Solid As A Rock Rock Confident Heading Into Playoffs With Chiefs
Al Rivett: durham.com
Friday July 18, 2003
DURHAM -- The Rock is confident, but definitely not overconfident
heading into tonight's Game 1 of their Ontario Lacrosse Association
senior 'B' opening-round playoff series against the Burlington Chiefs.
The best-of-three post-season opener goes at the Pickering Recreation
Complex tonight (Friday) at 8:30 p.m. Game 2 in the series is slated for
Burlington's Central Arena Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. Game 3, if
necessary, will be played at the complex Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m.
Rock head coach Paul St. John is convinced that if his charges play up
to their potential, the series will end in a two-game sweep for his
expansion team.
"If we play the way we're capable of playing, we should win in two
straight," says St. John, who returned to the club's practice Tuesday
night after a family holiday in Florida. "I'm confident in a series win
over Burlington, but not overconfident."
St. John admits, however, the Rock (10-6, fourth place in standings)
hasn't been at the top of their game of late, losing their last two
regular-season contests of the season. Ajax-Pickering dropped its final
game to Burlington 10-9 last Saturday night. The league-leading and
defending champion Owen Sound Woodsmen pounded the Rock 9-3 in Owen
Sound July 5.
Despite the recent setbacks, St. John believes the players will be back
to their hard-working ways in time for Friday's series opener. The team
practiced well Tuesday and Thursday night in preparation for Friday's
game.
Paul St. John likes the way the Rock match up with Burlington. He points
out his players "ran them into the floor" in the first meeting of the
teams in Burlington back on June 1, with Ajax-Pickering winning 8-6.
And, the Rock's uptempo game coupled with their defensive prowess should
be enough to produce a series victory over Burlington, he says.
"If we hold them to seven goals or less, we shouldn't be losing in this
series. Our offence should be able to score nine or 10 goals on any
given night.
"I feel with the style of play we have, I think we can outrun them. I
think, overall, on paper we're the better team, but paper wins nothing,"
says St. John, adding the key will be curtailing the offensive output of
Chiefs' snipers Mike Shaw and Andrew Hartholt.
The key to the Rock's playoff success, as it has been to the team's
strong regular-season campaign, will be the solid play of goaltender
Mike Miron. The pro goaltender, says St. John, will be counted on for a
strong series against Burlington.
"We've relied on him the entire season. He's our MVP, there's no
question about that. We need him to be 100 per cent on his game to win,"
says St. John.
On the injury front, the Rock roster is healthy, with the exception of
two players -- Nick Moeller and Chris McKeown. Moeller is expected to
miss the series with a hand injury, while McKeown will miss most, if not
all, of the playoffs with a separated shoulder.
PEBBLES: The Rock has sent along its nominees for the league-wide
awards. The team's nominees are: MVP - Mike Miron; best defensive player
- Kevin Taylor; best two-way player - Bill McLean and most sportsmanlike
player - Paul O'Grady...
Woodies Facing 'Different Team'
Mohawk Stars Ready For Playoffs After
Disappointing Regular Season
By Jonathon Jackson: Sun Times
Thursday July 17, 2003
OWEN SOUND -- The Mohawk Stars aren’t the same team that dominated the
Ontario Lacrosse Association Senior regular season in 2002.
But the Owen Sound Carruthers-Nicol Woodsmen aren’t taking them lightly,
despite finishing 20 points ahead of the Stars in the standings this
year.
The two teams will meet in a best-of-three quarter-final playoff round
starting tonight. Game 1 starts at 8:30 p.m. at the Harry Lumley
Bayshore Community Centre.
“Those guys gave us all we could handle last year and we gave them all
they could handle,” Woodsmen general manager Mark Berner said.
“They’re short their three big scorers from last year but that just
means other guys get the ball and they’ve got other guys on that team
that are capable of scoring if they all show up.”
The Stars lost their top five scorers from last season, including
snipers Kim Squire, Jason Henhawk and Delby Powless. The team went 12-2
and finished first in 2002 but slumped to 4-12 and eighth this year.
“We’re looking forward to the playoffs because we know we didn’t have a
banner year like we did last year,” coach Ken Squire said. “We’re sure
going to atone for it starting (tonight). We’re definitely ready.”
He’ll be looking for offence from top scorers Rodney Redeye, Dwayne
Porter, Chad Squire, Brandon Hill and Nick Skye. He’s also got two solid
young netminders in Kevin Beauvais and Ken Montour.
The last time the Stars visited Owen Sound, they brought only eight
runners and two goalies and were shellacked 20-2. Commitment won’t be a
problem tonight, Squire vowed.
“Most of our guys are ironworkers and they work in Toronto,” he said.
“They don’t get off until 4:30 and then they’ve got to drive home and
catch a bus to Owen Sound. But we’re rounding out pretty good. I think
we’re ready for the playoffs.
“We’ve got it pretty well straightened out now. We’re going up there
with a full squad . . . we’re a different team now. In the playoffs
anything can happen.”
Berner is well aware of that. He feels the only other meeting this
season between the two teams, a 7-6 Owen Sound win April 26 in
Brantford, is more indicative of how this series will go.
