Zavitz, Armstrong earn gold medals
Keaton Zavitz of Canada (left), and Damon Doxtator of Haudenosaunee were named players of the game in the gold medal final.
Keaton Zavitz and Mitch Armstrong did themselves proud at the 2022 IIJL World Junior Lacrosse Championships in Winnipeg.
The St. Catharines natives and members of the St. Catharines Junior A Athletics were key components as Team Canada captured the gold medal with a 16-9 win over Haudenosaunee in the championship game.
Zavitz contributed nine goals and 24 points in four games while Armstrong was named as a defender on the All World Second Team.
“It was pretty cool to be a go-to guy on that level of a game,” Zavitz said. “It was for sure super fun and it meant a lot to me.”
Armstrong had a goal and an assist in four games and was used as both and defender and as a transition player.
Both players were thrilled to wear the colours of their country.
“I’m sure anyone could say this for any sport but it’s truly an honour to wear the colours and have that symbol on your chest,” Armstrong said. “To be picked is an honour and to be one of the top guys is a true honour.
“It’s really incredible.”
Zavitz agreed.
“It is pretty cool to think about,” he said. “It’s like when you’re a little kid watching World Junior Hockey or Team Canada lacrosse. All those guys telling stories about looking at the crest and having the Canada flag on your jersey. It’s a big thing. It’s meaningful. You can say a ton of things about it but there’s nothing better than putting it on and playing for that.”
The longtime friends were grateful to be able to share the experience.
“Mitch has been with me for a very long time though hockey and lacrosse and I wouldn’t rather have any other guy there with me. We celebrated together and I have nothing but respect for him. I love that guy,” Zavitz said.
“Just to share that experience with him — I’ve been playing lacrosse with him forever — I was his roommate so we got a bunch more bonding time together,” Armstrong added.
Armstrong said the experience of winning a Sutherland Cup with the St. Catharines Falcons in May was a huge help as Canada went for gold.
“One of the biggest things I took away from that championship was harnessing my nerves and turning it into excitement, the good kind of excitement where you’re fired up,” he said. “I tried to remind some of the players who were nervous on the Canadian team to take those nerves and use it as excitement. Dealing with nerves can be very hard. Sometimes when your nerves take over it uses up too much energy and you don’t have anything left.”
Canada went undefeated in the tournament, defeating the United States 12-7, Australia 30-5 and Isreal 20-9 en route to the final.
“We knew they were going to be a good team,” Zavitz said of Haudenosaunee. “Three years ago before COVID Canada played them in the same tournament and Haudenosaunee were up on them maybe 9-3 and Canada ended up coming back and winning. We knew they would have a chip on their shoulder and were going to try and come in there and beat us. The US did too. But coming from box lacrosse I was pretty confident we were going to take the gold medal.”
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