Redcoats not satisfied with SOSSA title
The Governor Simcoe Redcoats are off to OFSAA for the first time in school history.
The Redcoats completed an undefeated season with a 13-3 win over the E.L. Crossley Cyclone to capture the Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association (SOSSA) AA boys field lacrosse title on their home turf Thursday.
The Redcoats now advance to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations Festival May 30-31 in Owen Sound.
The Redcoats had a brief celebration in the first few minutes following the game but quickly turned their attention to competing for an Ontario title.
“We have a lot of talented kids, and with two years off we’ve been working towards this,” Simcoe coach Jamie Brophy said. “We’re building a program. We have a lot of senior leadership and that’s what they wanted as well.”
Christian Lefeuvre, who paced the Redcoats with four goals, agreed.
“We’re happy winning SOSSA, but that’s not our end-goal. Our end-goal is to win the gold at OFSAA.”
Brophy is eager to see how the Redcoats stack up against the best of the best.
“We haven’t been as a lacrosse program so it’s to go out there and play our best game and whatever happens, happens,” he said. “These kids have high aspirations and high expectations and expect a lot out of each other.”
Lefeuvre, whose grandfather Bill Lefeuvre is a well-known builder in local lacrosse circles, said the Redcoats wanted to use the game versus the Cyclone to tune up for OFSAA.
“Just work our offence. We wanted to get a few of our guys some goals who haven’t really scored during the season and focus on getting better as a team moving forward going to OFSAA,” he said.
Lefeuvre is a member of the St. Catharines Athletics junior B squad and one of several Redcoats who play box at a high level.
“We have guys who played lacrosse growing up and some other guys who haven’t played but we’re a close knit team and play well together and we really have good chemistry,” he said.
Brophy said with so many skilled players, it makes his job as a coach much easier.
“It always helps because now you’re starting at a different plateau, rather than starting low and teaching catching and throwing. Now you’re working on systems, which is huge,” he said.
Crossley coach Kim Yallup was thrilled how things went for her club this year.
“We had a great season. We had a lot of boys who never played lacrosse come out and love the game and started playing box lacrosse because of it.
“They’re still learning — my poles have never played before so it’s a struggle going up against players who play junior A and Team Ontario — but they kept their spirits up every game. We’re not unhappy with our season at all.”
Tye Steenhuis and Max D’Aloisio added two each for Simcoe while singles came off the sticks of Nick Savoie, Caleb MacNeil, Kaleb Taylor, Holden Schinkel and Matteo Martin.
Richard Hatt, Seth Ozog and Caleb Walton replied for the Cyclone.
The Redcoats advanced to the finals with a 14-4 win over the Holy Cross Raiders in the semifinals Thursday morning. The Cyclone had a bye to the finals since there was no Zone 1 representative.
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