Hall of Fame
Sept 17, 1997
The Ontario Lacrosse Association is playing host to a golf
tournament on Saturday,Oct 4 at the Glen Eagle Golf Club in
Bolton with proceeds going to the new Lacrosse Hall of Fame
in St.Catharines.The official opening is on Saturday ,Sept
20 with 75 builders and players slated to be inducted.
Tournament play is $130.00, which includes lunch,dinner and
prizes. A$60.00 tax receipt will be issued to all players.
Anyone interested in sponswering a hole in the tournament or
donating a prize,all of which is tax deductible is asked to call
Dave Succamore at (905) 851-6020
Notes on the Victoria Victory
Sunday Sept 14 1997
VICTORIA -- If this Mann Cup is truly the last big event in Memorial
Arena, then the Victoria Shamrocks gave it quite the send-off Sunday
night.
The 'Rocks dumped the Niagara Falls Gamblers 14-8 before over 5,000 fans
at the classic old arena to win the best-of-seven Canadian Senior A
boxla
championship in five games and end five straight years of Ontario reign
in the national finale.
It was a marvellous going-away party for Memorial, which was built back
in 1940s and is set to fall to the wrecker's ball this winter, as the
group planning to build a new arena on the same site is expected receive
approval for their financing in the coming months.
Fittingly, one of Victoria's favorite sons, Gary Gait, lead the way for
the winners Sunday. The left-hander was even better than his lofty
reputation all evening with both his shooting and passing en route to
counting eight points on six goals and two assists.
Gait, the series MVP, had a hat trick before the game was 12 minutes
old. He had no trouble fending off Gambler checking specialist Steve
Fannell, Ontario's best defensive player who was assigned to shadow him.
Victoria carried a 7-0 margin into the first intermission.
Niagara Falls cut the margin to 8-5 by the end of the second period,
netting a couple of shoddy goals on Victoria goalie Marty O'Neill, who
appeared to nod off a little. There was never any sense the Gamblers
were going to make a game out of it.
The Shamrocks made it all but official in the opening minute of the
third, as they got goals from Gait and Rick Brown 15 seconds apart to
take a 10-5 lead.
BOXLA BITS:
Rumors abound Gait won't be returning to the 'Rocks next season, and in
fact won't be playing boxla anywhere next summer. He's set for a major
role in the National Lacrosse League, the winter pro loop that's
replacing the Major Indoor Lacrosse League this coming season. ... The
Gamblers lost stars left-hander Jason Luke to a knee injury on the first
shift of Friday's Game 4. It appears the rookie, who counted 45 regular
season goals, suffered a torn medial collateral ligament,which would
mean a long winter of rehabilitation. There hasn't been minor lacrosse
in Niagara Falls since the 1970s, but the first-year Gamblers are hoping
to create enough interest to get things going again.
From: bt829@webtv.net (timothy evans)
Subject: Re: OLA in Upstate NY?
Saturday September 6, 1997
Currently, the OLA Major League has only 5 teams. A few years ago, the
Tuscarora Thunder Hawks Senior B team played their home games in the
Buffalo area. And, I believe there still some U.S. based teams at that
level (Pinewoods, Mountainview).
Putting one or two teams in the Buffalo, Syracuse or Rochester area
would help the OLA Majors to get more coverage, and a bigger fan base.
Would fans in Ontario accept a team or two in Western New York?
Presidents Cup
Sept 1, 1997
Monday's Championship games:
Burnaby vs. Ladner for the bronze
Burnaby 8
Ladner 9
(overtime)
What's really surprising is, depite the animosities, Ladner really pulled
it together and won this morning's game in overtime (not sudden death).
Maybe it was their hatred of Burnaby that fuelled them...
And the game to decide the Presidents Cup
Ohsweken vs. Akwesasne.
Akwesasne 11
Ohsweken 7
AKWESASNE WINS THE PRESIDENTS CUP 1997!!!!!!!!
Ajax teens' Whitby Warriors
National Lacrosse Champs
Saturday August 30, 1997
WHITBY - Two Ajax teens helped the Whitby Warriors to the national
Junior "A" lacrosse championship.
The Warriors, down two games to none to the Burnaby, B.C. Lakers after
the opening weekend of the best-of-seven Minto Cup series, roared back
to win four consecutive games, including the clincher, an 11-9 overtime
victory Saturday evening.
Niall Maynard, 19, a forward with the Warriors, and goaltender Gee Nash,
19, were confident the club could rebound from its two-game deficit.
Maynard played a pivotal role in leading the club back from the abyss,
as he was given the task of neutralizing Burnaby's top offensive threat
Nick Trudeau, who led the Lakers to the opening two wins. Maynard all
but completely shut down Trudeau in the final four games and was a
standout defensive player for the Warriors in game six.