“For the most part we outplayed them but we were lucky to win,” he said.
“They got hot goaltending and we couldn’t score. If the same thing
happens again, in a short series strange things happen.
“We’re the best offensive team and the best defensive team. In the
points we’re the best team but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re
guaranteed to win. We can’t just show up.”
Owen Sound finished first with a 14-2 record but has been idle for
nearly two weeks. Berner said that likely won’t mean anything
considering the Stars have been off for the same amount of time.
“I’m glad we’re playing them in the sense that they’ve been sitting
around as long as we have,” he said.
The layoff has helped the Woodies heal some nagging injuries. In
particular, Jamie Grimoldby has been able to rest the injured knee that
caused him to miss several games late in the regular season.
Bryan Kazarian and Lindsay Plunkett will lead a talented offensive force
into tonight’s first game. Kazarian just missed winning the league
scoring title in his rookie season, Plunkett tied for fourth in the
scoring race and six other Woodsmen – Andrew Reid, Craig Ainsworth,
Chris King, Mark Cochrane, Bob McNabb and Grimoldby – averaged at least
two points per game.
Game 2 is Saturday at 8 p.m. in Brantford. Game 3, if necessary, is
Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Lumley-Bayshore.
Elora Face Elimination Against Rebels
Poor Start In Game Three Pushes Tribe To Limit
By Matt Harris: Fergus-Elora News Express
Thursday July 17, 2003
ELORA -- The Elora Mohawks are faced with the end of their season if
they can’t find a way to stop the Six Nations Rebels.
Elora took the opening game of their second-round series with the Rebels
last week with a 6-5 Game One win. They were then edged 5-4 at Six
Nations before falling flat in an 11-7 loss at home on Sunday night.
Following the game, Mohawks Head Coach John Lovell said he felt his team
had their chances to score but they just couldn’t take advantage of
things when they had the momentum going their way.
“We’re getting our opportunities, but we just haven’t cashed in on them
yet,” he said. “We have to play way better defence than we have so far.
It’s our defence that’s gotten us this far. They’ve got some good ball
players over there, and it’s tough for us to defend them one-on-one . .
. in my mind, we have to face up to them and go man-to-man.”
Despite playing tough for the first two games, Lovell said he noticed a
slight slump in the team’s confidence following the third game.
“They have to believe in themselves if they want to win,” he said. “I
think we can do it. The kids got together for a shoot-around the other
day, and then they had a dinner together. We didn’t get the start we
wanted (in Game Three), but we bounced back from that. I thought we’d
have to win down there once in this series, but I’d been hoping it would
have been the second game of the series. We’re going to have to be a
team that faces up to this if we want to keep playing in the next
round.”
When asked what his team has to do to win this series, Lovell said he
wasn’t looking at the bigger picture of having to win two more games,
but rather he wants to win the first period of Game Four and build on
that.
“We don’t have to win two games right now, we have to win one,” he said.
“Hopefully we can win the first period on Friday night and go from
there. I think there was more offence in (Game Three) because the teams
are getting used to each other.
We sure didn’t bring our ‘A’ game defensively. I thought at the start of
this series that 6-7 goals a game would win it. But, we’ll have a few
practices this week to get ready.”
Game Four goes at Six Nations on Friday, July 18th, at 8 p.m. If Elora
can force a fifth game, it will be in Elora on Sunday, July 20th, at 7 p.m.
Merchants End Schedule On Losing Note
By Brian Mcnair: durham.com
Wednesday July 16, 2003
BROOKLIN -- The Brooklin Merchants won't be heading into the playoffs
with much in the way of steam.
But, despite a 16-13 setback to the lowly St. Clair Storm to close out
the season Saturday in Brooklin, Merchants' coach Terry Rowland says his
team will be ready for the Arthur Aces when the Ontario Lacrosse
Association Senior B playoffs get under way Saturday.
"We'll bounce back," promises Rowland, who was without several key
players and lost four more to injury Saturday. "Guys just took it
(Saturday's game) for granted and we fell behind early."
Bolstered by seven junior callups, the Storm ran the Merchants ragged
and took advantage of unusually shaky goaltending to post just its
second win of the season.
It was a meaningless game for the Merchants, who had already clinched
third place in the nine-team loop. They finished with an 11-5 record.
Jared Bilich led the way with two goals and three assists while Niall
Maynard and Stefan Hewak chipped in with a goal and three helpers each
for the Merchants. Duke McNutt, D.J. Cox and Frank Littlejohn also
scored twice each, with Shawn Cardy, Dan McWhirter and Tom Wreggitt
adding singles.
The Aces (6-10) closed out the season with a 10-7 loss to Ennismore and
slipped into sixth place when Burlington (6-9-1) upset Ajax-Pickering
(10-6) Saturday. The Merchants won both encounters with Arthur during
the regular season, winning 16-7 at home on May 17 and 9-6 on the road
June 8.
Saturday's game begins at 7 p.m. at the Luther Vipond Memorial Arena.
Game 2 is in Arthur Sunday at 7 p.m. and, if necessary, the third and
deciding game will be back in Brooklin next Tuesday beginning at 8 p.m.
