Ennis more James Gang facing elimination
ENNISMORE – Ennismore James Gang dug themselves a hole they couldn’t get out of Saturday night. Now they’re in another big hole. The defending President’s Cup champion Six Nations Rivermen beat Ennismore 10-3 at the Robert E. Young Recreation Complex to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five OLA senior B semifinal. Game 3 is Saturday in Six Nations with Game 4, if necessary, in Ennismore 5 p.m. Sunday.
The Rivermen scored early and built a 5-1 first period lead. They scored two power play goals on an early four-minute checking from behind penalty to Gavin Barrie. They also scored two short-handed markers in the opening period. The James Gang managed just one goal in each period. The first by Joe Was sonMcQuiggew as short-handed.
Friday night in Six Nations the James Gang trailed 4-1 after 20 minutes then rebounded to lead 5-4 after 40 minutes. They lost 6-5 on two third period Rivermen goals. This time, there was no second period comeback. Ennismore outplayed Six Nations in the second period but were repeatedly turned away by strong goaltending from Grant C rawley. They also hit a number of posts.
“We never got a bounce the whole game,” said Ennismore coach Jim Johnston. “Josh (WassonMcQuigge) hit four bars himself. They were a better club than us. That’ s what it came down to tonight. Their power play was great.”
Ennis more lost Brendan Munroe to a broken jaw suffered Friday when he was hit by as hot. Clare Don nelly was at a wedding and Steve Borden was sidelined by a neck injury.
“They were three key players on our defence. Big, strong players who help our lineup,” said Johnston. “Yeah, we’re in a hole, but it’s lacrosse. Other teams have been in holes and crawled their way out. We hope to do the same.”
Brad Baker and Kyle Trolley also scored for Ennismore. Ryan McCrory had two assists with singles to Nick Saltern and Courtland Black-Araujo. Ryan Masters was pulled in favour of Cole Murray after the ninth goal.
“All the pressure is off us now,” Baker said. “All the pressure is on them to end it up there. We’ll go up and if we play the game we did in game one, I think we can do it.”
Cory Bomberry led Six Nations with two goals and two assists while Tom Montour had two goals and an assist and Travis Bland two tallies. Roger Vyse had a goal and three assists, Stu Hill a goal and assist while Chayton King and Rodd Squire Jr. also scored. D wayne Porter and Oakley Thomas had two assists with singles to Johnny Rae and Crawley.
Montour said his team was rusty Friday after a two-week layoff with a first-round playoff bye.
“Everybody was ready togo today ,” Montour said. “That two weeks off made everybody stale for a game. I think the practice in that game (Friday) gave us the motivation we needed tonight. (Ennismore) was pretty stagnate in the first period (Friday) but they came on hard in the second and third period so we really had to step it up.”