"He can score," said Maynard of Trudeau. "He's a great player and
possibly the best player I've ever played against. I wanted the job (of
covering him) and coach (Jim) Bishop said I had it (before the series)."
"(Niall) had one of his best lacrosse games ever," notes his father Al
Maynard who was on hand for the edge-of-your-seat sixth game at Whitby's
Iroquois Park Arena.
Warriors' coach Jim Bishop notes it was Maynard's defensive contribution
as well as the goaltending of Mike Wye which enabled the Warriors to win
the pivotal sixth game.
"This year, he blossomed into one of the top offensive and defensive
players in the league. But, in this series he played all defence. He
tied up their top scorer and I think that along with the goaltending of
Mike Wye were the keys to the last game of the series," explains Bishop.
Meanwhile, Nash viewed most of the Minto Cup series from the bench as
Wye was deemed the hotter of the two Warriors goaltenders by Bishop. The
move proved to be the right one as Wye was outstanding in net, and was a
major factor for the Warriors in the sixth game. For his efforts, Wye, a
Brooklin resident, was named the most valuable player for the series.
Nash played game one of the series, a losing 10-8 effort.
Bishop says it was actually Nash who, after the first game, told him to
go with Wye in the series, although the coaching staff was already
leaning in that direction.
"He told us that leaving Mike (Wye) in was the way to go," says Bishop.
He's quick to note it was Nash's goaltending which enabled the Warriors
to defeat the Peterborough Javelin in the second round of the Ontario
Lacrosse Association playoffs.
Being behind in a pivotal playoff series was nothing new for the
Warriors. Playing the Six Nations Arrows for the Ontario Lacrosse
Association Junior 'A' championship, Whitby lost the opening two
contests, but came back to force a seventh and deciding game in which
they posted a lopsided 13-4 victory.
The Warriors started the Junior 'A' lacrosse playoffs by sweeping the
Mississauga Tomahawks in four games. They then beat Peterborough
Javelins four games to two. Whitby's last hurdle was the Six Nations
Arrows.
The Minto Cup win over Burnaby represented Bishop's eighth Cup victory.
It came three decades after he guided the Oshawa Green Gaels to a record
seven consecutive Minto Cup wins in the 1960s.
GAMBLERS ONTARIO CHAMPIONS
September 1, 1997
Darris Kilgour scored twice and added five assists as the
Niagara Falls Gamblers beat the Brampton Excelsiors 10-6 in Game 7 of
their Ontario Lacrosse Association Major Division final series played
tonight in front of 1,815 fans at Niagara Falls Memorial Arena.
The Gamblers won the OLA best-of-seven series 4-3 and now
advance to the Mann Cup beginning September 8th in Victoria, British
Columbia. The Gamblers will face the Victoria Shamrocks in the
best-of-seven Canadian championship.
Steve Toll and Grant Johnston each added a pair for the Gamblers
while singles went to Jason Luke, Randy Mearns, Doug Larocque and Derek
Graham.
Jamie Grimoldby and Ted Dowling paced the Excelsiors with two
goals each. Bob Hamley and Mike Henderson netted the others.
The Gamblers led all the way with period leads of 3-2 and 5-3.
Niagara Falls out shot the Excelsiors 52-37 in the game.
For more information contact the Gamblers' office at
905-374-6577. Please leave a message and a member of the Gamblers' front
office staff will return your call as soon as possible.
Monday September 1, 1997
From: bibmstev@computan.on.ca ("William Stevens")
To: dundas@freenet.toronto.on.ca
Subject: Gamblers win series
Date: Mon, 01 Sep
The Niagara Falls Gamblers have beaten Brampton Excelsiors 10 - 6 to
win the Major Division Championship. Darrus Kilgour was named the games
most valuable player. The Gamblers took an early lead and never looked
back.
My E-Mail address:
bibmstev@computan.on.ca
GAMBLERS FORCE GAME 7
August 30, 1997
Jason Luke and Derek Graham each scored twice to lead the Niagara Falls
Gamblers to a 10-8 win over the Brampton Excelsiors in Game 6 of their
Ontario Lacrosse Association Major Division final series.
The Gamblers erased a 6-5 deficit after two periods of play to even up
the best-of-seven series at three games apiece.
Darris Kilgour had a goal and three assists while Bob Fisher, Randy
Mearns, Scott Ronson, Grant Johnston and Steve Toll rounded out the
scoring.
Chris Driscoll scored three goals while Ted Dowling and Daniel Teat had
two each in the losing cause for Brampton. Jamie Grimoldby had the
other Excelsior goal in a game that saw several lead changes.
