Thistles Forever has some views on the 2002 Jr "A" and "Major" season: Enjoy Wednesday April 17, 2002
Brampton Excelsiors: 51st consecutive season in league Minto Cups won: 4 - 1952, 1957, 1958, 1959 OLA titles won: 10 - 1922, 1930, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1976, 1994 7 consecutive losing seasons missed playoffs 6 straight years Record in 21st Century: 8-32 2001 record: 4-16 Coach: Jeremy Tallevi(0-0) Players to watch: Andy Secore, Francis Dostie & Luke Forget Secore had a marvellous rookie season on a bad team. The Excelsiors should be much better this year and Secore even more improved. Dostie is Brampton bound. Given Kasey Beirnes recent success in the NLL, there's every reason to think Dostie will take Jr.A by storm. I know Forget is a point a game man, yet every time I see him I think he should be averaging 3 points per game. Best player: Sean Orr - He isn't a big scorer, however Orr is tremendous on loose balls and a good drawman. The type of foot soldier every team needs. Regular Season Forecast: So many draft picks, so much planning for tomorrow. Now Founders' Cup winning coach Jeremy Tallevi gets a chance to put it all together. Ed Comeau was never able to match his success in Burlington. This may be unfair, however I had the impression Comeau never gave the Excelsiors his undivided attention - due to his NLL obligations. The bottomline is that he was never able to get Brampton to play like a team. A coaching change was needed. Another thing against the Excelsiors is the fact that the kids coming out of Midget in recent years have not been quick to adjust to Jr.A.. When the core of your team are teenagers that really leaves you out on a limb. But those kids are now older and it is time Brampton made the playoffs. But I'm taking the tried but true approach: I'll believe it when I see it. Prediction: 9th place.
Burlington Chiefs: 27th consecutive season in league Minto Cups won: none OLA titles won: none *Semi Finalist in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1988 - swept 4-0 each time one winning season since 1980 made playoffs 6 straight years Record in 21st Century: 16-32 2001 record: 8-16 Coach: Ted Sawicki(16-32) Players to watch: Duncan Ross, Nathan Gilchrist & Adam Lustic An injury postponed Ross' emergence as one of the best players in the league last season. This time around he should take his game to the top level. I realise that 5 goals in one exhibition game does not make a star. Nevertheless, Gilchrist will be a young talent worth keeping an eye on. Three cheers for the defence! Lustic never gets noticed but he is as solid a player as the Chiefs have. Best Player: Duncan Ross Regular Season Forecast: Ted Sawicki and his coaching staff are back for a third year. I don't think the Chiefs have ever had this much stability in their entire history. Throw in all the young talent and it is time for Burlington to make their move. Yet the first improvement they make will only cover the losses of Jamie Taylor, Greg Tregunna and Mike Daley. So the goals this year should be modest - a winning record and at least five playoff games. Don't forget, the sky is still the limit. OLA Jr.A is at a transformational phase. The established powers are not as strong as they used to be, while all the bottom teams have good, young players and much potential. Most importantly, it is still such a young league. There will be players emerging this year to become superstars. It will be up to them to carry their teams to new levels. The Chiefs have as much youth and potential as anyone. Prediction: 6th place
Kitchener-Waterloo Braves: 12th consecutive season in league Minto Cups won: none OLA titles won: none *Semi Finalist in 1992 - lost 4-2 to St.Catharines one winning season since 1992 missed playoffs last year Record in 21st Century: 9-35 2001 record: 2-18 Coach: Bob Hamley(9-35) Players to watch: Shawn Kimpinski, Ryan Benesch & Mike Ratcliffe Don't forget that Kimpinski was expected to be the game's next superstar. Fate has been unkind to him. But 2002 is a new season, Kimpinski is healthy and on a much better team than last year's 2-18 disaster. The Braves will need him to be this year's surprise. Benesch heads a fine cast of graduating Midgets. Keep in mind that last year's Midget grads made no impact upon