Redmen Have Shot At First Place
Host Defending Mann Cup Champs This Evening
From durham.com
Wednesday July 16, 2003
PORT WHITBY -- Suddenly first place is well within reach for the
Brooklin Redmen.
Despite losing the first two games of the Ontario Lacrosse Association
Major Series season, the Redmen have worked their way to within two
points of first place heading into tonight's game against the defending
Mann Cup Brampton Excelsiors at the Iroquois Park Sports Centre (8
p.m.).
The Redmen and Excelsiors are tied in second place at 7-4, a win away
from St. Catharines (8-4). Peterborough (7-5) is still very much in the
mix as well.
On Saturday, the Redmen won their sixth game in as many tries at home
this season, and by far their most convincing, 19-4 over the Akwesasne
Thunder (2-10).
The Redmen spread the offence around, with 12 of 18 runners finding the
net and 16 registering at least a point.
Mike McLellan scored three times, Jason Crosbie, Brad Reed, Gavin Prout,
Steve Toll, Peter Lough twice each, Jonas Derks, Ryan Harris, Scott
Campbell, Joel Johnson, Derek Suddons and Andrew Hawke once each. Mike
Daley chipped in with five assists.
Veteran defender Darryl Gibson played his first game of the season for
the Redmen, who lowered their league-leading goals-against average to
8.2. Goalie Gee Nash gave way to backup Ken Barrett for the third
period, with the Redmen leading 12-1.
The Redmen have added Scott Wylie as a third goalie. Wylie, who
graduated from the Whitby Warriors last season, had been playing out
west with Maple Ridge but was released so he could return home.
After tonight's game, the Redmen close out the regular season with road
games in St. Catharines Saturday and in Cornwall against the Thunder
Sunday.
They then begin a home-and-home round-robin playoff against eastern
rivals Peterborough and Akwesasne, with the top two moving on to the
semifinals.
Brooklin opens in Peterborough July 24 before hosting Akwesasne on
Saturday, July 26 (8 p.m.) and Peterborough on Wednesday, July 30 (8
p.m.).
St.Catharines, Brampton and Six Nations will vie for the two western
spots before crossing over to face the east. Home floor advantage for
the semifinals will be determined by the regular season standings.
Mimico Makes Case On Defence
By ROB ANDRUSEVICH: The Mirror
Wednesday July 16, 2003
MIMICO -- Strong defence and goaltending have put the Mimico
Mountaineers on the verge of winning their second playoff series.
Mimico beat Barrie in Game 1 on Wednesday 11-7 and Game 2 on Sunday 8-7
to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Jr. B lacrosse series.
Game 3 is in Barrie tonight and Game 4, if necessary will be in Mimico
on Friday.
"It's totally opposite to the Clarington (last) series. It's offensive,
Barrie likes to run and gun," said Mountaineers coach John Robinson.
"We're going in positive trying to wrap it up Wednesday."
Once again it's team defence that is putting them on top.
"We're not letting them get inside, limiting them to shoot from the
outside. So far that's been somewhat successful," Robinson said. "As
long as we keep them to the outside and our goaltender takes care of the
rest."
Game 2 was touchy for a while, as Mimico led 6-3 after one period, but
trailed 7-6 after two.
A change of goalies for Barrie to start the second helped throw Mimico
off said Robinson.
"The chances were there, we just had trouble beating him. But Kevin
(Mimico goalie Kevin Olmstead) shut them down in the third. He was
facing a lot of low shots. They're tricky to judge."
Offensively, two new scorers are helping the team along. Mike Nicholson
and Tim Sawa have picked up the pace, along with veteran sniper Rick
Verran.
The team's other key sniper Chris Willerton has continued along his
great scoring pace.
All A Matter Of Timing
New Member of Lacrosse Hall of Fame Ken Croft
Attributes Success
Being in Right Place at Right Time
By Jim Wallace: St.Catharines Standard
Photo by Denis Cahill
Wednesday July 16, 2003
ST.CATHARINES -- The way Ken Croft sees it, his lacrosse career was a
matter of being in the right place at the right time.
Like in 1944, when the then-18-year-old was picked up by the
St.Catharines senior Athletics because there was no juvenile team.
That team ended up winning the Mann Cup.
Nine years later, while a member of the Orillia Terriers, he took a call
from Peterborough. A couple of its players couldn’t make the Mann Cup
final in British Columbia and they needed some help.
That team ended up winning the Mann Cup.
This year, the timing will be even better. Almost 50 years after winning
that second Mann Cup, Croft will return to the West Coast, but this time
to be inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Like all youngsters growing up in St. Catharines and Port Dalhousie in
the 1920s and 1930s, lacrosse was the game to play. It was no different
for Croft, who turned 77 earlier this month.
“There wasn’t any money around and most of us kids in Port (he was born
in St.Catharines) had a lacrosse stick and we fooled around.”
After playing bantam and midget in St.Catharines, Croft decided to try
out for the St.Catharines juvenile team.
“I was 18, and four or five of us young guys went to the (St. Catharines
) Collegiate where the seniors were practising, and we were practising
for juvenile” he recalled.