The series returns to Niagara Falls Memorial Arena for Game 7 Monday
night beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets will be available at the Niagara Falls
Memorial Arena box office two hours prior to game time.
For more information contact the Gamblers' office at
905-374-6577. Please leave a message and a member of the Gamblers' front
office staff will return your call as soon as possible.
Old sport Something Special To Fan
Thursday August 28, 1997
LACROSSE: "It's like a cult or a religion," long-time Whitby coach says.
And the tough young players seem to agree.
WHITBY -- Jason Ward, the Montreal Canadiens' first choice in June's
National Hockey League draft and a late addition to the Whitby Warriors
lacrosse club, was heading for the bench when a checkers' stick hit him
across the throat.
He dropped briefly to one knee, but when he got up his checker, Aaron
Zader of the British Columbia Jr. A box lacrosse champion Burnaby
Lakers, rushed over and headbutted Ward's cage with his own.
The play ended up as a double minor for unnecessary roughness, but the
sequence, and Ward's presence at the Canadian championship, illustrates
a couple of important point about our summertime national sport, beyond
its occasional chippiness.
One is that lacrosse is played at a pace that makes the blood boil, and
tempers crackle like brush fire. As in hockey, the teams dress 18
players and substitute freely and on the fly. A fast jog and an all-out
sprint are the only two speeds.
Another point is that those who fall under the game's spell are helpless
to shake its hold. The skill, speed and intensity of a game that matches
the flow and hitting of hockey with the precision ball control and
footwork of basketball is like magic dust, or something even more
compelling.
"It's like a cult or a religion," said Jim Bishop, Whitby's 68-year-old
head coach. Following his analogy, Bishop is a leading disciple of the
order, having spent the past 51 years doing what lacrosse people do:
staying as close to the game as possible, and trying to spread the word
to those who fail to see the light, whether they're listening or not.
"It's not a media sport, it's not a money sport," said Bishop, who was
last in the Minto Cup final 28 years ago when he coached the Oshawa
Green Gaels to their seventh consecutive championship. "But lacrosse
people don't care about that. It's a small-town, country sport, and it's
big stuff in those towns."
Witness the participation of Ward. Like many athletic kids who spend
their winters around the hockey arena and are in need of a summertime
outlet, he was signed up for lacrosse by his parents.
It's the thing to do in towns across Canada where the sport gets handed
down from one generation to the next like a favourite woollen sweater.
The hotbeds are the traditionally industrial and farming communities in
Southern Ontario Whitby, Oshawa, Orangeville and Brantford -- and the
fishing and lumber towns that are their counterparts in B.C.
The Minto Cup was first awarded in 1901. Every year the two best teams
of players under 21 from each province meet to decide which one is best.
The winner receives the Minto, as it's called in lacrosse circles.
This year the best-of-seven series takes place in Whitby, where the
hometown Warriors, coached by the legendary Bishop, are underdogs to the
visiting Lakers. The Burnaby club is trying to avenge its seventh-game
overtime loss in the final last year to Orangeville.
The Lakers took a 2-0 lead in the series on the weekend, but Whitby, led
by three goals by Paul Sallie, hung on to win Game 3 to make the series
2-1.
In places like Whitby lacrosse is so much the thing to do that Ward, who
was drafted 11th over all by the Canadiens after emerging as a top
prospect with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League last season,
decided to rejoin Bishop, who coached him in Whitby's minor system and
his former teammates as they made their run this summer for the Minto.
This despite the fact that he doesn't have a contract with the Canadiens
and hasn't been to training camp with them. This despite the perfectly
legal thumb and wrist-threatening slashes that ball carriers have to
endure in lacrosse, along with the bone-jarring crosschecks that
regularly see the checkers' stick snap in two. There's also the odd
stick to the throat.
"He's got a million and a half dollars on the line, but he's playing
with us," Bishop said.
Ward decided to join the Warriors for their playoff run after a
celebrity game in July featuring other prominent lacrosse-playing hockey
stars, including Joe Nieuwendyk of the Dallas Stars and the Detriot Red
Wings' Brendan Shanahan.
He checked with his parents, his agent, and the Canadiens' brass, all of
whom gave their approval.
"They just said go with your heart, they were happy that I would have a
chance to win a championship," he said after playing a strong game in
Whitby's 11-9 win on Tuesday night. So he did, although he made sure he
was fully insured against potential lost income due to injury.
"I know most of the guys, and I just love the intensity and the hitting.
It's just so fast."
Going with your heart is a theme in lacrosse circle's, because the game
is played for love. Ward's willingness to risk injury only weeks
before his first NHL training camp is only one example.