the league. It is to be hoped that Benesch will make an impression. Ratcliffe spent last year hanging on to his starting job. He needs to be more solid this season. Best Player: Michael Rooymans - He was K-W's top scorer last year and their most pleasant surprise. To be honest, I saw the Braves once in 2001 and they lost 11-1. I have no idea who their best player is. Regular Season Forecast: Now all the Midgets have reached Junior. It's time for the Braves to improve. Yet these are not the Bishop Midgets of '95. Plus they're joining a 2-18 team whose veteran players keep abandoning ship. It's going to take a couple of years for the youthful Braves to adapt to Jr.A. Two more long summers for Bob Hamley. I hope he can hang in there to eventually reap the rewards of his patience. Prediction: 11th place
Mississauga Tomahawks: 15th consecutive season in league Minto Cups won: none OLA titles won: none *Finalist in 1967, 1968, 1974, 1975 - lost 4-1 in 1968 ending Gaels perfect season 1 winning season in last 7 years missed playoffs last year Record in 21st Century : 19-25 2001 record: 7-13 Coach Al Burton(22-45-1) Players to watch: Scott Gillingham, Jeff Shattler & Marc Burton Gillingham is coming off a fine season. He should be one of the best playmakers in the league this time around. Especially setting up the likes of Shattler and Burton. Jeff Shattler could be the next Adam Oates. We may still have to wait a year before he blooms but he will eventually show why Toronto fought so hard to get his services. Burton came to life last year. The start of better things to come? Best Player: Scott Gillingham Regular Season Forecast: How good will Jeff Shattler be? That will determine how good Mississauga is. The Tommies always seem to have a bunch of nice kids running around, playing hard, being competitive but never getting anywhere. They really need a superstar to lead them out of the wilderness. I'm not sure Shattler will be that superstar this season. He only has half a year of Jr.A under his belt. However he should eventually carry Missy to the next level. The only question is: when? Prediction: 10th place
Orangeville Northmen: 12th consecutive season in league Minto Cups won: 3 - 1993, 1995, 1996 OLA titles won: 4 - 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000 9 consecutive winning seasons made playoff 11 straight years Record in 21st Century: 45-21-1 2001 record: 15-9-1 Coach: Lindsay Sanderson(102-49-2) Players to watch: Bryan Kazarian, John Conway & Nathan Sanderson Never a dull moment when watching Kazarian. But his playoff penalty minutes speak for themselves. Kazarian was brought to Orangeville to be a top scorer, not a top troublemaker. This is his last chance to produce the big numbers he should be capable of. This year all eyes will be on Conway, the Northmen's #1 starter. He was a pleasant surprise in '01, one of the comeback players of the year. I doubt Nathan Sanderson will have a debut similar to his cousin Josh. Still, he is a Sanderson and was a top Midget last season, so don't underestimate him. Best Player: Brodie Merrill - The most complete player in the league. His constant determination impresses me most. There was no quit from him during last year's playoff disaster. Regular Season Forecast: Jr.A Lacrosse has changed. Talent used to be 90% of the game. Today I'd suggest it's only 50%. Give 25% to coaching and the other quarter to the psychology of winning. The head coach has his hand in all three areas. So I am saying that coaching is now more important than talent. That would explain how the Northmen keep winning. On paper they are nothing special but they've established a winning tradition second to none. You can count on these Northmen to have an unmatched work ethic and to play with the confidence of a champion. That will mean consistency no other club will match. Prediction: 2nd place
