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ED IN 1854 North Dumfries • Blandford-Blenheim· Brant· East Zorra-Tavistock • Wilmot

FOUR GAME SWEEP OVER PORT HOPE

Ayr Centennials are Ontario champions

Jordan Pettitt received the Schmalz Cup after his team won the Ontario Junior orth Dumfries Community Complex on Friday night. Photo by Tanya Taylor

by Dennis Millward The Ayr Centennials are the

2015/16 Schmalz Cup Champi­ons. Just to put into perspec­tive what an accomplishment that actually is here is how they arrived at the top..

There are 64 junior C teams in Ontario divided into 8 leagues. The Centennials play in the Midwestern league. In league playoffs, the Cens de­feated Burford (4-1) in the quarter finals. Swept Welles­ley in the semis and claimed their second championship in as ·many years beating New Hamburg in five games.

Now the champions from each league move on to the Schmalz Cup playoffs. In the quarter finals, the Cens elimi­nated the Niagara league's champs, the Grimsby Peach Kings, in five games. The Peach Kings .are the second most winning team in junior C history.

Moving on to the semifinals, the Cens faced the champs from the Great Lakes league, the Essex 73's. Essex is the most winning team in Jr. C history and the deferiding Schmalz Cup champions. Ayr eliminated Essex in four games to advance to the cup final.

Port Hope, champs from the Empire B league, were making their second consecutive trip to the finals. Last year, they lost in seven games to Essex. This year the Centennials took the championship title in four games, winning game four in front of a recordbreaking, near capacity crowd of 1475 at the NDCC last Friday night.

The Centennials are a com­munity-owned team run by a tireless group of dedicated vol­unteers. The community sup­port was overwhelming, the fans at the NDCC were second to none and actually posted the best attendance of any junior C team in Ontario. Also better than any tier 2 Jr. A and only surpassed by 3 Jr. B teams.

The Centennials would like to thank the players, coach­ing staff and all the volunteers who's hours of hard work and planning made this dream a reality. GAME RECAP

The Centennials would like to thank Ayr's own Tay­lor Trussler for being on hand for the openi!).g face off. Taylor just won Nation Gold in the ESSO Cup with her team the Brantford Ice Cats. And also to Mackenzie Seton for anoth­er great 0 Canada. The Cens were 7-0 when Mackenzie sang the anthem (not that anyone is superstitious) and the game sponsor the Centennials Alum­ni.

The capacity crowd didn't have to wait long to put their noise makers to work as the Cens opened the scoring 2: 12 in. Quinn Diamond snapped a shot that went five hole but stopped just before crossing the line. Riley Clipper was there to send it the rest of the way home. Port Hope evened it up with a power play marker 13:26 in. But Ayr capitalized on more of the chances they got. Zach Masterson intercept­ed a clearing attempt while fore checking and back handed

it in from the edge of the circle. Ayr stretched the lead to

two at 3:15 into the second. Masterson carried the puck to the icing line before back hand­ing a pass to the trailing Jack­son White. White snapped it in from the top of the blue ice.

Cole Cummings made it 4-1 when he pulle'd the rebound from a Jordan Pettitt point shot away from the Panthers keeper so he could throw it in the open side. The Panthers got to within two midway through the second but Cash Seraphim restored the three goal lead with 6:38 remaining. Carver Ormiston's face off win went straight back to Cash on the right point. The bullet was stretching the twine before the goaltender flinched.

As had been the case all se­ries the Panthers again outshot the Cens but Mitch Figueirdo, sometimes in spectacular fash­ion, stopped 40 of the 42 fired at him. In the series Port Hope scored 9 goals on 164 shots (1 in 18.22) while the Cens netted 29 on 116 shots (1 in 4).

There wa~ no further scor­ing and the final was 5-2 for Ayr. When last minute was announced, the crowd came to their feet and the cheering reached a fever pitch. The fi­nal buzzer sounded, the Cens poured onto the ice to mob Figs and a new page was written in the Ayr Centennials his­tory book. 2016 Schmalz Cup Champions.