On the Burnaby bench is another, in the form of 20-year-old Nick
Trudeau, the best player on either team when he's on his game, and near
the top even when he's not. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder has sloping
shoulders reminiscent of a young Gordie Howe, the nerve to carry the
ball through a forest of opposition lumber to get to the net; and the
knack of streaking into the play late as a deadly finisher.
Trudeau's presence at the Minto is as unlikely as Ward's. The Windsor
native started his major-junior career in Kitchener, and bounced around
after that, playing on losing teams in Sarnia, and Toronto before making
the jump to Burnaby this summer.
"The people have really treated me great out there," said Trudeau, who,
changed to his street clothes, still had the energy to play catch with a
couple of kids at the rink after the game. "It's just so great to play
in the Minto after all those years."
Trudeau might be as good at lacrosse as Ward is on the ice. He spent
this past spring as practice player with the Buffalo Bandits in the
Major Indoor Lacrosse League, and hopes to make the regular roster this
coming season.
But the relative earning potential of their next moves in their
respective sports shows that love and money don't go together.
As a first-round draft choice, Ward has a chance to make millions of
dollars.
If Trudeau manages to make grade with Buffalo next year his pay will
likely be a couple of hundred dollars a game, but he hopes his timing in
the game is right.
"The money is getting better in the MILL, and hopefully in the next few
years it will get even better," said Trudeau, whose backup plan is to
enroll in 'Casino school' -- courses that will prepare him for work in
Windsor's booming gambling industry. "But I intend to make a living in
this sport."
For Ward the economic reality of having a first love that might pay the
bills but little else, was something he caught on to early. It's just
the way of the game. Lacrosse isn't an Olympic sport and schools don't
play the box game -- Canada's specialty -- because the rinks it was
designed for are designated for hockey during the school year.
Professional leagues have come and gone and come back again, but few
expect the sport to really grow beyond the popularity attained by other
sports of passion that fly under corporate radar, such as rugby,rowing
and soccer.
"You don't play sports just for money, but you have to think of the
future and supporting your family," said Ward, whose participation at
the Minto couldn't illustrate the point more plainly. "If you could make
the same money in lacross as hockey I'd have a real tough decision to
make, but I'd probably choose lacrosse."
Gambler Game 5 in Niagara Falls
From: jpirbus@spartan.ac.BrockU.CA (Julia Pirbus)
Thur Aug 28 1997
Just a quick note to let you know that I just watched the worst lacrosse
game in the history of senior lacrosse. The Gamblers were pounced 17 -
4, and the score could have easily been 30 - 4. The Gamblers played with
absolutely no heart or desire. Brampton basically taunted Niagara Falls
in the last 8 minutes of the game by shooting the ball down in the
Gamblers zone every time they got possession. Brampton played with
discipline, Niagara Falls didn't. Chugger and Dowling single-handedly
won the game. Niagara Falls defensive lapses were evident every time
Brampton touched the ball.
In fairness to Niagara Falls, however, it was certainly their worst game
of the year. Grant Johnson and Rich Kilgour were scratches. Travis
Kilgour is also likely gone for the series. I'm confident coach
Sanderson will rally his troops for game 6 on Saturday in Brampton.
There is a lot more talent, heart, desire and discipline, than what was
shown tonight. The Gamblers squad is notorious for bouncing back after a
loss.
Game Notes:
Jason Luke pounded K. Dance.
Ron Chatelaine of the Gamblers and Ciccone of the Excelsiors got match
penalties.
Henderson from Brampton got the gate after arguing with fans while in
the box.
Refereeing was terrible (Martin again). It seemed like a lumber jack
show at times.
Brampton should not start packing their bags for BC yet.
Game 7 - Monday, September 1 - 8 PM!
Cheers!
Warriors Down 2-0 in Minto Cup
Sun Aug 24 1997
It's back to the drawing board for the Whitby Warriors.
With wins of 10-8 and 14-8, the Burnaby Lakers have taken a 2-0
series lead over Whitby in the best-of-seven Minto Cup final.
As expected, both teams opened the series last Saturday night at
Iroquois Park Arena as nervous as a turkey just before Thanksgiving.
It only took Burnaby one period to settle down while the Warriors
needed 40 minutes to get their emotions in tact. But by then it was
too late.
Although Whitby fought back valiantly in game one, Burnaby's experience
and five-goal cushion to start the third period enabled them to prevail
in the series opener.
Burnaby's Nick Trudeau was the story in game two.
Trudeau, who played with the junior A Toronto Beaches last season,
tallied six goals and two assists to lift his team to victory.
"This is the best playoff performance I've had in my short career,
" says the Burnaby sniper. "Experience is playing a big part right now.
The guys know what it takes and they're bloodthirsty."
Trudeau now has 11 points in the first two games of the series. It's no
secret the Warriors need to slow him down if they want to hoist the Minto.
