Dwight Night

Dwight Maetche has spent a lot of years stopping shots
for various Lax clubs without getting near the Mann Cup
Now's his chance

  
By Sharie Epp: Times Colonist 

Friday September 5, 2003
  
PORT VICTORIA -- Forty-two years old, with 22 seasons of senior A
lacrosse under his goalie stick, Dwight Maetche had given up his dream
of winning a Mann Cup. Then the Shamrocks called, looking to add some
depth to their goaltending corps.

"I was stunned," Maetche said. "I really didn't think about it... . I
knew I wanted to do it."

Maetche arrived in Victoria via a trade deadline deal with the North
Shore Thunder. He didn't know if he would even get off the bench in his
new role with the Shamrocks, behind incumbent goalies Matt Roik and
rookie Matt King, and he didn't care. 

As it turned out, the veteran netminder had to step into the fifth game
of the Western Lacrosse Association playoffs as a starter, when Roik
received a five-game suspension for a post-game ruckus in Game 4.
Maetche was outstanding in the Shamrocks' WLA victory over the Coquitlam
Adanacs, and, if the appeal of Roik's suspension fails, Maetche will be
the go-to goalie in the Mann Cup championship starting tonight against
the defending champion Brampton Excelsiors.

"I have complete confidence in Dwight," said Victoria captain Darren
Reisig, Maetche's teammate on both the Shamrocks and the Vancouver
Ravens of the National Lacrosse League. "He's a fantastic team guy, and
a fantastic individual -- on and off the floor.

"He fit in right away."

Maetche's destiny between the pipes probably should have been limited to
skates. Although born in Portland, he grew up in Edmonton, deep in
hockey country, where lacrosse wasn't exactly a byword. Someone came to
his school to do a boxla demonstration, and Maetche's group of
11-year-old buddies -- two of whom are coming to watch him in the Cup --
decided it looked like a fun thing to do in the summer. Already a hockey
goalie, he naturally wound up in net.

"I like the challenge," said Maetche, who still plays oldtimers hockey,
emulating his childhood hero Tony Esposito of the Chicago Blackhawks. "I
like that the puck, or ball, stops here, and I like that opportunity of
making the big save."

Maetche played Canada's other national sport to the Junior B level, but
grew disillusioned with the competitive unpleasantness, particularly of
parents. He started leaning more and more toward lacrosse.

"There was no parental motivation, and no reason to play except being
with friends and having a good time."

Lacrosse eventually took Maetche by invitation to Burnaby, after the
Lakers coach saw him play on the Alberta host team at the Minto Cup in
1979. He played with Burnaby for two years, then joined the Maple Ridge
Burrards senior team, working by day as a cement finisher on a
construction crew run by Burrards "rough, tough, goon guy" Ward
Sanderson. 

The West Coast became home. Maetche lives in Coquitlam, runs his own
floor covering business, and plays lacrosse. His only Mann Cup
opportunity came in 1990 with the Burrards, along with then Maple Ridge
rookie John Tavares (a star even then, Maetche said). They lost in four
games to the Brooklin Redmen, Maetche moved on to North Shore in 1993,
and, amid hard times with the Thunder eventually gave up on the Mann
Cup.

"It was becoming harder and harder, so I kind of let go of any
aspirations of winning the Mann Cup," he said. "The one thing I really
wanted was to get a Mann Cup, but ... I let it go."

Now, with the dream dusted off and shining, Maetche is ready to go. He
brings, obviously, experience to the Shamrocks lineup, but he also has a
style that fits the Victoria transition-oriented game plan. Maetche has
a good stick, and likes to get the ball up the floor, and he has a
mental and physical toughness honed by a personal trainer, a
chiropractor, and Bikram yoga.

The yoga should be especially useful in the sauna-like Archie Browning
Sports Centre over the next week or so. It's a workout designed to heat
the body from the inside out, by 11/2 hours of breathing exercises and
movements in a room with the thermostat set at 46 degrees Celsius.

"It's hot," Maetche said, and so is this Shamrocks team he has suddenly
made his own. Working with North Shore as more of an advisor than active
player this year, and not living in Victoria, Maetche said he didn't
realize quite how good they were.

"Nothing against North Shore, but it's been a long, long time since I've
had a defence like that in front of me."

Whether or not it will be enough against the Excelsiors will soon be
apparent. Either way, striving for this national championship is a
highlight of Maetche's career, one he never expected, and one he'll
relish every second.

