Hurricanes storm their way to OFSAA
Holy Cross defeats Moira in COSSA AA boys field lacrosse final
The Holy Cross Hurricanes are advancing to OFSAA AA field lacrosse championships in Ottawa after beating the Moira Trojans 15-5 in the COSSA championship Wednesday afternoon at the Fleming Athletic Complex.
After the first period, the Hurricanes had pulled out with a strong 4-0 lead against the Trojans, with centre Tommy Collins picking up one goal and dominating faceoffs throughout the game.
“He wins every faceoff, he’s automatic,” said Hurricanes head coach Cam Milligan.
As play became more heated in the second period, the Trojans scored their first point before the Hurricanes responded by doubling their score, ending the half at 8-1.
The Hurricanes kept up the pressure during the opening of the second, maintaining control of the ball and keeping play in the Trojan’s zone. Through quick ball movement and aggressive play, the Hurricanes made their way into the final period with the score at 12-3.
After 48 minutes of play, the final score was 15-5, as the Hurricanes bench rushed the field to celebrate the COSSA win with their team.
This was Milligan’s first season with the team as a coach. He played as a Hurricane when they last won in 2012 and went on to play field lacrosse in the NCAA.
Milligan joined the team at the beginning of the season after seeing the passion of the Hurricanes at a tournament, but without an experienced coach to help them along.
“The kids are out there, and they want to play,” said Milligan, adding that there are others in the Peterborough area who have the lacrosse knowledge to step up and coach.
Milligan credits the effort put forward by the team in leading them to an OFSAA victory, taking home the championship from teams that were beating them at the start of the season.
“We had some guys step up, that haven’t stepped up all year,” Milligan said. “There’s a lot of leadership in this group, and it’s a great group of guys.”
The three Crowley brothers: Nick, Ben and Cam, delivered a combined five goals for the Hurricanes.
For the Hurricanes, travelling to OFSAA is a new experience for the team, but judging by the celebration on the field, it’s one that all the players are looking forward to
“I don’t really know it goes,” said goalie Brandon Broad, who added that, as first time OFSAA players, the Hurricanes will be looking to Milligan to coach them to the championship.
With the OFSAA less than two weeks away, the Hurricanes and their coach are shifting focus to prepare for the championship in Ottawa from June 3 to 6
“We haven’t looked at any of the teams, we were just hoping to get there,” Milligan said. “Now we’re going to do a little scouting.”
Despite the challenge of OFSAA ahead, Milligan is proud of the Hurricanes and how the team came together to take home the win.
“I think that’s the first COSSA win in about five years for Holy Cross, and that’s a big deal for them,” Milligan said. “We’re going back to OFSAA.”
Moira, from Belleville, had edged the Crestwood Mustangs 8-7 in a semifinal Wednesday afternoon to advance to face Holy Cross in the COSSA final.