Lacrosse
Thunderhawks ready for defensive series
The Niagara Thunderhawks,shown in this file shot, play the Orangeville Northmen in the second round of the OLA junior B playoffs.
The Thunderhawks moved on to face the Orangeville Northmen with a 10-6 road victory over the St. Catharines Spartans Friday night. Orangeville finished first in the Mid West Division with a 16-3-1 record and swept the Guelph Regals 3-0 in the first round of the playoffs. In their lone meeting during the regular season, Niagara beat Orangeville 6-3 on May 30.
“The series is going to be almost 100% defensive,” Thunderhawks president/general manager Al Janzen said. “Our first game was 6-3 and one goal was an empty netter.
“You are talking great goaltending and great defence and I think their goals against was even better than ours.”
Janzen believes the key to beating the Northmen will be special teams play.
“Our power play has to click and we have to even better than we did against the Spartans,” Janzen said. “I think we were 2-7 on Friday night and we have to click a little strong than that against them.”
Niagara, which blew the game open by out-scoring St. Catharines 7-1 in the second period, received goals from Brennan Ferguson (2), Cory Becker (2), Saul Vanderzalm, Wade Kenny, Zach Luis, Rayn Wagner, Luc Chatelaine and Gates Abrams. Replying for St. Catharines were Evan Scott (2), Brett Pace, Kyle Adams, Jason Sawicki and Jacob Schenck.
The Spartans didn’t surprise Janzen by giving the Thunderhawks all they could handle.
“I knew they were going to play us tough right from Day 1,” Janzen said. “I’ve been involved in lacrosse for some 30 years now and every time we play St. Catharines whether it was the minor or junior level, it’s always a great game.”
Spartans coach Rob McKibbon was disappointed with the loss, but proud of his team.
“They put their hearts out there and they never quit,” he said.
The Spartans made dramatic improvements during the season and should be even better next year.
“For Keith (McLeod) and myself, it was our first time with this group of boys and it was a totally new experience,” McKibbon said. “Next year, we will have a better start, for sure.”
McKibbon expects to lose at least five players off the roster, but expects to find replacement from the graduates of a strong midget team in the city.
