SIX NATIONS — The Jr. C Six Nations Warriors were put out of the Meredith Cup playoffs by the Wilmott Wild, 13-11 in Game 4 of the best of five series, Thursday, Aug. 2nd.
Just like last year, the Warriors’ regular season was great and most of the smart money was on the Warriors to win the Jr. C Championship, and the defending Cup Champion, Wilmott Wild proved be a bridge-too-far, as they came out one goal shy in a most exciting Game 4 at the Gaylord Powless Arena.
Wilmott gets full points for the win, but the Warriors hung tough until the very end. The Wild lost to the Clarington Shamrox for the Cup last season and willow get a chance to right that wrong, from their perspective.
The Wild defence and powerplay were the difference in the game as the Wilmott powerplay unit against a suddenly defenceless Warriors penalty killers squad.
But the game itself was exciting for the large, near-capacity turnout at the ILA, right to the very end.
Kennedy Miller excited the Six Nations fans by notching the first goal of the game at 20 seconds with Shane Henry assisting off the face-off. But they were only able to carry that lead four minutes.
Tylar Verutis, Tyler Nagy and Kent Radbourne scored for the Titans but AP call up Ty Cowan scored back-to-back to even the game at 3-3. A high-sticking major penalty to Emmitt Smith opened the door to the ready Wild powerplay and Sith Juke Finoror and Sam Dramnitzke both scored on the same five-minute major to end the first period 5-3 in Wilmotts favour.
Wilmott added one more log to the fire in the second period out-scoring the Warriors 4-3 for a two-period lead of 9-6. Six Nations scorers were Shane Henry, Jordan Mike and Todd Thomas Jr.
The Warriors were getting chances but the goalposts and Wilmott goalie Andrew Chenier kept the ball out. On one occasion the goalpost even got an assist on a Wild goal when a long hard shot from a Warriors stick made it past Chenier but hit the post and careened down the floor where
Wilmotts Tyler Nagy was breaking out. He captured the rebound past centre floor and broke in alone for the Wild’s 7th goal.
Matt Miller opened the third period but Wilmott scored the next three in a matter of less that two minutes and it was 12-7. The Warriors did not give up and Shane Henry led a three goal shove-back closely followed by Smith and Mike making it 12-9, three goals away. Landon Whitlow scored for Wilmott to stop the momentum for a bit, and Matt Miller scored at 19:35 but it would be too little and too late as Wilmott held on 13-11.
Both Warriors goalies Mike Martin-Able and Josh Daley saw action in the Six Nations loss.
All attention of Six Nations lacrosse fans now focuses on the Sr. B Six Nations Rivermen and the Major Series, Mann Cup defending Six Nations Chiefs who are both sill alive in the OLA post season.
