OHSWEKEN – The sure bet going into Sunday’s Jr.C lacrosse game between Brantford and Six Nations was that the Warriors were going to win. For some inexplicable reason, both Six Nations and the newer Brantford team ended up with the same team name, in the same division.
Be that as it may, the Six Nations Warriors won it 10-7, Sunday night at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena (ILA) to kick open the 2017 campaign. Last season was a good one to build on having made it to the semi-finals, but this year expectations will be higher.
Austin Skye scored the first goal of the season for Six Nations, 18 seconds after the opening face-off, assisted by Kennedy Miller and Mitch Henhawk. It didn’t throw Brantford off its game and they answered five minutes later with Michael Comeau scoring Brantford’s first goal of the season. Connor Gillis assisted.
Jordan Myke and Tyrese Staats, two associate player call-ups from Six Nations minor system for a look, made the best of the opportunity. Myke scored at 7:32 from Miller, and Staats scored two before the end of the first period, with Brantford’s Hunter Angus scoring between.
Brantford had to stop the bleeding quickly and did so with goals scored by Caleb Wells (2), Austin Giles to even the score early. But it didn’t stop there. Campbell McFedries scored two and Wells scored his second with his second, before Ryan Johnson answered for Six Nations at 15:30 to end the period 7-5 for Brantford.
It was Six Nations turn to mount a come-back and for that they called upon AP player Todd Thomas who went to work scoring three goals with fellow AP, Bryson Staats and Spencer Thomas adding on for a 5-0 period and a 10-7 final.
Jackson Miller earned the win in the Six Nations Warriors’ net. The Six Nations Warriors are back in action Sunday afternoon at 2 pm against the visiting Caledon Bandits, at the ILA. Brantford will be in Fergus Friday night May 5, and Wilmot Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.
The Warriors and the league paid tribute to Six Nation Warrior, Thomas Miller, who tragically died in an automobile crash in March. The Ontario Junior C Lacrosse League (OJCLL) declared April 30 Thomas Miller Day and the game was played in his honour.
In a prepared statement, the league declared it is “standing as one in support of a fallen brother. The Lacrosse community is a close-knit family and when one of our own loses a member we all suffer. Putting aside our beliefs, our race, our religions – we are all family.
“The Lacrosse world lost a gem in Thomas but the game in the skyworld will be awaiting your arrival. Rest in Peace Thomas.”
