Junior B Lacrosse
Spartans batter Bengals
By Rod Mawhood, Special to The Standard
ST. CATHARINES - If there's been anything consistent about the St. Catharines Spartan over the past decade, it’s been their play at Merritton Centennial Arena.
The Spartans are notoriously a tough team to play against on their home floor. However, the 2013 junior B lacrosse season has been a different story.
Despite Friday’s 18-6 blowout victory over an undermanned Hamilton Bengals squad, the Spartans could end the regular season with a better road record, and an under .500 mark at home.
Sitting at 8-6 on the season, the Spartans are 4-5 at home and 4-1 on the road with five of their final six games away from the, what used to be, friendly confines of Merritton Arena.
“Teams usually have a hard time playing here, especially with the (low) roof. For some reason we can’t get it going at home,” Spartan captain Kyle Potter, who lit up Hamilton to the tune of 10 points on five goals and five assists, said.
“Right now on the road we’re always together and seem to gel better. Our offence has to really get going, to say the least. We have to start producing, it’s as simple as that. We have to start moving, and actually do something. Play as a team, and shoot more — and that includes me.”
Spartan assistant coach Tim Sams agrees with Potter, saying consistency on offence is the key.
“We really just have to keep moving on offence,” Sams said. “We need to be consistent and keep fighting through those battles. Tonight the offence really stepped up including Potter, who led by example as a captain.”
The Spartans took a 3-0 lead on their first four shots of the game and never looked back. It was 4-2 after one period of play and 13-5 heading into the third.
Potter wasn’t the only impressive Spartan on the offensive end of the floor as rookie Jeff Wittig, Ty Carvalho and Matt Moore all recorded hat-tricks.
Craig Seneca was his usual consistent self in goal for St. Catharines making 32 saves.
The Spartans visit Welland on Sunday to begin a four-game road trip. Their next home game is Sunday June 30, against first-place Six Nations.
“We pretty much have to win all of our remaining six games, or at least five of them to put us in the best position possible going into the playoffs,” added Potter.
Notes: The Spartans added long-time volunteer Barb Bidal to their Wall of Fame before the game.... Craig Attwood, Ryan Kazlauskas, Luke Grahnert and Corey Antongiovanni were scratched for St. Catharines.... The Spartans brass has hinted that the line-up could be tinkered with before the trade deadline at the end of the month.