Orillia Kings: 5th consecutive season in league Minto Cups won: 3 - 1937, 1939, 1940 OLA titles won: 3 - 1937, 1939, 1940 1 winning season in 4 years made playoffs last year Record in 21st Century: 19-26-1 2001 record: 14-12 Coach: Wayne Colley - Whitby & Orillia(53-71-1) Players to watch: Chad Thompson, Josh Colley & Jeff Zywicki Thompson was one of the few Midget Grads to make hay last year. He should continue to progress rapidly. Colley's '01 campaign was spoiled by an injury. This is a very important year for him to get back on track. Zywicki had a poor regular season last year but looked great in the playoffs. In his final year, he should finish strongly. Best Player: Luke Wiles - Defending scoring champion. What more needs to be said. Perhaps the idea that he could get better? With great playmakers like Kyle Wailes, Zywicki and Troy Thompson feeding him, Wiles really should score 75 goals this coming year. Regular Season Forecast: The Kings will be a factor this year. What we don't know is where. They'll be capable of beating anyone on any night, yet may spend the year struggling for eighth place. Or they could put it all together and contend for the title. First problem: Mike Miron is irreplaceable. Cam Devine has done well to find new goaltenders. That doesn't change the fact that Miron was probably worth three goals a game. Of course those three goals Miron saved a game were thrown away by all the club turmoil. There are two keys to success for Orillia this year. The first one is that all their stars must be back and in full attendance - physically and spiritually. The second key is that Colley, Zywicki and Troy Thompson must double their regular season production from last year. Each is capable of doing so. If they do, then the likes of Wiles and Chad Thompson will be even better this time around. Alas there are already dark clouds floating over Rama. With Ian Wailes gone as assistant coach it appears Kyle Wailes wants out. Will Kyle make it three different teams in his brief three year Junior career? "Suitcase Kyle" doesn't work. How about "Wandering Wailes?" Talent or no talent, in such a competitve league there must be harmony in the clubhouse or else it's like setting sail on the Titanic. Prediction: 7th place
Peterborough Lakers: 44th consecutive season in league Minto Cups won: 11 - 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1989 OLA titles won: 14 - 1961, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 1 losing season in 10 years made playoffs 10 straight years Record in 21st Century: 25-29 2001 record: 15-14 Coach: John Martin(163-68) - won 1986 & 1987 Minto Cups Players to watch: Mike Hobbins, Brian Croswell & Cole Murray Hobbins was running the Laker power play at the end of last season. That's how highly this young player is thought of. Croswell cut down on his penalty box sittings and the result was instant goals. With his good size and more discipline he could give the Peterborough powerhouse more offence. Cole Murray gave Orangeville a taste of what he may be capable of. Certainly he will be the best goalie in Junior some day. For now he must share starting duties with the multi talented Jamie McIntyre. Best Player: Scott Evans - He's the heart and soul of the Lakers. That's not to take anything away from the great supporting cast, however Evans is the guy always sacrificing his body in order to get a goal. There's none in the league like him. Regular Season Forecast: Can't say enough good things about the Lakers young, undersized depth. While Whitby was sending it's top three Midget grads to Jr.B last year, Peterborough tossed Greg McIntyre, Josh Wasson and Hobbins right into the heart of the fire. This year the Whitby kids will once again toil away with the Gaels(making little contribution to the Warrior cause) while the Peterborough kids will be key components in a championship bid. They'll essentially gain two years on their Whitby counterparts. Also Cory Vitarelli gets his chance in 2002(while Whitby's Shane Sargeant heads to Jr.B). Peterborough does lose Chris White, who really came into his own leading the defence last year. They welcome back Jamie Plunkett with his much needed size and toughness. Yet it's offence and goaltending which will decide this team's fate. Can they develop the consistency to match the frontrunners? Winning at home would be one step in the right direction. Many of the other keys are obvious. One to look out for will be Dan Carey's performance. It appears he's lost his job on the power play. That can't be used as an excuse for a points decline. Carey will be crucial for the Green Machine having offensive depth. Evans and Self cannot do it on their own all year long. Prediction: 3rd place