“After a week or so, a guy told me I was going to make the team and I
said ‘I hope so because that’s what I’m out here for.’ He said no, the
senior team.”
Croft and his juvenile mates were named to the senior team when a
juvenile team didn’t materialize. That team ended up playing the New
Westminster Salmonbellies for the Mann Cup at Maple Leaf Gardens in
Toronto.
“In those days, you went to the dressing room and didn’t know if you
were going to play or not,” he said. “If your name was on the board, you
dressed.
“It was the same thing at Maple Leaf Gardens. I went over and didn’t
know if I was going to dress or not. I don’t know how it happened, but I
was out there to start the game when they played God Save the King.”
As for the national championship, “We were just on the coattails of the
good guys,” he said modestly. “I don’t think I did very much, but I was
there.”
After returning to St.Catharines, he entered the army and played junior,
moving to Quebec City to play when he couldn’t come up with the cash to
attend university. He turned 21 while playing lacrosse there.
“It was quite an experience — the older guys would go to the tavern and
we used to go to the beach.”
Upon his return to St.Catharines, he landed a job in the engineering
department at General Motors and started playing for the Athletics. He
had a chance to play in Hamilton for more money, but the A’s wanted $600
for his release.
Toronto eventually bought his rights and he scored a couple of goals in
his first game with the West Yorks.
Because of financial problems, the team moved to Orillia in 1953 and
Croft followed. That was when he got his chance to play against the
Victoria Shamrocks with Peterborough, which was in the midst of five
straight Mann Cup victories.
“Al Frick was supposed to go, but he couldn’t because of work, so Derry
Davies and I went.
“Here, again, I just happened to be in the right place at the right
time,” he said. “I’ve never been on a team that had so much talent and
so much confidence.
“When you went into the dressing room, it wasn’t a matter of who was
going to win, but by how much.”
Croft, typically, downplayed his part in the two titles.
“I figured all the time I was playing, I was a fringe player, right up
to the time Toronto paid $600 for my release.
“But when I talk about lacrosse, it’s a team effort,” he added modestly.
“I was a very small part of the team.
“The ‘I’ word I don’t like; in lacrosse you have to play together. That
Peterborough team was just awesome. I think they’re all in the Hall of
Fame — where they should be.”
His lacrosse career lasted 10 years and after playing some intermediate
and senior hockey, he coached at the bantam level. A member of the St.
Catharines Old Boys Lacrosse Association, he now gives back to the game
as an ambassador at the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame, where he was a
charter inductee in 1997.
Croft hasn’t decided what he’s going to say at his induction when he and
Elinor, his wife of 54 years, make the trip to B.C.
“I understand you have to respond, and I’ve heard some of the responses
are I, I, I.…
“They won’t get that from me; I wasn’t an I, I, I; I was a we.
“I feel very fortunate I even got considered.”
As for his own telephone call, it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Since returning from Florida in late April, he discovered he had a torn
rotator cuff and tendon problems, which have stopped him from playing
competitive tennis, something he has enjoyed tremendously since his
retirement 21 years ago. He was also in hospital briefly with another
problem.
“I was playing tennis up until six weeks ago; I was devastated.
“Between those two (problems), the only thing good that’s happened since
we came back from Florida was this phone call. It took me from the
doldrums to a high.
“It changed my whole outlook.”
And it was a matter of timing.
Chiefs Confident Heading Into Playoffs
Road Win Over First-Round Foe Gives Team
Fifth Spot In Sr. "B" Loop
By Jon Kuiperij: Burlington Post
Wednesday July 16, 2003
BURLINGTON BAY -- The Burlington Senior "B" Chiefs appear to have hit
their stride at the opportune time.
The Chiefs, who open the Ontario Lacrosse Association playoffs this
weekend with a best-of-three series against the Ajax-Pickering Rock, won
three of their final five regular-season contests to finish fifth in the
OLA standings.
Better yet, their season-ending 10-9 victory Saturday night came against
their first-round opponent, and on the road.
VICTORY A CONFIDENCE-BOOSTER
"To us, it means we can play with them and win in a hostile barn,"
Burlington coach Glen Little said of last weekend's win. "The roles on
the team have been defined, we're getting healthy and the guys have
confidence in one another. We're getting together at the right time."
Dave Sharp scored a pair of goals, including the winner with 1:28
remaining in regulation, as the Chiefs rallied from a one-goal third
period deficit against the Rock's top goaltender. Mike Miron, who also
plays with the National Lacrosse League's Columbus Landsharks, replaced
Ajax-Pickering backup Jay Preece for the final frame.
Mike Shaw and Ryan Flippance also tallied twice, with Shaw adding two
helpers. Andrew Hartholt collected a goal and three assists while Mark
Cotton scored and set up two other markers. Craig Wilson and Mark
Rodgers rounded out the Burlington scoring.
The victory, coupled with Arthur's 10-7 loss to Ennismore, lifted the
Chiefs into fifth place with a 6-9-1 record and avoided an opening round
matchup with Brooklin. The Merchants (11-5) won both regular-season
games against the Chiefs.
