Tourney win brightens tough season

 The Markham Majors AAA atoms aren’t off to the best of starts in their Greater Toronto Hockey League regular season. They are winless in their first six games.

But the club atoned for that disappointment last weekend after skating off with the gold medal in the Markham Majors Fall Classic tournament that was capped off with a 3-2 overtime win over the Perinton Blades (New York) at the Thornhill Community Centre.

Mark Perone. Zachery Ladin and Daniel Scalzitti each scored once for the Majors.

The Majors reached the final after defeating the Central Ontario Wolves 3-0, Perinton 4-3 and the Hamburg Hawks (New York) 8-0 and 4-0.

Coached by Rob Marcello, other team members that contributed to the club’s title run included Tristan Johnson, Hudson Wilson, Jonathon Yantsis, Ty Harding, Zach Sheedy, Colton Kalezic, Mathew Lamanna, Mathew Woroniuk, Stephen Santaguida, Thomas Wolfenden, Luca Mazzo and Nick Molson.

Francis earns promotion

For Mike Francis, his time spent at Nike Canada has been a whirlwind.

For the past three years, the former Unionville resident has directed Nike Golf’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Prior to that, he was general manager of Nike Canada’s golf division for two years.

On Dec. 1, Francis will be packing his belongings and returning to North America to become general manager of Nike Golf’s operations in the United States.

Francis will succeed Cindy Davis, who was named president of Nike Golf.

In his new role, Francis will oversee sales, operations, marketing and sports marketing in the U.S.

Overseeing Nike Golf’s largest market in the world is something Francis is looking forward to.

“Obviously, I’m pretty excited and I feel honoured,” he said in a news release from his Amsterdam office.

“I’ve been at Nike Golf for just over five years, in Canada for two years and here (in Europe, the Middle East and Africa) for just over three years, so to be considered for this position in that relatively short amount of time for Nike Golf’s largest market is quite something.”

A Halifax native, the Dalhousie University graduate began his 21-year career in the golf industry at Ram Golf and then with Markham-based Wilson Sports Equipment for 13 years prior to joining Nike Golf in 2003.

During his time with Nike, Francis ascended through various roles from territory sales to merchandising management, marketing and ultimately sales leadership.

Centreman dealt to Penguins

Mike Zigomanis will be packing his bags for Pittsburgh.

The 27-year-old Markham native, who played centre for Phoenix the past two seasons, was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins for future considerations.

Last week, the Coyotes placed Zigomanis on waivers. After going unclaimed, he was assigned to San Antonio of the American Hockey League.

Zigomanis played in 33 games for the Coyotes last season and had two goals and one assist.  In 2006-07, he had 14 goals and nine assists in 75 games. A second-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2001, Zigomanis had 19 goals and 14 assists in 167 NHL games with the Canes, Coyotes and St. Louis Blues.