Athletics bounce back
The St. Catharines WMKL Athletics are in the driver’s seat after securing a pair of wins Sunday and Monday in Burlington.
The Athletics topped the Blaze 8-4 Sunday and followed it up with a 10-6 victory Monday to take a 2-1 lead in their Ontario Junior Lacrosse League best-of-five quarter-final playoff series. Burlington took the opener of the series 8-7 in St. Catharines Friday.
“I’ve been saying this since about halfway through the season, this team is just jelling together really nice. Our defence, our goaltending and timely scoring is unbelievable right now,” A’s general manager Jeff Chcoski said.
The A’s can advance to the semifinals with a win at home Wednesday in Game 4. Game 5, if necessary, would be back in Burlington Friday.
“We walked into Burlington and stole a couple of games but this thing is far from over,” Chcoski said. “They play very well in our arena. We know that and we’re not taking anything for granted at this point. We still have to go out and win a lacrosse game.
“This is the toughest league in the world, it’s one of the toughest sports in the world, and it’s a freaking battle out there. It’s unbelievable how hard these guys work. Nothing is done until it’s done.”
Chcoski is well aware often a team with its back against the wall can be at its most dangerous.
“I can go back to one of my favourite coaches of all time, Mr. Garry Lariviere, and he always said if you got the rat in the corner, you better kill it because it can come back and bite you.”
Oliver Vanyo made both starts in goal for the A’s and turned back 45 shots Sunday and another 47 Monday.
“Ollie has been unbelievable on this floor, for whatever reason,” Chcoski said. “He sees the ball well here. It different. It’s hard to explain playing on the concrete compared to the turf. It’s a whole different game but he sees the ball here and they have a great offence but he has just been a brick wall.”
Monday’s game was tied 3-3 after one. The A’s took a 6-5 lead into the third where they outscored the Blaze 4-1.
Trent Mooradian paced St. Catharines with three goals while Thunder Hill added a pair. Singles came off the sticks of Christian Lefeuvre, Tye Steenhuis, Colton Armitage, Logan Fletcher and Noah Simpson. Keaton Zavitz chipped in with five assists.
Steenhuis had three goals Sunday, Zavitz and Thunder Hill two each and Armitage one.
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