Athletics over-ager’s graduation presence
Jeff Wittig earns seven points in final regular-season home game of junior A career
“Bring on the playoffs!”
Those were the words spoken by most of the St. Catharines Athletics after the Ontario Lacrosse Association junior A team closed out the home portion of its schedule with a 15-1 pounding of the Barrie Lakeshores Wednesday night at Jack Gatecliff Arena.
Three players, including Jeff Wittig, scored four goals each as the A’s improved to 13-5 with two games remaining in the regular season.
Wittig’s performance in his final junior A regular-season home game was his best of the season. The fifth-year Athletic and St. Catharines native finished with seven points on the night.
“It’s the most special season I’ve ever had in my life,” said Wittig, who now has 18 goals and 48 points on the campaign.
“We’re a brotherhood in there (the dressing room) and I can’t thank the guys enough.
“Me, Tammer (Alec Tamas) Munroe (Logan) and Teddy (Leggett) and all the ’97s (overagers born in 1997), just hope we can keep it going.”
After trailing 1-0 late in the first period it was Wittig, on the Athletics 21st shot of the game, who put the home side on the board.
“It was a little bit of sloppy play in the first,” Wittig said. “We just had to find that first one, and we started rolling from there.”
St. Catharines head coach Steve Toll knows how important Wittig is to the team heading into the post-season.
“It’s his last year, and he knows he’s a big part of this team,” said Toll. “When he plays like he did tonight, it makes us way more dangerous, it brings another element to the game. He should be holding nothing back. It’s his last year, he should be going like that all the time.”
Alex Simmons had four goals and six assists, while Carter Zavitz had four goals and two helpers for the A’s. Troy Holowchuk made 20 saves to pick up the win as the Athletics outshot the Lakeshores 63-21.
With two road games left in the regular season the A’s can still finish anywhere from first to third in the standings.
St. Catharines visited the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves Thursday night and close out the season Saturday night playing the Mimico Mountaineers.
“We want to win out, but it doesn’t matter where we finish and who we play,” Toll added.
“You’ve got to go through everyone eventually.”
While their first-round opponent has still to be determined, the A’s will open the playoffs at home next Wednesday. Game time at Jack Gatecliff Arena is 8 p.m.
A’s Acorns: Logan Munroe (healthy) was the lone regular scratch for the Athletics … Jake McNabb, who returned to the A’s lineup after missing five games with a shoulder injury, scored once and added four assists … Former Welland General Gavin McGregor scored on a penalty shot in the final minute of regulation to close out the St. Catharines scoring.