It’s been a good couple of weeks for the St. Catharines Junior Athletics Lacrosse organization.
Not only did the St. Catharines Jr. A Athletics finish first overall in the 12-team loop with a (15-3) record, but the St. Catharines Jr. B Athletics shocked the lacrosse world eliminating the Six Nations Rebels – who finished the regular season at (19-1) – in four games, including three straight victories, in conference semi-final action.
The Jr. A’s opened their best of seven opening round playoff series at home Sunday night in a 6-5 loss to the eighth ranked Burlington Blaze.
Game 2 goes Tuesday night in Burlington.
The Athletics gave up a league low 140 goals during the regular season, led by goaltender Ty Wilson and his .851 save-percentage, while Jameson Bucktooth topped all scorers with 56 tallies on the campaign. His 94 points were second in the league only to Justin Tavares. Yes, the son of what many call the Wayne Gretzky of lacrosse, John Tavares, and his 106 points.
Here’s a look at the rest of St. Catharines/Burlington best of seven series:
Game 2 Tuesday July 14th at Burlington 8 pm
Game 3 Wednesday July 15th at St. Catharines – Canada Games Park 8 pm
Game 4 Friday July 17th at Burlington 8 pm
Game 5 Sunday July 19th at St. Catharines – Canada Games Park 7 pm (if necessary)
Game 6 Monday July 20th at Burlington 8 pm (if necessary)
Game 7 Tuesday July 21st at St. Catharines – Canada Games Park 8 pm (if necessary)
Meanwhile, the fourth ranked (to start the playoffs) Jr. B Athletics downed the Cambridge Highlanders in four games to begin their postseason run.
Then after dropping Game one 14-8 to Six Nations, the Athletics reeled off three straight victories against the top-seeded Rebels.
Lucas Williams, who had 100 regular season points, leads the junior B’s with 39 in the playoffs. Jack Parker has 32 and Dawson Battersby 30. All three players proudly call Niagara home.
Late season acquisition Craig Johansson has stood tall carrying the load in goal for the junior B’s who will now play the Guelph Regals in the West Division finals beginning Thursday in Guelph at 8 pm
The rest of the best of five series plays out like this:
Game 2 Saturday July 18th at St. Catharines – Canada Games Park 7 pm
Game 3 Tuesday July 21st at Guelph 8 pm
Game 4 Saturday July 25th at St. Catharines – Canada Games Park 7 pm (if necessary)
Game 5 Monday July 27th at Guelph 8 pm (if necessary)
The East Division final features the Akwesasne Thunder against the Kahnawake Hunters.
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