"We were going in the right direction and wanted to finish strong,"
Little said. "The road still leads through Kitchener-Waterloo and Owen
Sound. Ajax-Pickering or Brooklin is still just a bump in the road, and
we've got a ton of hard work to do."
One major key for the Chiefs will be to shut down Ajax-Pickering's
dangerous forward tandem of Nick Trudeau and Brad Cann.
Trudeau led the OLA in scoring this season (67 points in 18 games) while
Cann finished seventh (52 points in 15 contests).
"We're going to have to front them a little bit more and stay right in
their face," said Little, adding he doesn't plan to assign shadows to
either player in the series. "We have to make sure after they've taken
their shot they're picking themselves off the ground. Our goaltenders
(Tom Stills and Trevor Brennan) have to step out and hope to God it hits
them."
Game 1 is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 18 in Ajax. The Chiefs
will host the second game, Sunday night at 8:30, at Central Arena. The
third and deciding game, if necessary, will likely be played early next
week on the Rock's home floor.
"I think with the emotions we (have) right now, the two-out-of-three is
great for us," Little said. "If you win the first game, you know you
play 24 hours later and you've got a chance to put the mail in. It
depends how mature your team is if you can bounce back after a loss, but
I'm confident for us either way it goes."
From Canadian Press
Tuesday July 15, 2003
TORONTO (CP) - Ken Croft of St. Catharines, brothers Jim and Bob Wasson
of Peterborough, Stan Cockerton of Oshawa and William Hutton of Ajax
have been named for induction into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame,
the Ontario Lacrosse Association announced Tuesday.
PRINCE OF WAILES
NLL Scouts Rave About Jr. "A" Sensation
By ROB ANDRUSEVICH: Toronto Sun
Saturday July 12, 2003
TORONTO -- Kyle Wailes is king of the seeing-eye pass and threading the
needle in junior A box lacrosse. The 19-year old Scarborough resident
won the scoring championship this season with 30 goals and 95 points in
18 regular season games.
His natural talents have earned the Toronto Beaches sniper a scholarship
to play field lacrosse for Brown University this fall.
Wailes and Ryan Benesch, a sniper with the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves,
are expected to be two of the biggest impact players in this year's
junior A playoff. Benesch was second in the scoring race, one point
behind Wailes. Both are highly touted by National Lacrosse League scouts
as great prospects and potential impact players.
Wailes led Toronto Beaches to a 9-7 win over Peterborough Monday in
their first playoff game.
"You score more through maturity. The older you get, the bigger, faster,
smarter you get," he said. "I think I peaked the past five games of the
(regular) season, averaging between five and 10 points a game."
"I think he's a good playmaker and no question a top pick," one NLL
scout said of the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Wailes.
"He's a great scorer and the best set-up man in the league by far,"
Beaches general manager Fraser McDonald said. "He sees the floor really
well and passes the ball on the money."
Wailes is trying to shoot the ball more, and there isn't a goalie in the
league that doesn't know he loves to hit the bottom left corner. If they
cheat to that spot, he'll just beat them somewhere else.
"I've always been known as a set-up man, but I'll take what's there," he
said. "I love the pretty passes and I was always taught by my coaches to
move the ball up. It's more of a reaction than a decision."
Pro lacrosse will have to wait. Wailes has signed on with the Brown
University Bears, where he will play field lacrosse and study pre-med.
He has hopes of becoming a neurosurgeon and plans to join the NLL once
his playing days at Brown are done (a maximum five years).
"I'd rather do my school now. I'm using lacrosse to get into the Ivy
League," Wailes said. "If I can play in the NLL when I'm there (in his
later years of medical school), then great. If not, oh well. The NLL is
definitely a good second job. Some of the better players make $30,000
U.S. a season."
Wailes once had two sporting loves in his life -- hockey and lacrosse.
He played two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with dreams of
turning pro, but had a falling out with a coach and left the game.
Lacrosse became his one and only sporting love. In 2000 he helped the
Clarington Green Gaels win the national Junior "B" championship, the
Founders Cup.
Dutchies Confident Against The Best
Play League's Top Team In Second Round Series
By Jonathon Jackson: Sun Times
Saturday July 12, 2003
OWEN SOUND -- Heart and talent carried the Owen Sound Van Dolder’s Home
Team Flying Dutchmen past the first round of this year’s Ontario
Lacrosse Association Junior "B" Council playoffs.
Now they’ll find out if they have enough of both to compete against the
best team in the league.
The Dutchmen meet the St. Catharines Spartan Warriors in a best-of-five
Western Conference semifinal series starting today at 7 p.m. in St.
Catharines. Game 2 is Monday at 8:30 p.m. at the Harry Lumley Bayshore
Community Centre.
Spartan finished atop the 25-team league this season with a 17-2-1
record and 35 points. Owen Sound had the 15th-best record at 7-12-1 and
15 points.
On paper this series looks like a mismatch but, having just knocked off
the heavily favoured Sarnia Cha-Co Pacers in the only upset of the first
round, the Dutchmen believe anything is possible.