They've limited Burnaby's leading scorer Cam Sedgwick to five points,
but need to do the same with Trudeau.
"We were down two games to the (Six) Nations and won it," reminds Whitby
coach Jim Bishop. "Burnaby is playing quite well and we're not. We know
what we have to do. It's a case of whether we can get the guys to do it."
Angry at themselves for not picking up a win in the first two games, the
Warriors still feel confident of winning the series.
"We're obviously a little upset, but we're still positive things will
turn around," says Whitby goaltender Mike Wye. "All their scoring came
on our mental mistakes, and they've been able to capitalize. Once we
correct that, it shouldn't be a problem."
Whitby's ineffective power play, and Trudeau's brilliance in game two
was the difference.
"Our power play destroyed any chances we had of a comeback," admits
Bishop. "We've made an adjustment already and we'll see what happens on
Tuesday."
EXCELSIORS EDGE GAMBLERS, SERIES TIED
Tuesday August 26, 1997
Ted Dowling and Chris Driscoll scored three goals apiece, pacing the
Brampton Excelsiors to a 9-7 victory over the Niagara Falls Gamblers in
Game 4 of their Ontario Lacrosse Association Major Division final
series.
The win evens up the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.
Jamie Grimolby, Jeff Wilfong and Mike Murray rounded out the scoring
for Brampton in a game that featured several lead changes.
Jason Luke and Travis Kilgour led the way for Niagara Falls each
scoring twice, with singles going to Rich Kilgour, Randy Mearns and Mike
Accursi.
The series returns to Niagara Falls Memorial Arena for Game 5
Thursday beginning at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the Niagara
Falls Memorial Arena box office weekdays 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Thursday at
the box office beginning one hour prior to game time.
For more information contact the Gamblers' office at
905-374-6577. Please leave a message and a member of the Gamblers' front
office staff will return your call as soon as possible.
GAMBLERS SHADE EXCELSIORS TO
TAKE SERIES LEAD
Sat Aug 23, 1997
Darris Kilgour scored his second of the game with less than two
minutes remaining in regulation as the Niagara Falls Gamblers shaded the
Brampton Excelsiors 10-9 in Game 3 of their Ontario Lacrosse Association
Major Division final series played in front of 1,283 at Niagara Falls
Memorial Arena tonight.
The win gives the Gamblers a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven
series.
Steve Toll also added a pair for the Gamblers while singles went
to Scott Ronson, Doug Larocque, Rich Kilgour, Jason Luke, Randy Mearns
and Bob Fisher. Darris Kilgour also had three assists while Toll, Grant
Johnston and Mike Accursi had two helpers each.
Ted Dowling led the way for the Excelsiors with six goals and an
assist. Tom Phair netted a pair while Mark Cochrane had the other.
Niagara Falls led 3-2 after the first. The game was tied 6-6
heading into the third.
Game 4 of the series will be played Tuesday in Brampton. The
series returns to Niagara Falls Memorial Arena for Game 5 Thursday
beginning at 8:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the Niagara Falls
Memorial Arena box office weekdays 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Thursday at the
box office beginning one hour prior to game time.
For more information contact the Gamblers' office at
905-374-6577. Please leave a message and a member of the Gamblers' front
office staff will return your call as soon as possible.
Warriors Get Ready to Host Minto
Aug 20, 1997
WHITBY - For the first time in 12 years, the Whitby Warriors will be
battling for junior lacrosse supremacy this weekend when they host
the Minto Cup.
Whitby won its first of two Minto titles in 1984 as the Warriors.
The club successfully defended the crown the following year,
marking the last time the cup made its stay in Whitby. Joe Nieuwendyk,
one of the stars of those two clubs, was honored with the Jim McConaghy
Memorial Award as the Most Valuable Player. He's the only Warrior to
hold that distinction.
Prior to the '84 success, the Whitby Builders were the first to bring
home the Minto Cup to Whitby when they captured the crown in 1980.
John Jordan was honored with the McConaghy Memorial Award that year.
Two years after the Whitby Builders were crowned Canada's best
junior A club, the name was changed to the Warriors after the team
lost its corporate sponsorship. As a junior B franchise, the Whitby
Transporters captured the Castrol Cup in 1970 and the Founders
Trophy in '74.
Now, the Warriors of today are hoping to add to the storied history of
acrosse in Whitby by capturing the 1997 Minto Cup when the Burnaby
Lakers visit Iroquois Park Arena for the best-of-seven series
beginning this Saturday, Aug. 23.
From a 1-19 record six years ago under then-coach Wayne Colley, the
Warriors have climbed up the ladder to the pinnacle of
Canadian lacrosse.
Colley, a former Warrior and standout goaltender with the Brooklin Redmen,
coached his final game in 1994.