"I'm savouring every aspect," he said. "I'm living the moment.

"I'm not waiting until it's over to say it's great. I'll say it's great
right now."

Note: About 300 standing room only tickets are still available for
tonight's game, and can be purchased from 2 p.m. on at Archie Browning
Sports Centre.





        

Ex Northmen Hoping For
Mann Cup Repeat

  
By MIKE RAWN: Orangeville Banner

Friday September 5, 2003 
 
PORT VICTORIA -- When the 93rd Mann Cup kicks off tonight at the Archie
Browning Sports Centre in Victoria, British Columbia, several local
residents and former Orangeville Northmen will be helping the Brampton
Excelsiors try to repeat as Canadian senior lacrosse champions. 
The series is a rematch of last year's finals, when Brampton defeated
Victoria 9-8 in the seventh and deciding game. This year the series will
be played in Victoria, giving the home side a decided edge. The last
time a visiting team won the Mann Cup was in 1995, when Six Nations
defeated New Westminster in six games. 

"It's the fact that you live out of a suitcase," explained Brampton head
coach and Orangeville resident Terry Sanderson. "You get a lot of down
time, and that's sometimes more of a deterrent than being back at home
and going through your regular routine. We've often talked that the
visiting team has to be 25 per cent better than the home team because of
some of the adversity that you go through. It's very, very difficult." 

It was also a difficult 2003 season for the defending champs, who
feature former Northmen Josh Sanderson, Phil Sanderson, Ryan Sanderson,
Rusty Kruger, Bruce Codd, Brandon Miller, Jon Harasym and Brian Beisel.
The team finished 8-6 in the shortened season. 

"It was, as most guys would put it, very boring," explained Sanderson,
who is joined on the Excelsiors bench by former Northmen coaches Matt
Sawyer and John Lovell. "Simply because when you play at the level of
these major guys -- a lot of them play in the winter league as well --
these were perceived as meaningless games because everybody makes the
playoffs." 

Brampton rebounded to go undefeated in the round robin portion of the
playoffs. They took care of Brooklin in six games and Peterborough in
five to win the Ontario title for the fifth time in six years. 

"We started picking it up in the playoffs, and we got some kinks worked
out," explained Josh Sanderson. "We did what we had to do to get out
there, now we just have to pick it up another level. I don't think we're
playing as well as last year." 

Sanderson will be hoping to repeat his MVP performance of last year,
when he set a Mann Cup record with 37 points in the series. 

"I guess they'll give me a bit of attention," noted the Brampton sniper.
"They haven't seen me play the last few games or else they'd be keying
on somebody else. We have Colin (Doyle) now too, so that takes some heat
off. They'll keep an eye on our left side, but the way our right's been
playing that's fine because they've been putting the ball in the net." 

For coach Sanderson, it will be his sixth Mann Cup appearance in the
last seven years, including victories in 1998 and 2002. He will be
looking for his first Mann Cup win on western soil. 

"Victoria has what is going to be perceived as two of the best players
from the east in their line-up (John Tavares and Jim Veltman). They've
got such a good team, it's going to be a hard task. It's something we
think we have a shot at or we wouldn't be going. We'll certainly be the
underdog team going out there." 

The Excelsiors will be forced to play without Ben Prepchuk and Mike
Accursi, who are out with injuries. Dan Teat, who is recovering from a
broken knee cap, may be available for some games. With a possibility of
playing seven games over the next nine days, the Excelsiors can ill
afford any more injuries. Because even with a full squad, the defending
champs have their work cut out for them. 

"I think we can win out there," stressed Josh Sanderson. "I've played
out there. I know how tough it is to win one game on the island, let
alone four. It will be tough, but I wouldn't count us out. 

"I know they're disciplined and they're smart and well coached. We're
going to have to play almost perfect lacrosse to beat them. They've got
everything you'd want on a team."





        

Shamrocks Go For Gold

  
From Times Colonist 

Friday September 05, 2003
  
PORT VICTORIA -- The Mann Cup, made of solid gold, is thought to be one
of the most valuable sports trophies in North America. 

Thieves famously spirited it away in 1989, before returning it for an
$8,000 ransom.

In the world of Canadian lacrosse, the cup is the ultimate symbol of
achievement, and taking possession of it legally requires a team to win
the Mann Cup series, the best-of-seven men's senior A national lacrosse
championship.