“It was pretty emotional,” Owen Sound general manager Brad Bowers said
of the win over Sarnia. “Hopefully they still have something left for
the next round.
“We’re fairly confident but it’s obviously going to be a lot tougher.
(The Warriors) were the top team . . . but we think we’re right there,
actually. We’re playing pretty good lacrosse with a lot of heart.”
The two teams only met once during the regular season and played to a
3-3 tie after two periods. The Warriors outscored the Dutchies 7-1 in
the final period to win 10-4.
Despite that, Spartan GM Chris Spiers isn’t taking anything for granted.
“We’ve got the experience from last year, going to the Founders Cup
final,” he said. “We learned quickly last year that you don’t take
anybody lightly.
“We’re expecting a pretty hard series. They have a team that plays
excellent defence and they wait for their chances. It’s a tough place to
play, in Owen Sound. Obviously they’re playing a lot better than when we
played them last, and they played good then.”
Spartan has been off for two weeks between series, having disposed of
Windsor in the minimum three games. The Warriors outscored the Fratmen
53-18 but will they have noticeable rust come Saturday?
“There’s always that chance,” said Spiers, who’ll be counting on league
scoring champion Andrew Burkholder (61 goals and 109 points in 20 games)
to lead his offence.
“Hopefully we can get the rust out really quick and be able to play a
strong game.”
The Warriors also have eight others who scored at least 10 goals this
season, five of whom also wound up with at least 40 points. Goaltending
is also solid with Mike Attwood, who collected 20 assists in 20 games,
and Ryan Monaghan, who recently returned from Junior A in Orillia.
Bowers expects to bolster his lineup with the expected return of three
players. Brady McDonald has missed six games with a sore shoulder. Ben
Kuglin will return from a suspension in Game 2 at the latest. Corey
McCrae has been out four weeks with mono but is expected back in time
for Game 3.
The GM said the team likely would not have gotten this far without key
contributions from four affiliated players, midgets Mat MacLeod and Mike
Quaid and intermediates Cory McGregor and Adam Prettie.
“Without those boys, we would have really been shorthanded,” Bowers
said, noting the team also benefited by changing the roles of Adam
Jackson and Brad Slater and making a bigger commitment to defence.
“He’s probably our best loose ball getter and he runs the ball up the
floor really good,” Bowers said of Jackson. “We put (Slater) on a more
defensive role and he’s done a tremendous job in the playoffs for us.”
Game 3 is set for next Thursday at 8:30 p.m. in St.Catharines. If
necessary, Game 4 is tentatively scheduled for next Saturday night in
Meaford and Game 5 is next Sunday at 7 p.m. at St. Catharines.
St.Catharines Has Minto On It's Mind
By BRIAN SHANAHAN: Toronto Sun
Saturday July 12, 2003
PORT DALHOUSIE -- The Ontario Junior "A" regular season has just
wrapped up and the quest for the Minto Cup now gets serious for junior
A teams from Ontario, Alberta and B.C. Although eight teams make the
junior A playoffs in Ontario, the reality is that there are only two or
three that have a decent chance to win it all. For the past three
seasons, the class of the league has been the St.Catharines Athletics.
They finished this season in first place with a record of 17-2-1, but
the Orangeville Northmen were right on their heels at 16-3-1 after
defeating St.Catharines in the final game of the regular season.
Lord Minto, the Governor General of Canada, donated the Minto Cup to
the sport of lacrosse in 1910, first awarded to the Ottawa Capitals
that year as they beat a team from Cornwall. It was not until 1937 that
it was awarded to the top junior lacrosse team of Canada -- the Orillia
Terriers won it that year -- and ever since it has represented junior
lacrosse supremacy in Canada.
A quick read of past Minto Cup champions gives a picture of many
dynasties.
And even though it would often look like a team's reign would never end,
there was always someone who would eventually take over. It often takes
years of building to get a chance to knock off the latest lacrosse
power. From 1937 onward the trophy has been awarded to Peterborough a
record 11 times. In fact, in the 17 years from 1972-89 Peterborough won
it nine times.
They have not won it since. The Oshawa Green Gaels won it seven years in
a row from 1963-69. That team was coached by the late Jim Bishop and
included the likes of Gaylord Powless and Jim Higgs.
Burnaby, B.C. has won the Minto Cup six times. Guided by coach Paul Dal
Monte, who is also head coach of the NLL Vancouver Ravens, Burnaby has
made it to the Minto cup final in each of the past seven years, winning
it three times.
Building a Minto Cup champion contender requires more effort than simply
building a strong junior program. The key to the Minto Cup is building a
strong minor program. Since 1990, the only Ontario teams to win the
Minto Cup have been Six Nations, Whitby, St.Catharines, and Orangeville.
It is no coincidence that these organizations have also had success in
minor lacrosse. Graduating midget players from associations with junior
A clubs can step right into the junior program without going though the
junior draft -- so it naturally follows that a champion midget team will
eventually benefit the junior program.
This year the Minto Cup format has changed. Traditionally, the Ontario
champion has played the B.C. finalist in a best-of-seven series. The
venue would alternate from east to west each year with the local
champion hosting all games. To accommodate the emerging lacrosse
programs in Alberta, this year the Minto Cup will look a little more
like hockey's Memorial Cup.
