Year wraps up in junior B lacrosse
‘‘ “It was definitely a disappointing season, but we could have easily been eight and 12.” BOB WRIGHT Welland Generals general manager
Two of the three local junior B lacrosse teams returned to the playoffs in 2018, while the third continued to struggle.
That was the story for the Niagara Thunderhawks, St. Catharines Spartans and Welland Generals this past season.
Niagara showed the biggest improvement. After an 8-12 record in 2017, the Thunderhawks improved to 10-10 this year which seeded them seventh in the Ontario Lacrosse Association Western Conference junior B standings, but they bowed out in three straight games to the secondranked Elora Mohawks in the opening round of the playoffs.
“Our first goal was to get back in the playoffs, which we did,” said Niagara general manager Dave Mines. “It didn’t help that we ended up with a few too many injuries throughout the season, but we look forward to getting everyone healthy and anticipate a solid year next season with an older group of players.”
Zach Luis, who returned to Niagara this season after playing junior A with the St. Catharines Athletics the year before, led the Thunderhawks with 28 goals and 57 points during the regular season, and added five goals and two helpers in three playoff games.
St. Catharines, 7-12-1, had one more win this season, good for the eighth seed in the west, but was also swept in the first round by the top-ranked Six Nations Rebels.
“I believe what we set out to do was make the playoffs, and we did,” head coach John Gatt said. “As well, I wanted to be competitive and wanted the players to enjoy coming to practice, and I believe that happened.
“It was a rough start at the beginning of the season but the boys stayed the course, and we took one game at a time and they started to believe.
“Next year looks very promising with a lot of young talent from this season, and with the year of experience they now have, they will know what to expect.”
Nova Scotia native and Brock Badger field lacrosse player Connor Aquanno led the Spartans with 57 points during the regular season, while Welland native and former Welland General Sam LeClair paced St. Catharines with four goals and five assists during the Spartans ’three-game playoff run.
Welland actually digressed in 2018. After a three-win 2017 season, the Generals fell to 1-19 this year.
“It was definitely a disappointing season, but we could have easily been eight and 12,” said general manager Bob Wright.
“We also got hit hard with injuries, losing Tanner Main and Ayden Dawn — two key faceoff guys — midway through the season really hurt us.
“We had a total of 55 games lost due to injuries. Only three players played all 20 games.
“Looking ahead to next year, losing an 85-point guy in Talon Badawey and a solid D guy like Jesse Schoeman are hard to replace, so we’ll be looking for some of our senior players to step up.”
Port Colborne’s Badawey was one of the lone bright spots for the Generals all season long scoring 43 goals and adding 42 assists for 85 points, good for a tie for 14th place in league scoring.
The Generals-Warlords have not had a winning season since 2010 and some in local, and provincial, lacrosse circles have suggested it might be more beneficial for the Welland franchise to move to junior C.
Wright had an emphatic “no” when asked about dropping down.
“I can tell you that isn’t, nor will it ever be, our intention as long as I’m involved,” Wright said. “Although our record didn’t show it this year, I thought our coaching staff did a very good job.
“It certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort — they never quit.”