By Bernie Puchalski, St. Catharines Standard
The St. Catharines Spartans opened their junior B lacrosse season Sunday night with a 9-4 win over the visiting Hamilton Bengals
ST. CATHARINES - With upwards of 10 rookies on the roster, the St. Catharines Spartans’ slow start in their junior B lacrosse home opener Sunday should have been expected.
The Spartans fell behind 4-1 after one period to the visiting Hamilton Bengals at the Merritton Arena before rallying for a 9-4 triumph.
“We have so many young kids playing their first game of junior, so it was all about getting the butterflies out, getting to know the game at a little bit higher speed with bigger boys and playing against more experienced kids,” Spartans player Sebastien Beaudoin said.
“We got the first period out of the way, and we just started clicking and it worked. I am looking forward to the next couple games.”
Spartans coach Matt Attwood agreed with Beaudoin’s assessment about the slow start for the team’s rookies.
“It’s a little faster, a little stronger and a little rougher,” he said.
Thankfully, Beaudoin and other veterans on the team were able to settle things down.
“The veteran presence is huge,” Attwood said. “In the locker room right after the first period, all you could hear were the veterans talking.
“They knew what it meant to be a leader and calm them down.”
In addition to leadership, Beaudoin, a 19-year-old Welland native, pitched in with a team-high five points, including a goal. The 5-foot-11, 220-pounder also won all but two draws over the entire evening.
“That’s one thing I’m called on to do, and I do it with pride,” he said. “I feel I do a pretty good job and ball possession is key.
“If they don’t have the ball, they can’t score.”
Attwood didn’t really want to talk too much about Beaudoin’s faceoff prowess.
“I don’t want him just be known as a faceoff guy,” he said. “Winning faceoffs is a huge bonus for us, but he can play.”
The Niagara College student joined the Spartans halfway through last season from the St. Catharines junior A Athletics and has been a most welcome addition.
“I have a little bit more of a role now, especially being a little older,” Beaudoin said. “There’s a couple of us that they look up to.”
He’s also expected to provide offence.
“Everybody who goes out is expected to do their job and do it hard so I’m just another person going out and doing my job,” he said.
bernie.puchalski@sunmedia.ca
