making the playoffs this year. As for deSousa, the undrafted rearguard is focussed on moving up and playing professional hockey.

"Hopefully (I'll) get invited to a pro camp of an NHL team. If that doesn't work out, I'll still work hard in hockey and go somewhere like the East Coast (Hockey League). But the main goal I'm still working towards is to play in the NHL."

The Giants open their regular season at home to the Kelowna Rockets tonight (Saturday, 7 p.m.) and tomorrow against Tri-City Americans (Sunday, 5 p.m.) at the Pacific Coliseum.