The Minto Cup championship will include finalists from B.C, Alberta and
two from Ontario, the host province this year.The format will be
round-robin with the Ontario teams playing their games at their local
rink. The Ontario champion will get the home date when the two
provincial teams meet in the round robin.
The first-place team will get a bye to the finals. Second- and
third-place teams will play a one-game semi-final for a shot at a final
berth.
The round-robin game between Alberta and B.C. plus all medal round games
will be played at the Waterloo Recreational Centre. Tickets range from
$6-$12 and are available through Ticketmaster.
---
There are still a couple of spots available at the Brian Shanahan
Lacrosse School this week. See www.shannylacrosse.com for more
information.
Warriors Look To Learn From Past
By Brian Mcnair: durham.com
Friday July 11, 2003
WHITBY -- This is a case of déjà vu the Whitby Warriors can live
without. But, with the Warriors jumping out to a 2-0 lead in their
best-of-seven Ontario Lacrosse Association Junior A quarterfinal after
a 9-7 win over the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves Tuesday, head coach Jeff
McComb says his club will think back to last season only in a
constructive way.
The Warriors, you may recall, had series leads of 2-0 and 3-1 against
the Orangeville Northmen only to bow out in seven games in the first
round of playoffs a year ago.
"To look back on last season in one sense is helpful to remind them what
can happen, but on the other hand doesn't mean a whole lot with the new
look of the team," says McComb, pointing out there are 12 new players on
the Warriors this season.
More relevant to the current campaign, McComb says, is his team seems to
have learned lessons from a regular season that lacked consistency and
resulted in a so-so 10-9-1 record. The Warriors stole home floor
advantage from the Braves (11-9) with an 8-7 win in Sunday's opener.
"I'm very pleased that we're putting in 60 minutes of work," says
McComb. "We've been on them all year about their consistency."
That said, the Warriors have had slow starts in both games, falling
behind 3-1 Sunday and 3-0 before Tuesday's game at the Iroquois Park
Sport Centre was eight minutes old. Whitby narrowed Tuesday's gap to 3-2
before the end of the first period and took a 6-5 lead into the third,
where goals from Stephen Hoar, Mark Craig and Zack Greer salted away the
win. Greer led the attack with three goals and three assists while Craig
fired a pair of goals and Matt Taylor chipped in with a goal and three
helpers. Casey Logeman and Josh Colley also scored.
Rick Passfield, who relieved Mike McKay and earned the win in goal in
the opener, went the distance in Game 2.
The Warriors have done an excellent job containing the Braves' Ryan
Benesch, who finished second in league scoring but has managed just one
goal in the series. Jeff Brownlee and Sean Pollock both scored hat
tricks for the visitors Tuesday.
Game 3 is set for tonight in Kitchener at 8 p.m. and Game 4 will go
Sunday in Whitby at 7 p.m. If necessary, Game 5 is in Kitchener next
Tuesday (8 p.m.), Game 6 in Whitby next Friday (8 p.m.) and Game 7 in
Kitchener Sunday, July 20 (7 p.m.).
Barring any upsets in the other quarterfinals, the winner would face
first-place St. Catharines (17-2-1) in the semifinals.
New Faces, Familiar Results
Revamped Redmen Keep On Winning
By Brian Mcnair: durham.com
Friday July 11, 2003
WHITBY -- Troy Cordingley must have thought he had died and gone to
lacrosse heaven when he took over the reins of the Brooklin Redmen last
year.
In his rookie season coaching in the Ontario Lacrosse Association Major
Series, Cordingley was blessed with a wealth of talent and could barely
go wrong no matter whom he tapped on the shoulder to hop over the
boards.
But a funny thing happened en route to the Redmen capturing their eighth
Mann Cup: they never jelled as a team and lost out to Brampton in five
games of the Ontario final.
Fast forward a year and Cordingley finds himself with nowhere near the
same number of stars, but rather a young, hard-working club that seems
bent on overachieving rather than underachieving.
After losing the first two games of the season, the Redmen have since
gone 6-2 to prove, as has become tradition, they are a force to be
reckoned with in the league. Moreover, they have been competitive in
every game and have yet to lose at home. So, is Cordingley surprised by
the success?
"Yes and no," he says. "I knew that these guys were good players. We
have a system we play and it was a matter of them buying into the
system. That's what I'm surprised at is that every single one of them is
buying into it this early."
"This year I'm doing a lot more coaching, last year was more directing,"
adds Cordingley.
Among those who have departed are captain and perennial leading scorer
Shawn Williams, goalie Rob Blasdell and other big-name players like
Kasey Beirnes, Nick Trudeau, Brad MacArthur, Cory Bomberry, Gary Rosyski
and Dan Ladouceur.
Although the Redmen have managed to lure veterans Steve Toll, Cam Woods
and Darryl Gibson back to the fold, it's players like Gavin Prout,
goalie Gee Nash, new captain Derek Suddons, Jason Crosbie, Jonas Derks
and Scott Stapleford who have been responsible for the success to date,
those who have stepped into new or improved roles and thrived.