St.Catharines Athletics: 21st consecutive season in league Minto Cups won: 4 - 1947, 1950, 1990, 1991 OLA titles won: 13 -1914, 1920, 1921, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1990, 1991 19 consecutive winning seasons made playoffs 20 straight years Record in 21st Century: 50-23-1 2001 record: 30-8-1 Coach: Morris Conn(0-0) Players to watch: Craig Conn, Billy Dee Smith & Mark Paniccia Does his father's coaching appointment mean Conn will play with discipline this year? At times he looks like the second coming of Darris Kilgour. Other times he's just another hothead, like Kim Squire. Is it just me but does Smith remind others of Brad Reed? Reed never could score but he was great at everything else. If Smith ever develops a scoring touch watch out! With his speed and size he's already a load to handle. Paniccia scored some big Minto Cup goals, leading me to wonder if the A's next offensive star is about to bloom. Best Player: Dan Bowman - The best player on this team has to be a defenceman. Really their four best players are all defensive stars. Bowman is the captain and the leader of a ferocious unit. It will be his job to make sure there's no Minto Cup hangover. Regular Season Forecast: Left out of the players to watch is a mountain of a kid, chipped and molded from the Rockies themselves, who will diversify the defending champs offence. Jon Iannucci's numbers speak for themselves - 42 goals on 5-19 Coquitlam a year ago, 6'4", 225 lbs and he has at least two years of Junior left. His joining the A's may make what could have been a wide open championship a closed issue. With his latest coup Bob Luey is looking beyond Minto Cup wins to a Minto dynasty. St.Catharines with as good an offence as anyone is pretty scary considering the strength of their goaltending and defence. They may dominate from start to finish. Last year they did not show themselves to be the best club until the end. One fortunate break they got was to avoid their longtime nemesis Orangeville. Otherwise, they made their own fortune, peeking in the playoffs as they always do. Despite returning most of their team for this season, the Athletics are not a sure thing. The Minto Cup hangover will dog them early on. Defence is their bread and butter and you can't play such great defence without intensity. Coming off a championship win, that intensity may be lacking slightly. But the door has been opened a crack for the other contenders by one major change. Head Coach Don Smith has stepped down, to be replaced by Moe Conn. They are as different as night and day. That doesn't mean the change won't do the A's the world of good. Conn's authoritarian style may mean a perfect regular season record, as opposed to Smith's laid back, wait for the playoffs to get serious approach. Nevertheless, it is a change and I'm opposed to changing something that isn't broken. It's almost like asking for trouble. As for that door being opened a crack, Iannucci's signing may slam it shut very quickly. Prediction: 1st place.
Six Nations Arrows: 13th consecutive year in league Minto Cups won: 1 - 1992 OLA titles won: 2 - 1992, 1998 5 consecutive winning seasons made playoffs 5 straight years Record in 21st Century: 47-15-1 2001 record: 25-8 Coach: Duane Jacobs(0-0) Players to watch: Peter Benedict, Drew Bucktooth & Brett Bucktooth More accurately, the above three should be players to lookout for. The Arrows have lost a ton of talent and they'll need all the imports they can attract. If Benedict returns to Jr.A he'll be a major force. Both Bucktooths are capable scorers as well. Should we also be looking for Louis Alfred and his Kahnawake buddies in the orange and black this summer? Best Player: Kyle Jamieson - Could easily have chosen scorer Roger Vyse, however you can;t help but like Jamieson. He doesn't score goals but he does everything else extremely well. Regular Season Forecast: This is a crucial year for the Arrows. The past few years we have seen St.Catharines, Whitby and Orangeville each endure rebuilding seasons without dropping from the top four. Now it is Six Nations' turn to be tested. Even harder for the Arrows is that they are coming off the negative of a major disappointment last year. In fact, the past two seasons the championship has been theirs to lose and they have lost it. Thus it will be difficult for them not to fall well down in the league standings. At this point in time I'm totally in the dark. How many out of town players the Arrows import will have a huge impact on the kind of talent they put on the floor. Hopefully they can maintain the high standard of play and entertainment they've treated us to the past five years. But in a young league where every other team will be better, it is the worst possible time to be falling back. Prediction: 8th place
