A’s open playoffs against reigning champs
St. Catharines has home-floor advantage in best-of-five series with Six Nations
The St. Catharines Athletics got the playoff matchup they wanted.
Now it’s up to them to prove their worth against the defending Minto Cup Canadian junior A lacrosse champion Six Nations Arrows.
The Arrows defeated the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves 13-10 Sunday night locking up the sixth seed in the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League standings and setting up a first-round, best-offive playoff series against St. Catharines.
Game 1 goes Wednesday night at Jack Gatecliff Arena.
“We’re going to have to rely on our skill and overcome their experience,” said head coach Steve Toll, who lost to the Arrows in three straight games in the 2017 Ontario finals as bench boss of the Mimico Mountaineers.
The Athletics finished the regular season with a 13-7 record, while Six Nations was 11-9.
The A’s outscored the Arrows 17-6 in two wins during the regular season — 5-2, May 21 on the road; 12-4, June 13 at home — but the playoffs are a different animal.
Both teams enter the postseason with key pieces missing due to the World Field Lacrosse Championships in Israel. St. Catharines captain Latrell Harris is playing for Team Canada, while Austin Staats, Jerry Staats and Tehoka Nanticoke will play for the Iroquois Nationals.
“They’re the defending Minto Cup champions,” Toll explained. “Yes, they’re losing players but still have so many guys on their roster that have won before and played lots of playoff games.”
The Athletics feature two former Arrows in Jake McNabb and Teddy Leggett, while two former A’s — starting goaltender Drayden Patey and Percy Booth — play for Six Nations.
Toll said the key to victory is sticking with what carried the Athletics into the post-season..
“We have to play our game, not their game, and make them adapt not us,” said Toll. “They (players)
have to trust me and the coaching staff of what we’re trying to say and teach them.
“I think things will work out positive.”
With Austin Staats, arguably the best junior lacrosse player in the world, in Irsrael, Travis Longboat is the Arrows leading scorer with 27 goals and 58 points.
Alex Simmons is the A’s top man heading into the playoffs after scoring 37 goals and 82 points in just 13 regular season games.
Nick Damude and Patey will be the starting goaltenders in the series. Both netminders are rated in the top five in the league in both goals-against average and save percentage.
“We have to have the will and want to play and beat these guys,” Toll said. “Everyone has to bring a little more to the table now.”
A’s Acorns: Both teams hope to be completely healthy for Game 1 … Toll has named veteran defender Alec Tamas interim captain in Harris’s absence … The Arrows swept St.Catharines in three straight games in 2016, the last time these two teams met in the playoffs. The last time the A’s won a playoff game against Six Nations was 2009 … Arrows offensive coach Dean
Hill is a former member of the St. Catharines Spartans junior B team.