The Victoria Shamrocks begin their battle for the cup tonight.

They play the Brampton Excelsiors at Archie Browning Sports Centre.

On the eve of the first game, players eagerly anticipated hugging the
Mann Cup in victory. But they were wary of touching it too soon -- even
the replica that has been deployed to keep the original safe.

At the pre-Cup press conference on Thursday, players said all the right
things -- two great teams, evenly matched, talented players. Just don't
ask them to pose for a picture holding the trophy. They backed off like
snake-bitten gophers, except for Victoria's Tyson Leies, who taunts
superstition anyway by wearing jersey No. 13.

"That's the worst thing to do is touch the cup," said Jordan Sundher,
trying to help the Shamrocks claim their seventh championship. "You
can't touch it until you win it."

Most of the players who will be on the floor tonight are winter
professionals in the National Lacrosse League, where they get paid at
least a few thousand dollars a season to endure the pounding of the
fastest game on two feet -- the one that features legal cross-checking.
Most also have regular jobs, families, and everyday responsibilities.
But instead of resting those tired bodies in the summer, lacrosse
players beg off work, use up vacation days, and sacrifice time with
their kids to chase the Mann Cup dream.

Their only reward is their team name etched in gold on the D.D. Mann
Trophy, donated in 1910 by Sir Donald Mann, the railway entrepreneur
whose name adorns the Lower Mainland's Port Mann bridge. The real trophy
has been locked away since it was stolen and mysteriously returned to
the New Westminster Lacrosse Hall of Fame. The silver replica, insured
for $40,000 in 1999, has been the trophy on public display ever since. 

"It's hard to explain (its mystique) to people that have never competed
for this trophy," said Excelsiors coach Terry Sanderson. He previously
coached the Niagara Falls Gamblers in 1997, the year they lost to the
Shamrocks in the final. In five of the last six years, Sanderson has led
Brampton to the storied final, winning in 1998 and last year, when the
Excelsiors beat Victoria in seven games. He said it's almost impossible
to prepare for the intensity of that kind of series.

"These guys are trying to knock the crap out of each other. (Winning the
Cup) is worth so much more than money."

The Mann Cup final begins tonight, and continues Saturday, Monday and
Tuesday. If further games are necessary, they will follow on Wednesday,
and next Friday and Saturday.







Fans Scramble For Mann Cup Tickets

  
By Sharie Epp: Times Colonist  

Thursday September 04, 2003
 
PORT VICTORIA -- Toting lawn chairs, coffee, picnic lunches and novels,
lacrosse fans started lining up outside Archie Browning Sports Centre at
5 a.m. on Wednesday in hopes of scoring a ticket or two for the Mann
Cup. 

Season ticket holders had the privilege of buying tickets earlier in the
week for the first four games of the best-of-seven national showdown
between the Victoria Shamrocks and defending champion Brampton
Excelsiors, which starts on Friday. Whatever was left went on sale at 4
p.m. on Wednesday in the arena lobby.

"It was real slim pickings," said Marcus Elphick, who had joined the
lineup with his mother Shelley Elphick -- "lacrosse junkies" -- just
before noon. Despite hours of waiting in the heat, they said the
atmosphere was neighbourly. "Everybody had little picnics going on."

Pleasantly shocked they got four adjoining seats for the first game, the
Elphicks plunked down $600 for 10 seats and 20 standing room only spaces
for themselves and friends. They live within walking distance of the
arena, and are thrilled to have the Mann Cup in Esquimalt. It's the
first, and likely the last, time that might occur. New arenas in
Victoria and the Western Communities are expected to be standing the
next time the Shamrocks have the opportunity to play host to the Cup in
2005.

"It's going to be tough, it's going to be packed, it's going to be
really hot," Marcus said. "But living in Esquimalt, it's totally great.

"(Although) there are going to be a lot of disappointed people."

The previous seven times the Shamrocks showcased the Mann Cup at home,
they had Memorial Arena's 5,000 seats to work with. Archie Browning hits
the overflowing point at about 1,600, and season ticket holders claimed
most of those. 

In less than an hour on Wednesday a few SRO tickets were all that
remained for the first game, and Shamrocks vice president Dave Watson
and general manager Lloyd Robbie were shuffling through quickly
depleting stacks trying to find people matched seats for the other
games. As the piles dwindled, more people crowded into the lobby,
perhaps feeling close proximity might enhance their chances.

