Simmons named player of the year
Alex Simmons embraces Jackson Webster (33) seconds after the St. Catharines Athletics topped the Brampton Excelsiors to win the Iroquois Cup Sunday night in Oakville. Photo by: BILL POTRECZ
Alex Simmons couldn’t have asked for a better send off.
The 22-year-old Smithville resident wrapped up his junior A lacrosse career by helping the St. Catharines WKML Athletics to an Ontario championship Sunday while also leading the team in scoring.
Simmons was rewarded by being named the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League player of the year following a hard fought 14-13 win over the Brampton Excelsiors.
“Words can’t describe how good this feels,” Simmons said. “We’ve been wanting to do this since we were 10 years old.
“I’m just so proud of the guys and just so excited.”
Simmons, who is entering his junior year at the University of Denver, paced the A’s with six goals and 34 points as the A’s went 6-2 to qualify for the semifinals Saturday versus Mimico. Simmons collected a goal and two assists as the A’s edged the Mountaineers 7-6 to advance to Sunday’s final.
Simmons said the victory was particularly satisfying after the Minto Cup was cancelled last season due to the COVID pandemic. The A’s were set to host the championship of Canadian junior A lacrosse at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines.
“All we could think about was the Minto in 2020 and how great that opportunity would have been,” he said. “To do this, it just makes it a little more bittersweet.”
The following are the final scoring statistics for the A’s after the eight regular season games.
Totals for the two playoff games have not been released.
1. Alex Simmons 6-28-34
2. Carter Zavitz 11-13-24
3. Brayden Mayea 10-12-22
4. Sam LeClair 13-7-20
5. Kealan Pilon 3-14-17
6. Liam Ham 9-5-14
7. Jackson Webster 3-6-9
8. Felix Cote 1-2-3
9. Mason Kamminga 1-2-3
10. Trent Jackson 2-0-2
11. Connor Watson 2-0-2
12. Keaton Zavitz 1-2-2
13. Aidan Buis 1-1-2
14. Cameron Pack 1-0-1
15. Ty Steenhuis 1-0-1
16. Tyler Halls 1-0-1
17. Owen Friesen 0-1-1
18. Thomas Whitty 0-1-1
19. Cam MacLeod 0-1-1.
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