Let's Play One More

With game six tied at 7 and one period to play, the anticipation at the Memorial Centre in Peterborough must have been immense last night as the crowd, excited by a big second period by Peterborough, must have sensed victory for the home team. To their dismay their team did not deliver in the third period as Anthony Cosmo shut the door and the Brampton Excelsiors took the game 11-7 to tie the MSL final series at three games.

Colin Doyle and Brodie Merrill returned to the Brampton lineup and John Grant Jr returned for Peterborough after helping the Rochester Rattlers win the MLL championship. John Grant Jr had an impact on the score sheet as he scored twice and added two assists. The two Brampton boys got in on the scoring as well with one goal and two assists for Colin Doyle and two assists for Brodie Merrill. Lakers defense had a tough time containing Blaine Manning again as he netted a hat trick to lead all scorers in goals (Manning scored six times in game 5) but the biggest surprise of the game was Phil Sanderson’s game winning goal in the third period (it was only his second goal of the season in 23 games played).

Game seven goes Thursday night in Brampton and it should be another great game. I am really impartial as to the winner as the travel distance is about the same both ways. Colin Doyle is a treat to watch though, especially when he puts the team on his back for a late push (similar to what he did against the Redmen in game three of that series), so I’m leaning towards Brampton. But then again, the Lakers offense can score some pretty goals and make some jaw-dropping plays…

Lacrosse Championships and Finals

This past weekend saw a couple national champions crowned along with the MLL champions. Saturday evening the Owen Sound Woodsmen defeated the host Outlaws 11-5 in Sherwood Park to claim their first President’s Cup. They went through the tournament undefeated and clearly dominated the opposing teams. The Woodies opened the tournament with an 8-5 victory over the Airdrie Knights and went on to defeat the Outlaws 11-5 and the Tri-City Bandits 8-4 in the round robin before crushing the Bandits 11-2 in their semi-final game. The Bandits ended up losing in the Bronze game to the Quebec league representative Kahnawake Mohawks.

A few thousand miles away in Guelph, Ontario, the Canadian Junior B championship was being fought for in the 2008 Founders Cup. In the end the host Guelph Regals lost to the defending champion Six Nations Rebels by the score of 8-7. Both teams in the final game finished the round robin with a perfect 5-0 record. Six Nations defeated the Port Coquitlam Saints of the BCLA 10-3 in their semi-final game to advance while the Regals defeated the Iroquois Nation of the ILA 8-1 to earn a spot in the finals. Iroquois defeated the Saints in the third place game.

The Major League Lacrosse season also came to a close Sunday with the crowning of the 2008 champions. The action started Saturday with the semi-final games and concluded Sunday with the championship game from Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, MA (home of the Boston Cannons). The Rochester Rattlers defeated the Philadelphia Barrage 16-15 in overtime before claiming the championship by beating the Denver Outlaws 16-6. The Outlaws earned a spot in the finals by downing the Los Angeles Riptide 13-12 in their semi-final.

That leaves two other national championships to be decided, the Minto Cup and the Mann Cup. The 2008 Minto Cup (junior A national title) is currently being played for in Calgary with the OLA Orangeville Northmen leading all others at 2-0. The Victoria Shamrocks and Calgary Jr. Mountaineers are at 1-1 and the Edmonton Miners are 0-2. The final will be played on Saturday August 30 at 7:30 PM. The 2008 Mann Cup (senior A title) will be hosted by the winner of the MSL final that has yet to be decided. Game six goes tonight in Peterborough with the Lakers up three games to two against the Brampton Excelsiors. The Western Lacrosse Association champion was decided last night as the New Westminster Salmonbellies took game four of their best of seven series 11-8 against the Coquitlam Adanacs. The ‘bellies finished the regular season as the top team in the nation with a 17-1 record and went through the WLA playoffs undefeated.

MSL Final Series is Set

The Major Series Lacrosse season is down to two teams, the top seeded Brampton Excelsiors and the number two Peterborough Lakers. Brampton earned their spot in the finals by sweeping the Brooklin Redmen in four games in their semi-final series while Peterborough needed five games to put away the St Regis Indians in their semi-finals. Game one will go in Brampton likely on Thursday evening. The schedule is not finalized as of yet so check the MSL website later. The winner of this series will play host to the WLA champion in the Mann Cup in early September.

While the Lakers advanced to the finals in the MSL, the New Westminster Salmonbellies earned the first berth in the WLA finals. They defeated the Victoria Shamrocks four games to none. New West were the top team in the country in the regular season as they posted an almost perfect 17-1 record. In the other semi-final series, the Coquitlam Adanacs hold a two games to one lead against the Burnaby Lakers. Game four goes tonight in Burnaby.

Redmen Season Ends With Sweep

The MSL coaches of the year, Peter Vipond and Wayne Colley, led their rookie laden Brooklin Redmen team into the Iroquois Park Sports Complex Friday night looking for their first win in their semi-final series against the stacked Brampton Excelsiors squad. That was game four, potentially the last game of the season for the Redmen.

After an exciting game three where Brooklin took the action to the Excelsiors, anticipation was high for another close game. Unfortunately, for the Redmen faithful that was not to be. The devastating loss with two seconds to go in game three was too much for the rookie laden Redmen team to overcome. They came out flat for game four and fell behind early. Trailing 5-2 going into the second period the Redmen fought hard but Brampton had all the answers and kept the desperate Redmen to only three more goals in the last two periods.