"At one time they were all back out the door, and I could hear myself
think. Now I can't hear myself think," Robbie said, trying to ease the
disappointment of a man who ended up with seats scattered all over the
map.

"Let's put it this way. At least they're in the arena."

Helen Boyd, a season ticket holder who has been going to lacrosse games
since the 1940s, already had her tickets, but was standing in line for
friends. She was quite relieved to get to the table just before 5 p.m.,
the time dinner guests were arriving at her house to celebrate her
husband's birthday. And long-time fan Eric Brant recalled a past Mann
Cup when he lined up at 6 a.m. outside Memorial Arena to buy tickets.

He possibly should have set the alarm on Friday, because arriving at
Archie Browning around 2 p.m. wasn't early enough to find a pair of
seats for the first game. He settled for the second and fourth games,
looking forward to the series, but not the expected jam of people in the
stands.

"This isn't the greatest place to watch lacrosse," Brant said. "But it's
the only game in town."

IN THE POCKET:

While fans lined up on the sidewalk, Brampton coach Terry Sanderson and
his staff were inside scouting out the digs.

"It's so much better than I thought," said Sanderson, who was expecting
something rather dumpy, on the advice of a Coquitlam Adanacs source. He
was happily surprised, as he checked out the spotlessly clean floor. "It
seems like it's got a lacrosse atmosphere. It's nice."





        

Veltman Ready For The Pros As
Final Bid For Minto Title Falls Short

  
By Herb Garbutt: Independent & Free Press 

Wednesday September 3, 2003  
 
ORANGEVILLE -- You would think by now Peter Veltman would have seen
enough of Burnaby. 

For the second time in four years, the Burnaby Lakers put an end to his
bid to win a national championship. Burnaby scored with 57 seconds to
play to edge Orangeville 7-6 in last Tuesday's Minto Cup semifinals. 

For Veltman, it was his last shot at a national Jr. A title. After five
years with the Orangeville Northmen, the 21-year-old will move on and
look to begin a pro career with the Vancouver Ravens of the National
Lacrosse League. And many of the fans that cheered on Burnaby--a
Vancouver suburb-- in its wins over Orangeville will be cheering for
Veltman and the Ravens. 

Originally drafted by Ottawa last season, Veltman was selected by
Vancouver in July's NLL dispersal draft when the Rebel folded. 

"It would have been nice to win a Minto but I've had five good years and
I'm ready to move on," Veltman said. 

Five 'good' years may be a bit of an understatement. Veltman averaged
more than three points a game over his Jr. A career, tallying 103 goals
and 230 points in 74 games. Those numbers may have been even more
impressive had a torn ACL not wiped out most of the year. The injury,
sustained in last year's playoffs, shelved his pro debut and limited him
to just two regular season games in junior. But after six months of
rehab, Veltman showed little sign that the injury slowed him down. He
racked up 17 goals and 38 points in 14 playoff games to help Orangeville
reach the Ontario final. 

His return also reunited him with brother Daryl. They played two games
together in last year's Founders Cup but this brought them together as
true teammates. 

Daryl also had an impressive rookie campaign for the Northmen. He had 12
goals and 31 points in eight regular season games and had 10 goals and
30 points in 13 playoff games. 

While Daryl will have a few more years to win the Minto Cup that eluded
his brother, Peter is excited about the prospect of playing pro next
season. 

"I haven't played at that level and I don't really know what it's all
about but I'm looking forward to it."





           

Tornado Blew Away Competition

  
By Apryl MacGregor: Barrie Advance

Monday September 1, 2003 

BARRIE -- It was four years in the making but the general manager of the
Barrie Tornado OLA Junior "B" Lacrosse team lived up to his word - the
team was going to win a Canadian championship, sooner rather than later.

In winning the Founder's Cup last weekend, the Tornado made it look
relatively easy, defeating the host team Coquitlam 16-8 in the final
game of the tournament. 

The team, including general manager Mike Kloepfer, was still on a high
from the win over Six Nations for the Provincial title, when they had to
head west to compete alongside nine of the best Junior B lacrosse teams
in the country. 

"I was worried about the first day of the round robin," Kloepfer told
The Advance a couple of days after coming home from British Columbia,
sitting in a dressing room at the Barrie Arena, surrounded by lacrosse
equipment and two shiny trophies. 