Since then, the team placed second in the league standings the following
year, losing four straight to St. Catharines in the Ontario semi-finals.
The following year Whitby turned its '91 record around going 19-1,
earning top spot in the league. But a 4-1 series loss to the eventual
Minto Cup champions from Orangeville knocked them out of the hunt.
"We had all hoped to be in the Minto Cup last year," says Warriors'
first vice-president Mark Brown. "Unfortunately things didn't work out.
We're excited we've got ourselves back and hopefully we'll win it
here again."
Jim Bishop, 'Mr. Lacrosse,' was hired in 1995 and, along with assistant
coach Jeff McComb, the Warriors are once again battling for Minto
supremacy.
A 16-2 regular season record this season gave the Warriors home-floor
advantage this year. This time it came in handy as Whitby prevailed
in seven games over the Six Nations Arrows.
Whitby's last hurrah in '85 came in front of the hometown fans at
Iroquois and they are hoping history repeats itself 12 years later.
LUKE NAMED MAJOR DIVISION'S TOP ROOKIE
August 18, 1997
Jason Luke of the Niagara Falls Gamblers has been named the
recipient of the Gene Dopp Memorial Award as the Ontario Lacrosse
Association Major Division's outstanding rookie for the 1997 season.
The 22 year-old St. Catharines native finished second in Major
Division scoring with 71 points in 20 games. Luke was also second in
goal scoring with 45 goals during his rookie campaign.
John Tavares of the Six Nations Chiefs was a double award
winner. Tavares was named the Jim Murphy Trophy winner as the Major
Division's most valuable player as well as the Bucko MacDonald Trophy as
the leading scorer in the Major Division with 103 points in 20 games. It
was the second straight year Tavares won the scoring championship.
Mike Hasen of the Brampton Excelsiors was named the 1997 Merv
McKenzie Award as the Major Division's most valuable defensive player
while the Excelsiors goaltending duo of Steve Dietrich and Clayton
Bergie won the Harry Lumley Award for the fewest goals against (162 in
20 games) during the regular season.
Most valuable player, outstanding rookie and most valuable
defensive player awards were determined by a ballot of general managers
and head coaches in the Major Division.
The Gamblers and the Excelsiors will return to the floor for
Game 2 of their OLA Major Division final series Thursday in Brampton.
The Excelsiors lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.
The final returns to Niagara Falls Memorial Arena for Game 3
Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets for the game are available at the Niagara
Falls Memorial Arena box office weekdays 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and at the box
office beginning one hour before face-off on Saturday.
For more information contact the Niagara Falls Gamblers at
905-374-6577. Please leave a message and a member of the Gamblers' front
office staff will return your call as soon as possible.
Gamblers Drop Game 1
Sun Aug 17, 1997
If Game 1 is a true indication of how close the Niagara Falls
Gamblers and the Brampton Excelsiors are in talent then the remainder of
their Ontario Lacrosse Association Major Division finals should shape up
to be something to be a series to remember.
Last night the Excelsiors drew first blood in the best-of-seven
final series in front 1,025 at Niagara Falls Memorial Arena with a
narrow 9-8 overtime win against the Gamblers in a game that was played
as close to the belt as possible.
"Everybody knew the two teams were closely matched coming into
the series," Gamblers head coach Terry Sanderson said. "The fact that we
finished first and they were second told everybody that it was going to
be close.
"You can even see it in the stats. Our goals against during the
regular season were very close and offensively we're very close."
The contest was of the see-saw variety with seven ties and seven
lead changes during the course of 60 minutes and the additional
10-minute overtime period.
Niagara Falls led 3-1 after the first only to see Brampton
rebound in the second and even the count at 6-6 heading into the third.
The game was tied at 8-8 at the end of regulation.
The Gamblers did have a pair of opportunities late in the game
to alter the outcome.
With less than two minutes remaining in regulation Niagara Falls
owned an 8-7 lead but watched Brampton's Tom Phair net the equalizer to
force overtime. Then, with less than a minute to play during the extra
10-minute stanza Darris Kilgour had an excellent chance to force a
sudden death but was robbed by Excelsiors goaltender Steve Dietrich.
"We had the win up until a minute left (in regulation) and we
gave that up," Kilgour said in a quite Gamblers' dressing room. "Then I
had a chance to tie it with about 42 seconds left and I blew it.
"He (Dietrich) made a great save. He dove from behind the net
and stuck his stick out. I didn't see him coming and it hit his stick.
"I don't think they beat us I think we beat ourselves."
"Big plays make the difference in games like this and Dietrich
made that big save in the overtime," Sanderson said.