Toronto Beaches: 5th consecutive year in league Minto Cups won: none OLA titles won: 5 - 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919 last winning season 1995 made playoffs for first time since 1996 Record in 21st Century: 9-15 2001 record: 9-15 Coach: Jack Chisholm(0-0) Players to watch: John McLellan, Matt Holman & Bobby McBride Defence will be what wins for Beaches this year. With all their size you can expect an Athletics impersonation. So the key will be John McLellan. He is one of the best goalies in the league. The question is: how good is he? Diminuitive Holman is on the verge of really breaking out. Expect him to be a Top Ten scorer. McBride won't be a Top Ten scorer but he did average a point a game last year and should be capable of more this time around. Best Player: Jonathan Durno - He keeps improving and his final two years should be his best. Regular Season Forecast: Will the Beaches follow in the footsteps of the Athletics? They were the only team to give St.Catharines a decent battle in two playoff games last year. Two narrow losses, as the Double Blues confidence and experience were the difference. Toronto must learn from those losses. Jack Chisholm moves up to head coach, a very positive change. Jim Hinkson has laid the groundwork for a championship team. Chisholm knows this team inside and out, plus he brings a more moderate coaching style which should improve things more. The key for Toronto will be their offence. They must find more scoring depth and improve that power play. The defence will be dominating, especially in the compact Sandbox. Prediction: 5th place
Whitby Warriors: WHITBY WARRIORS 28th consecutive season in league Minto Cups won: 5 - 1980, 1984, 1985, 1997, 1999 OLA titles won: 8 - 1960, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1997, 1999 8 consecutive winning seasons made playoffs 9 straight years Record in 21st Century: 36-24 2001 record: 16-14 Coach: Jeff McComb(0-0) Players to watch: Mike Hamilton, Scott Wylie & Mark Craig Hamilton is in his last year and coming back from an injury plagued 2001. He'll be a big boost to the Warriors power play. Wylie must overcome inconsistent play for Whitby to contend. Craig makes the jump from Jr.B. Now we'll see how good he is. Best Player: Mike Morrison - Now's the time for him to emerge from behind A.J.Shannon's shadow and become the best player in Junior A. Regular Season Forecast: Last year the Warriors were suppose to spring back into contention. It didn't happen. Thus they enter this season with their fans not really sure what to expect. A.J. Shannon is overage, Jeff McComb debuts as a Jr.A head coach, there are many questions to be answered. Will the Warriors reestablish themselves as one of the leagues powerhouses? Their fifth place finish in 2001 was their lowest since 1993. Could it be the slide will continue? The talent and depth is certainly there for this team to make a noise. At the same time the talent and depth is not as great as it's been in the past. The Warriors do seem to be a team in limbo. They have the ability to play their traditional "run and gun" style, yet there really hasn't been much running and gunning the past two seasons. Will they follow the Orangeville/St.Catharines examples(if you can't beat them then join them) and turn to a conservative defensive style? It shall be interesting to see what kind of mark McComb makes on his club - and how quickly he can make it. Whitby could soar back to the top of the league or they could, yet again, slip back a couple of positions. The key stat will be the Warrior home record. They were 5-5 at IPA last year. Yes five home losses! Until Whitby dominates at home again there will be no recovery. I have no idea what will happen. So I'll play it safe and bet on inconsistency. Prediction: 4th place.
