A’s lose fifth game in a row
‘Do-or-die situation’ for Athletics heading into final game of junior A lacrosse regular season
There are not too many people who would argue Austin Staats is the best junior A lacrosse player in Canada.
The 19-year-old future firstround — if not, first overall — National Lacrosse League pick put on a clinic Wednesday night at Jack Gatecliff Arena scoring five times and adding four assists as the now 18-1 Six Nations Arrows overwhelmed the host St. Catharines Athletics 13-8.
The loss was the fifth in a row for the Athletics, who fell to 7-12. With one game left in the regular season the A’s will likely have to win next week in Burlington to qualify for the post-season.
On Wednesday the Arrows jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the game was four minutes old and never looked back, leading 4-2 after 20 minutes and 12-7 heading into the third period.
“They hadn’t been putting up traditional Six Nations (scoring) numbers all season, and I don’t know if we looked past that,” St. Catharines general manager and head coach Sean Allen said.
“I thought the boys worked extremely hard both defensively and offensively late into the game.”
Carter Zavitz, Latrell Harris and Brett Erskine all scored twice for the Athletics, while Alex Simmons chipped in with a four-point night.
Allen said defensive coach and former NLL player Ian Rubel’s message posted in the dressing room before the game will carry over into next Wednesday’s regular season finale versus the Chiefs in Burlington.
“It’s a complete do-or-die situation,” Allen said. “We had all hoped it wouldn’t come down to that, but it does come down to that.
“Rubes (Rubel) put up a great saying on the board ‘If you fail to prepare, then you’re preparing to fail,’ and we don’t want that saying to come to fruition against Burlington.
Expanding on that the head coach was asked what the key to beating Burlington is. He had one word. “Preparation.”
A’s Acorns: Kealon Pilon, Tanner Vail, Drew Popodinac, Liam Ham, Zack Luis, Mike Davies, Jacob McMillan, Jacob Johnson and Connor Aquanno were scratched for the Athletics … Former A’s Cody Ward (2g, 2a) and Holden Garlent (2a) both found the score sheet for Six Nations … Former St. Catharines Spartans junior B and NLL player, Dean Hill runs the offence for the Arrows … Before the game Carter Zavitz was presented with a scholarship courtesy of Athletics Alumni chairman Corey Quinn, a one-time A’s goaltender.