Kilgour paced the Gamblers attack with three goals and an assist
while singles went to Rich Kilgour, Grant Johnston, Steve Toll, Jason
Luke and Mike Accursi. Goaltender Bob Watson chipped in with a pair of
assists.
This from the WLA
July 9, 1997
Bill Munroe, coach of the North Shore Indians passed away suddenly
after last night's North Shore Indians at Maple Ridge Burrards game.
Here is a biography of Bill's lacrosse career.
BILL MUNROE
Born: Victoria, April 2, 1945.
Bill was an excellent player during the 1960's, although his first
love was always coaching. As a youngster and young adult playing through
the Victoria lacrosse system, Bill spent his off hours coaching minor
teams.
CAREER:
Player
1962 scoring champion with 56 points in 12 games
1963 scoring champion with 87 points in 15 games
1962 led Victoria to the Minto Cup title
1963 Minto Cup finalist
Senior
Played 154 games between 1960 and 1968, all with Victoria. Bill had
143 goals and 129 assists for 272 points. He was slected to the
second all-star team in 1967.
COACHING HIGHLIGHTS:
1976 coached Victoria McDonalds to the Minto Cup
1979 coached Victoria Seniors to the Mann Cup
1980 coached Victoria Seniors
1993 assistant coach of the Coquitlam Adanac Junior team--Minto Cup
finalists
1994 coached the New Westminster Salmonbellies to the Mann Cup
finals
Coached the North Shore Indians of the WLA
Shocker from the West
June 24, 1997
Skye Falling
The North Shore Indians have been penalized five wins, 10 points
in the Western Lacrosse standings following the ruling that
Pete Skye was playing without a proper interprovincial transfer.
The first place Indians, will now be scrambling for their
remaining 10 games to catch a playoff spot following the ruling.
Skye had transfered to the North Shore Indians from an Eastern
Club. The North Shore Indians have appealed the League's decision
and the hearing is scheduled for Monday evening.
The appeals committee upheld the loss of North Shore's 10 points.
Scott McMichael Night on Friday
June 18, 1997
BROOKLIN -- Minor Lacrosse Night will soon be known as Scott McMichael
Minor Lacrosse Night.
On Friday night the Brooklin Redmen of the Ontario Lacrosse Association
Major Series will pay tribute to the late Redmen player who lost his
battle with Leukemia last year. It's only fitting the Redmen honor the
man who meant so much to the organization and to the kids who approached
him after every game looking for an autograph.
"It's amazing the effect he had on people," says Redmen president Paul
Cotton. "His first and foremost interest outside the game was the kids.
"It will be a tough night on a lot of people and a strain on a lot of the
people who will be there."
Prior to Brooklin's 8:30 p.m. game against Brampton at Iroquois Park
Arena, a special presentation to honour McMichael will be held.
McMichael's number 23, which is already on a patch on all team
members' jerseys, will be retired before the game. His sweater will hang
in both Whitby's Iroquois, and Brooklin's Luther Vipond arenas.
"The guys on the team still talk about him every day," says Cotton. "He
rubbed off on a lot of people and he was a leader and he never gave up
and never quit once or complained."
Because of his admiration for the kids who showed their faces in the
dressing room after games, and his loyalty to putting the kids first, the
annual minor lacrosse night will known be known as Scott McMichael Minor
Lacrosse Night.
"His biggest thing was always the kids," says Cotton. "That's what he
was always about. He looked forward to Minor Lacrosse Night more than
anything, so it was an easy thing to name the night after him."
The ceremonies are expected to take place about 10 minutes before game
time.
NORTHMEN GEAR UP FOR
ANOTHER DEFENCE
To say the least, it has been a busy off-season for the Orangeville Jr.
'A' Northmen.
After winning their third Minto Cup, emblematic of Canadian Jr. 'A'
lacrosse supremacy, in the past four seasons, longtime GM Bob Clevely
has taken a hiatus to concentrate on work while, coach of the three
Canadian championships Terry Sanderson, has moved on to take over the
helm of the Ontario Lacrosse Association major Niagara Falls Gamblers.
Lindsay Sanderson, assistant coach with the silver and black for the
past four seasons, as well as head coach of the Georgetown Jr. 'B'
Bulldogs last season, has taken over both the coaching and managing
duties as the Northmen prepare to defend their latest Minto Cup title.
Roster wise Orangeville has lost 12 players due to overage but Lindsay
Sanderson has picked up Clevely's savvy in the player acquisition
department to bolster Orangeville's lineup for the upcoming season.
The overage graduation has left several holes on the right side of the
Northmen, but with the midget aged draft and recent pick-ups, Sanderson
feels Orangeville will remain at the top of the Jr. 'A' loop.
At the midget draft, the Northmen acquired the rights to three players.