PLAYOFF FORECAST St.Catharines Athletics: The A's have been beyond remarkable in the playoffs the past three years. Much of the credit for this goes to Don Smith. You can't underestimate the value of a coach who keeps his head at all times. If a coach can't maintain his composure, how can he expect his players to? Any time the Athletics have been in difficulties(down 2 games to Burnaby or their Semi Final with Six Nations the year before) each player has been able to turn to the bench and see Smith standing his ground as confident as ever. Without ever having to say a word, he was able to reinstill his players faith in themselves. That is why St.Catharines has been so resilient. That is why they have overachieved so often. Morris Conn is not that style of coach. That doesn't mean he won't succeed just as well. He'll bring an intensity with him which may prevent the A's from becoming complacent. This year, unlike the past ones, St.Catharines is expected to win. A great playoff run is no longer required. Instead the game plan is now total dominance. Rather than resting on their laurels, the Double Blues have moved to make themselves the most improved team in the league. If the gamble of a coaching change does work then they will dominate - and not just for this season. If it doesn't work, then things will get very interesting. There are several teams with veteran leadership ready to pounce if the A's falter. Can the Athletics win the championship? YES...expect them to. They can only beat themselves. Prediction: They will successfully defend their title. Another 12-1 post season record is very possible. But the more competitive the playoffs are the less likely they will be to repeat.
Orangeville Northmen: One thing really impressed me about the Northmen last year. In their shock playoff loss there was no quit from any of the players. As is evident from the onesided series we've seen the past few years, when the kids get down, their confidence evaporates and they throw in the towel. Orangeville never did this. Despite all the frustration, they kept coming at Peterborough harder and harder every time. Yet they couldn't snap their losing streak. All the effort in the world could not overcome their lack of scoring touch. The Northmen's limited offensive ability is their one Achilles Heel. For 2002, Orangeville appears to have done little to address this problem. Unless a top scorer from out west has slipped in unnoticed, the Northmen will go with last year's squad once again. Unlike their Minto winning teams, this club will have to win it all without that one top gunner who can get them a goal when they desperately need it. Orangeville is remarkable for getting goals from unlikely sources when things are going their way(which is most of the time). However when the worm turns, as it did last July, they can't get goals from anyone! Thus it seems inevitable that at some point in this year's playoffs they will run into an opponent they cannot score on. It could happen in any round but it will likely happen at some point in time. Can the Northmen win the championship? YES...if they hold their opponents to under 6 goals a game throughout the playoffs. Prediction: A loss in the Semi Final is the most likely result. I'd rank Orangeville the third most likely club to win Ontario.
Peterborough Lakers: This is a very different team heading into 2002. All it took was winning one series and everything has changed. Now the Lakers step on the floor with greater confidence in themselves and that makes them a very dangerous team. They have goaltending which can win a series singlehandedly. They have Self and Evans, two veterans who will be very hungry to win come playoff time. Plus they have a very young team which continues to develop with surprising speed. But the confidence level will be most important of all. There will be no more blowing big leads, something Peterborough did several times last year. It will still be a challenge for them when they go head to head against the great defensive teams in St.Catharines and Orangeville. They will need to develop their offence enough to be able to score on anyone. That will be the key to winning the championship. Can the Lakers win the championship? YES...if they can upset the Athletics or, better still, avoid playing them at all in the playoffs. Prediction: A loss in the Final. Their small defence and past inconsistency will make them prone to be upset. I'd rank Peterborough second most likely club to win Ontario.
Whitby Warriors: Once is bad luck. Twice is a trend. That's the only way to look at the Warriors' recent injury woes at playoff time. To their credit, they still managed to advance to the Semi Finals each year. Though they exited quickly after that. What is most troubling of all is who Whitby has faced in the past Quarter Finals. Neither Peterborough nor Orillia are considered physical teams. What will happen if Whitby draw a St.Catharines, Orangeville or Six Nations in 2002? Will any of the players survive the series? Granted injuries are bad luck. Yet the Warriors have become the OLA's injury prone team. That label will stick until they've had a healthy playoffs. That's a tough handicap to have to deal with in such a competitive league. How a healthy Whitby team will do this year is interesting to ponder. I would suggest they fall back on the great Builder tradition and run their opponents off their feet. Jeff McComb comes from the Bishop school, thus I expect his team will feature the fast break every chance they get. He'll remember 1998, when Bishop went with a more conservative style, played right into St.Catharines hands, and cost the Warriors another Minto Cup. You aren't going to beat St.Catharines or Orangeville at their own game. Whitby has always featured the offence. That is the route which will take them back to glory. Can the Warriors win the championship? YES...if they stay healthy they will have a chance. But they will have to have a better team than they appear to have at this point in time. Prediction: A Quarter Final loss. It would be the first such loss since 1994. Consider the Warriors a threat to beat any team come playoff time. I'd rank them fifth most likely to win Ontario.