The Redmen showed sparks of brilliance during the game but their overall play showed the affects of a tough loss two nights before was still in their system. The Excelsiors were also pressing as if trying to make sure there is no repeat of the previous game. Expectations could not have been high for Brooklin going into the series given the makeup of the two teams but the players showed the character of the Redmen organization. After a crushing 13-1 defeat in game one, the Redmen team didn’t lie down and give the series to Brampton. They fought hard and made the top team earn every victory.

Their return to the playoffs after a disappointing season one year ago gave their fans hope for the future. With the 2008 co-rookie of the year, Derek Hopcroft, leading the charge, this team may not be too far from greatness in the coming years. Thanks for a great season Redmen!

Owen Sound Earns Ontario Title

In what was easily the most competitive and intense game of the series, the visiting Owen Sound Woodsmen defeated the Brooklin Merchants 10-7 in game three to earn the Ontario Senior B lacrosse title.

The Woodsmen came out strong to start the game, going ahead 3-0 just over ten minutes in. Brooklin's goal at 13:30 on a delayed penalty seemed to wake the team up as they picked up their play and just missed on several great chances. By the end of the first, the Merchants were down by only two goals at 4-2. The second period was a great action packed period of lacrosse that saw some back and forth play. Brooklin came out of the gates firing as they scored just four seconds into the period and looked to be hungry for the win. Owen Sound was not to be outdone as they scored three straight in about seven minutes to take a four goal lead at 8-4. Brooklin got back to within two goals by the end of the second and closed the gap to 8-7 with just over five minutes to play in the third before Owen Sound put the game away with their ninth goal. An empty netter with under two minutes left finished the scoring.

The Woodies will travel to Sherwood Park, Alberta later this month to compete with the host Outlaws, the Airdrie Knights, the winner of the BC senior B league, the winner of the Quebec senior B league, the winner of the CanAm league and the winner of the ILA league for the 2008 President's Cup. Good Luck Woodsmen. Bring the cup back to Ontario!

(Coincidentally I took the week of the President's Cup off work. Anyone want to spot me a couple plane tickets to Edmonton complete with car rental and hotel accommodations??? Anyone???)

The Finals Begin

The air outside is hot and humid with the sun’s rays successfully penetrating through the haze to ensure the temperature remains hot on this first day of August. As the daylight begins its transition into darkness, the children and adults of this small Ontario town assemble in the small arena in the figurative, if not literal, heart of Brooklin. These citizens are not hunkering down together to escape from the downpour sure to be unleashed by the army of dark clouds silently marching towards them. Not on this night. Tonight this town gathers to watch the greatest game on two feet and cheer on their hometown Merchants in their quest for Ontario Senior B supremacy.

After an exciting overtime win two nights ago against a feisty club from Norwood just to advance to the final series, the Merchants will be looking to put the game away early. Their task will not be an easy one as they face the bronze medal winner and host from last years President’s Cup, the Owen Sound Woodsmen. Led by Wayne Burke, Chris Driscoll and Brady Campbell, the Woddies are a powerful offensive threat. Add a solid netminder between the pipes in Steve Dietrich and the visiting team looks almost unbeatable.

The Merchants did not lead their division by a lucky break, they earned it. Tonight they will show their determination, toughness and team strength that earned them the top spot. The team assistant captains, Barrett Church and Scott Gillingham, lead the balanced attack in these playoffs. Their defense has not backed down all season and will make it tough for the Woddies offense to get the good inside looks. They will force the low percentage shots from the perimeter that will be easily stopped by whichever goalie Brooklin uses tonight.

The stage is finally set. The time is now…or at least a few short hours from now (okay several long hours from now). The Owen Sound Woodsmen against the Brooklin Merchants for the OLA Senior B title. Go Merchants!

Lacrosse and Me

As a child one is exposed to several sports; some are played for a month or maybe a summer or two or perhaps even for several years before being relegated to the annals of yesterday while others are enjoyed year after year until it seeps into the blood and becomes part of one’s soul. For me, the sports of yesteryear included soccer (although I was reacquainted with the sport in high school on those dreary days perfect for the sport), tennis, handball, squash and road hockey to name those that have not escaped my memory. Baseball and hockey were the sports that filled my days right through childhood and into my university years to become part of my being. Although I still enjoy those sports, they have been replaced in my heart by another.

During my first year of high school, in a mandatory physical education class, I was first introduced to a sport that, unknown to me at the time, would grow in my heart and soul to eventually replace the love of both sports I grew up enjoying. This sport is Canada’s official summer sport of lacrosse. It was on a list of required items, along with square dancing, that had to be covered in a minimum number of classes in that mandatory class. As with all public institutions, the minimum was met and that was that; the sticks were hung back on the rusty nails to await the next group of freshmen.

Around that time the Buffalo Bandits were selling out the “Aud” and winning MILL championships and I was able to see some action on a local Buffalo station. After a few games over a couple of years, the television coverage stopped and I forgot about the Bandits and the league (I didn’t even know it was a professional league at the time). Fast forward to a Sunday afternoon in 1999 when I stumbled on a televised Toronto Rock game followed by an encounter with a relative of the speedy Steve Toll a year or so later, and my love for the sport of lacrosse really began to grow. The tiny seed that was sitting dormant in my heart since the early days of the Bandits had finally received the attention it needed.

Now, about ten years after that first Rock game, I cannot get enough of the sport: lacrosse has relegated baseball and hockey to a small corner of my heart and threatens to eliminate them entirely. Could my late introduction to the sport be the cause of this devotion? Who knows or cares. I’m hooked now and can’t get enough.