With their first pick, 10th overall, Orangeville drafted goaltender
Kevin Samuel from Arthur and then through a deal with Peterborough,
Orangeville took Kasey Beirnes, from Elora, 11th overall. In the 15th
slot, the Northmen drafted Kirk Emery, also from Arthur. This pick also
involved another trade (for future considerations) with Peterborough.
All three bring good attitudes to the game, which was of major
importance to Sanderson.
"The scouting report on (Samuel) was he is big, strong and has a very
good stick," said Sanderson. "People compared him to (former Northmen
goalie) Chris Sanderson with his stick throwing ability.
"He was the MVP of his team and whenever you hear comments like he has a
good attitude toward the game, that put it up and over the top and we're
very happy to get him.
"(Beirnes) is a right hand shot, which we need, and reports were that he
has good lacrosse knowledge and reads the game well. And he's been known
to be good around the net.
"(Emery) has good size, he's 5-foot-10, 160 pounds and very fast. He's a
good team guy and has a good attitude."
While these players may not crack the Northmen line-up this season,
Sanderson said he felt it was important to start feeding the system with
young legs for the future.
Orangeville returns a strong nucleus that includes last year's OLA Jr.
'A' leading scorer Josh Sanderson, defensive stalwart Phillip Sanderson,
Bruce Codd, Ryan Dowdall and goalie Doug Sawyer, just to name a few. Add
anywhere from four to five graduates from Lindsay Sanderson's Georgetown
Jr. 'B' team last season and possibly a few Orangeville midgets, and the
line-up looked like it may start to give Whitby (who many think will
dominate the Jr. 'A' league this season) a run for their money.
Through his coaching tenure at the Jr. 'B' level last season, Sanderson
was able to get a good read on certain players and he continued with the
strengthening of the Northmen roster.
Sanderson purchased the Jr. 'A' rights to Rob Lockhart, another right
hand shot, from Six Nations. Lockhart had been drafted by the Arrows,
but played the last three seasons with Elora. Two years ago, Lockhart
led the Jr. 'B' Mohawks with 43 goals and 74 points in 22 games.
Geoff Thompson, who was seventh in Jr. 'B' scoring last season (55 goals
and 101 points with Huntsville), was another player Sanderson saw first
hand last season.
"He is quite enthusiastic about coming (to Orangeville)," Sanderson said
about Thompson. "I saw a lot of him since (Georgetown) met Huntsville in
the Jr. 'B' finals. He has a lot of offensive skills, as a 21-year-old
brings maturity and is another right hand shot."
And in what Sanderson called "another good surprise," Mike Bricknell
will suit up for the Northmen again. Bricknell played his minor lacrosse
in Orangeville and was with the Northmen until 1994. He spent last
season with the South Fraser Stickmen in the BCLA.
"He's a 21-year-old, with a right shot and that really strengthens our
right side," said Sanderson.
"I'm quite happy with our recruiting. I think it should be an
interesting training camp. Between the three of us, there will be some
interesting decisions to make."
There may be some more moves before training camp opens since the
Toronto Beaches have taken a year's leave of absence from the Jr. 'A'
league, leaving 10 teams. All three arenas in the Beaches area are under
renovation, and rather than move to a different borough they decided to
take the year off.
The Toronto players are free agents and the remaining Jr. 'A' teams can
sign up to two players from their roster.
The three in the decision making process that Sanderson mentioned is the
new Jr. 'A' coaching staff of the Northmen. Nigel Cook, who coached with
Sanderson in Georgetown last season, and Greg McDonald will be the
assistant coaches.
"Greg and Nigel will be focusing on the defensive side and a couple of
the specialty teams," said Sanderson. "I'm quite pleased with who is
coming on board with their lacrosse backgrounds."
Wayne Kruger will be the assistant general manager and he will handle
the game day operations.
Another important facet of the squad is the training staff, which has
also been put into place. Bruce Armstrong, of Physio Plus, is back to
oversee the staff, while Cara Preston and Ken Wiggins will work the
bench during games.
"(Armstrong's) professionalism last year was unmeasureable," said
Sanderson. "The time and money he saved the club was irreplaceable. He
got the guys back on the floor a lot quicker than we had expected.
"I'm very pleased with the bench personnel and the training staff. The
boys will be well taken care of and it will be a confidence builder,
knowing they have such quality people helping out."
NOTES ... The Northmen and Bulldogs will run a joint training camp again
this season, and will probably open up the first week of April. With
hockey seasons still in progress, the opening training camp date has not
yet been established ... Ryan Painter, from B.C., was expected back in
the Orangeville line-up this season, but suffered a knee injury during
field lacrosse. Sanderson has not ruled out that Painter may be able to
return some time during the course of the OLA season.