Toronto Beaches: We got a glimpse at what the Beaches may be capable of their first two playoff games last year. Consecutive one goal losses to the Athletics led to a quick end to their season. There's no question Toronto will be capable of playoff success this year. Yet no one on the team has ever won a playoff game, let alone a series. This is the psychological disadvantage Beaches must overcome. This year is as good a time as any to do so. Can the Beaches win the championship? YES...but they'll have to play better defensively than even Orangeville. Prediction: A Semi Final loss. I'd rank them the fourth most likely to win Ontario
Burlington Chiefs: Another team looking to win a playoff game, before they can concentrate on a series. This is a club that has been building for the future. I have to believe Ted Sawicki knows what he is doing. Last year's playoff sweep doesn't even count as the Chiefs conceded the series before it even began. There will be none of that this year. So, come July, we shall see how much Burlington has advanced in two years. Can the Chiefs win the championship? NO...winning a series will be an important step to winning a future title. Prediction: A Quarter Final loss. I don't expect them to be swept and sincerely hope they are not. If they are, Sawicki may decide to return to the NLL. I'd rank them seventh most likely to win Ontario.
Orillia Kings: One hopes success will finally smile on Cam Devine. He's done everything possible to bring Orillia glory on the big stage. He dragged the team, kicking and screaming, up to Jr.A. He's pulled goaltenders out of his hat every year, the way Harry Blackstone pulls rabbits. He even cornered the best coach in Jr.B, plus two of the best Midgets in Ontario from three years ago. He's done everything to make the Kings a success. He has established them as a solid Jr.A franchise. What thanks has he gotten for it? Hardly any. Maybe if Elora ever comes up to Jr.A and miss the playoffs people will begin to realise how successful the Kings have been. Unfortunately Elora may never have a lacrosse person with the stature of Cam Devine to drag their team up to the top level. Winning at all cost, and stooping as low as possible to be able to win, seems to be the philosophy of many lacrosse parents. So, Mr.Devine needs to win a playoff series to get the respect he deserves. A series win wouldn't do Wayne Colley any harm either. He's in the unenviable position of having everyone in the Centre of the Lacrosse Universe barking at his heels any time he turns his back. So Orillia Kings, win a series and put all this to rest once and for all! That's easier said than done. Yet the Kings have the talent and veteran leadership to make lots happen come playoff time. They may not have the depth of other clubs but they do have the most potential superstars. It's time for Thompson, Zywicki, Colley, Wailes and Preece to follow Luke Wiles' lead. Can the Kings win the championship? YES...if everyone puts their selfish interests aside and dedicate themselves to the team then we'll get to see what really is possible. Prediction: A Quarter Final loss. But if this team wins a series then watch out! I rank them sixth most likely to win Ontario.
Six Nations Arrows It's difficult to know what the Arrows will be capable of this year, as they really are an unknown quantity. Still, any Arrows success will be good news for all lacrosse fans. Six Nations' fans are the envy of the league. No community gives lacrosse the kinds of support it gets in the Ohsweken area. Unfortunately Ohsweken is a small town and there are only so many kids around to play lacrosse. Six Nations make up for it with quality over quantity. But one looks at the quality the Arrows have lost and it is hard to believe they can continue to be successful. Every playoff win they achieve will be well earned. Can the Arrows win the championship? NO...but any success they achieve will make the post season that much more exciting. If they can produce a playoff run like they did in 1997 it will be a thrill for everyone. Prediction: A Quarter Final loss. I rank them eighth most likely to win Ontario.