"As players, they were tired because of the time difference and winning
the Ontario championships 36 hours before." 

Jet-lagged and all, the team was on a mission, storming a direct swath
to the Founder's Cup. 

If not for the efforts of forward, and three-year veteran, Justin
Kennedy from Midland, the Tornado might not have made it to the finals
of the tournament. 

"I scored the winning goal against Prince George with two minutes left
in the semi-final game," Kennedy said, grinning modestly, of the 7-6
final score. 

Four points in the semi-final propelled the 21 year-old Georgian College
graduate to hero status. According to Kloepfer, Kennedy was just doing
his job, and in his eyes, all the players deserve to be treated as
conquering heroes. 

"Every night, someone stepped up and either did something offensively or
defensively. They did was what assigned to them." 

The team was put together in the pre-season, with most of the players
coming from the Simcoe County area. The players and management took
pride in not only being the City of Barrie's team, but also the region's
team - the region's championship team. 

Taking a step back into the moment the Tornado was declared the best in
the country, Justin Kennedy said he still needs to pinch himself to make
sure it's not a dream. 

"It hasn't kicked in. It was hard to keep the tears in, but it couldn't
have been better. Anything less would have been unacceptable." 

Winning the national title was such a hard-and-fast goal, it is actually
included as part of the team's mission statement. 

"This is the fourth season of the Tornado," Kloepfer said. 

"We set out to achieve the championship. It was the mission statement of
the team, and even though we had a good team last year, we said we hoped
we would win. We did an analysis after last year and this summer we
decided to take the word 'hope' out and change it to 'plan.' We
definitely wanted it." 

Only being four years old, the Barrie Tornado won the Founder's Cup
faster than any franchise - ever. But they follow a long line of Ontario
teams to win the trophy. Ontario lacrosse teams have won 30 out of the
last 32 years. 

"You don't want to be the Ontario team that loses at the Nationals,"
Kloepfer said. 

It's a statement Kennedy agrees with. 

"Nothing against other teams, but Ontario lacrosse is much tougher," he
said. "(During the tournament) we just played our own game and not
theirs. Ontario has better lacrosse." 

Before you get to the Founder's Cup, you must first make it past the
provincial competition. The journey through the provincial ranks had
Tornado fans at the edge of their seat, coming close to being eliminated
on six different occasions. Compared to that, the Nationals seemed like
a breeze. 

Now that the team has two giant trophies (one for winning in Ontario and
the other being the Founder's Cup) some have noticed a change in their
lifestyles - namely, being recognized. When they returned from British
Columbia more than 150 fans were at the arena for a warm welcoming,
which was a big surprise for the team. 

"Even at the Beer Store, the guy behind the counter asked about the
guys," Kloepfer said. "We were eating dinner at The Keg and people
stopped by to congratulate us." 

"When I went home to Midland," Kennedy recalled. "There were between 30
and 40 people with tons of balloons at my house, all to congratulate
me." 

While the team put Barrie on the map for lacrosse, it also brought the
former Dunlop arena back to life. For the first time in years, people
lined up outside the doors to buy tickets for games. 

And for the first time since the 1970's the Dunlop arena is the home to
Canadian champions. 

The Barrie Flyers Senior A hockey team won The Allan Cup in 1974.





           

He Wants That Winning Feeling

Andy Turner has been disappointed before in his quest to win
A national lacrosse title. This time he doesn't plan to be

  
By Sharie Epp: Times Colonist  

Sunday August 31, 2003
  
PORT VICTORIA -- Andy Turner didn't want to talk about himself, and he
wasn't saying how he acquired the black eye and stitches he was sporting
on Friday at the Shamrocks practice.

"Shaving, I guess," he quipped.

The true story might have something to do with fighting, and the
Coquitlam Adanacs, but that's history now. The Shamrocks are about to
take on the Brampton Excelsiors in the Mann Cup, starting Friday at
Archie Browning Sports Centre. They expect to win, although carrying the
Cup high in a victory lap around the arena is something Turner can't
even comprehend. 

Despite being voted this year's playoff MVP, as well as the most
valuable player in the Western Lacrosse Association for the second time
in three years, Turner has an issue with winning the big one. He's lost
the Mann Cup (with Niagara Falls and Victoria), the Minto Cup (with
Burnaby), and the National Lacrosse League championship (with
Rochester).