But more than that, it's the dedication of everyone on the team, players
like Brent Lazary, Jason Huber and Scott Campbell who are giving
everything they've got for the team.
"Hard work takes you a long way and these guys and are working hard,"
says Cordingley. "That's all you can ask for."
Suddons, at 25, is young for a captain, but has experience in the role
from his days with the Whitby Warriors. He is one of many Whitby minor
lacrosse products, a factor he believes to be important.
"We've got a lot of guys who are tight-knit, who grew up in the minors
together," he says. "It's kind of nice to have that kind of loyalty on
the team, that type of camaraderie with the guys standing shoulder to
shoulder."
Stapleford, 22, is a more recent graduate of the Warriors, but took a
roundabout route to get to the Redmen. Born in Detroit and raised in
Windsor, Stapleford played just one year of junior in Whitby and was
drafted into the Major Series by the Brampton Excelsiors.
When it became clear the Excelsiors had no room for him, Redmen general
manager Barry Johnson traded for Stapleford, who has fit in nicely and
become a key contributor as a rookie in the league.
"I think a team like this is the best team to play for," says
Stapleford. "People really underestimated us coming into the season.
They said we were young, they said we were inexperienced, but the best
thing about a team like this... is that we're all working together as a
team."
Crosbie, one of the few remaining veterans on the team, says he decided
to return because he simply can't get enough of the sport. Also a coach
with the Brooklin Merchants Senior B team, Crosbie enjoys passing his
love of the game onto others.
"When the (John) Fuscos, (Eric) Perronis and (Glenn) Clarks were here,
they taught you how to play the game and play it right," Crosbie
recalls. "You just extend that to them (the young players on the current
Redmen team).
"One day I'll slow down, my body will tell me to slow down, but until
that day comes, I love to play the game," Crosbie continues. "It's good
to see these guys happy and smiling and that's why you play for a team."
Although Crosbie wouldn't go so far as to predict another Mann Cup
victory for the Redmen this summer, it's still very much in the minds of
all those involved - especially the new captain.
"My expectations are to be here to get a Mann Cup, nothing less," says
Suddons. "I'm not here to waste a summer. I'm here to play to win... If
you come up short that's fine. As long as you die trying, that's all you
can ask for."
Junior Excels Looking For Help
Coach Upset By Lasklustre Effort
By ROBIN INSCOE: Brampton Guardian
Friday July 11, 2003
BRAMPTON -- HELP WANTED: Junior A calibre lacrosse players. Must be
willing to pay the price to achieve success. Must be able to work in a
team friendly environment, and must be prepared to follow instructions
and work shifts.
That might very well be the job notice that Brampton Junior A Excelsiors
coach Jeremy Tallevi posted on the door to his team's dressing room as
they headed into game three of their Ontario Lacrosse Association Junior
A playoff match with Orangeville tonight.
And there may have been some new names answering the ad.
Tallevi wasn't pleased with his team's effort in a 17-8 thrashing his
Excels took at the hands of the Northmen in game two of the
best-of-seven series at Memorial Arena on Tuesday and was vowing to make
some changes.
And those changes may come in the form of players from the affiliate
Halton Hills Junior B Bulldogs, who were eliminated from the post-season
on Saturday.
"We got off to a terrible start," admitted Tallevi, as he watched his
squad fall behind 5-1 in the first period. They trailed 12-5 after 40
minutes before limping home. "We didn't have the effort, or the will to
come back."
Tallevi felt that some of his players were not ready to play.
"I don't think some of the guys were mentally focused," added the coach.
"They need to wake up to playoff lacrosse."
Starting goaltender Ryan Blair lasted just nine minutes before giving
way to Adam Rivers. Blair didn't find much more success before giving
the job back to Blair with 10 minutes remaining in the game.
Andy Secore did much of the offensive damage for the Excelsiors, scoring
three times. Todd Bloxam added two, both when the game was well out of
reach, and Scott Carnegie, Jeff Soulliere and Francis Dostie chipped in
with singles. Ryan Campbell drew assists on five of Brampton's eight
goals. Goaltender Blair, Sean Orr, Pillon, and Dostie each earned two
helpers while Secore, Luke Forget, and Scott Carnegie picked up one
assist each.
We weren't prepared to pay the price," claimed Tallevi. "We wanted to
play from the perimeter, except for a hand full of guys. The guys need
to be hungry."
With that in mind, Tallevi, admits that as many as four members of the
Bulldogs, Richard Haan, Mike Dube, Tyler Phillips and Jordan Armstrong,
could all be seeing some floor time before the series concludes. Draft
choice Jamie Pillon, who played junior B in Windsor this season, saw
action in game two.
If Tallevi can't find the right combination, the Excelsiors' season
could end at home in game four on Sunday. Game time at Memorial Arena is
slated for 7 p.m.
Game five, if necessary, will be back in Orangeville on Tuesday at the
Tony Rose Arena at 8 p.m. Game will will be at Memorial on Wednesday at
8 p.m. with a seventh, and deciding game, in Orangeville next Friday at
8 p.m.