For more pics and insight, check out the Centennials on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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victory parade on to be held Saturday

The Ayr Centen.nials are planning a victory parade this Saturday, May 7th.

The Cens won the Schmalz Cup in a four game sweep over the Port Hope Panthers Friday night and are the provincial junior C hockey champions.

The parade will leave the Ayr Community Cen­ter (old arena) at 2:00 and head. up Northumberland to the North Dumfries Com­munity Complex, where everyone will get a chance to skate with the Cens, get autographs, and have their picture taken holding the Schmalz Cup.

County of Brant County has aj time to promote programs to eduClj ing community on growing hazel years ago, researchers at the Guelph developed a hazelnut plan~ sistant to the Filbert blight and co~ weather conditions in south-westel

Ferrero Rocher purchases over world's annual production of hi addition to Ferrero Rocher choc( products include Nutella, Kinder S Kinder Bueno. The company has a art facility in Brantford that prodl Ferrero Rocher chocolates and Ti for North America and Australia.

The company is investing in I ment of the hazelnut industry in areas including south-western Ont

"Ferrero officials have agreed t( soil and drainage analysis to any wishes to have their farm or POI'l farm evaluated for hazelnut growi In exchange County staff has agr with local agricultural groups to consideration of growing hazelnut said David Johnston, General Mar nomic Development and Strategic

Centre lor the Community Group The Centre for the Commu­

nity Group (CCG) announced that it has a $535,000 surplus after undergoing an indepen­dent financial audit

The CCG is a citizens' group that raised money

for the North Dumfries Com­mUriity Complex (NDCC) and contributed just over $2-million toward the building and its out­door recreational facilities.

"Based upon the initial mo­mentum of successfully raising $1.5M, the community fund-raising campaign was extended and total pledges approached $2.2M," according to a CCG press release issued by Russ Hutchings.

"To date, the CCG has col­lected all but_ $1,85CLoLthe

months and was completed by E KPMG. 'I

According to the CCG press b release:

"In common with many r-charitable organizations, CI

KPMG issued a Qualified Opin- n ion due to the completeness of s donation revenue not being susceptible to satisfactory audit VI

verification. With the exception b for the possible effects of this . t matter, their opinion was that the financial statements were $ presented fairly, in all material r­respects." Ii

The CCG was formed as a a not-for-profit organization in e: 2004 to raise funds for recre- s: ational facilities in Ayr and the IT

surrounding community. Today, iI the CeG bQaJ:d_ - o j Q[dimctor13~CQn~_

Page 6 - The Ayr News, Wednesday, May 4th, 2016

Centennials W in Schmalz Cup

Jackson White scores the game winning 3rd goal in the second period. Photo by Tanya Taylor.

The players attack goalie Mitch Figueirdo in celebration of winning the championship. Photo by Tanya Taylor.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game • • • Let the games begin! Literally. time). The Jr. Vics would appreci­

There are also a couple of up com­We're talking ball games. Lots and ate the local support and cheering ing events the AMSA would like lots of ball games as Ayr Minor sections! to make the community aware of . Softball Association's 2016 season . AllofwhattheAMSAprovidesfor First, we will be running an amazing gets underway. TheAMSA promotes, . the community is made possible only "staycation" raffle with the supportsupports and manages the sport because ofour dedicated volunteers. of local businesses. Tickets will be of fast pitch softball to youth 'aged From the coaching to the equipment, $5.00, with the chance to win a prize 4 through 18 in Ayr and the sur­ to managing the field preparations valued at $1000. Pretty good bangrounding area. This year, close to and umpires , there is not an AMSA

n,..." _1. _ ••• _ .: __ ,., .1.:.Lr_ _____ J. ~_~ __ ~ ~ __ ~ 1 1. ..1 ,..... for . our buck if we do say so our­