"I don't even know what (winning) would feel like," he said. "All I've
ever done in my life is lose lacrosse games."

His teammates might disagree, given Turner's contributions in getting to
those championship games. If the Shamrocks go on to victory in the 2003
best-of-seven Mann Cup championship, it will be in large part because
Turner has left a near-permanent imprint of his lacrosse stick across
the backs of the Excelsiors.

The Shamrocks say the 25-year-old Turner is the full package. He's fast,
smart, athletic, and tough. He can handle the ball, and score in
transition, like he did in his momentum-breaking shorthanded goal
against the Adanacs to help the 'Rocks clinch the WLA final. If he makes
a mistake, and loses the ball, he finds a way to get it back. 

And he always puts the team first.

"I just look around at the guys I'm playing with. If I'm going to go out
on the floor with them, I want to be able to face them after the game
and say I tried my best to win."

Thomas Hajek said Turner, who first joined the Shamrocks four years ago,
is the consummate team guy. Hajek should know, since he has played with
Turner since their pee wee days in St. Catharines. Turner is the main
reason Hajek, another hard-nailed defender, came to Victoria this
season. 

Together again, the buddies have been enjoying Vancouver Island
adventures. They have hiked to Cape Scott, trekked around the Juan de
Fuca Trail, and ferried to Pender Island for Frisbee golf. Turner and
Hajek played four years of junior together back East, then came out to
Burnaby to finish off their junior careers. 

Hajek attended the University of Vermont and excelled in hockey,
lacrosse and academically, while Turner, whose parents are both
teachers, earned two degrees in four years -- geography, and outdoor
recreation, parks and tourism -- at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay.
On weekends, he commuted to Rochester to play NLL lacrosse with the
Knighthawks.

Last year, however, Turner took the summer off. He had just graduated,
and losing the big games -- one year his teams lost all three
championships -- had dampened his enthusiasm. Always one who loved the
outdoors, he decided to hop on his bike in Toronto, and ride to a
friend's wedding. The wedding was in Cranbrook.

"It was an amazing summer," said Turner, whose six-week cruise was
almost derailed by the prevailing headwind relentlessly sweeping across
the Prairies. "There were moments when I just wanted to stop and say,
'No, thanks.'"

Making it through to Cranbrook in time for the wedding was such a big
relief, another seven days to Victoria was almost a breeze. 

Somewhere en route, the fun came back and rejoining the Shamrocks this
year has been total enjoyment. Turner likes everything about Victoria
lacrosse. 

He's happy to team up with players such as John Tavares and Jim Veltman,
instead of battling against them like he does in the winter. And he
loves the fans.

"It's incredible fan support you don't get anywhere else in the
country," he said. "We've been winning a game by 10 goals, with two
minutes left in the game, and everybody's still there watching."

Turner has quickly become a favourite of knowledgeable Victoria fans,
but he downplays his achievements. He doesn't believe he deserves any
special recognition or awards, especially among all the talent on the
Shamrocks' floor.

"I'm a pretty simple guy," he said. 

Simple? Maybe. But the Excelsiors should know he's tired of losing.







Excels Sink Lakers' Dreams

Headed West After 12-5 Win

 
By ROBIN INSCOE: Brampton Guardian 

Sunday August 31, 2003 
 
FORT BRAMPTON -- Last season the Brampton Excelsiors needed a
come-from-behind win in game seven to clinch the Canadian Major Lacrosse
championship-- and the Mann Cup.
 
They did it against the Victoria Shamrocks in front of a hometown crowd.

Well, the teams in this year's national championship will be the same,
but the venue will be much different. This year's championship will be
contested out west. 

The Excelsiors clinched the Eastern Canadian title with a 12-5 win in
Peterborough on Thursday, giving the defending champs a 4-1 series win. 

Victoria, led by Mississauga's John Tavares and Brampton native Jim
Veltman, downed Coquitlam in five to claim the western final. It sets up
a showdown between the Veltman brothers. John Veltman plays for the
Excelsiors. 

The Excelsiors' game five win came a day later than they had hoped. The
two teams were scheduled to play on Wednesday but the carpet the Lakers
borrowed to cover the arena ice didn't fit. 

Alternative arrangements could not be made in time and the game was
rescheduled for the following night. Unfortunately, the Excels didn't
find out about the problem until they arrived in Peterborough for the
contest. 

On Thursday evening the Excelsiors made sure they weren't going to have
to make a fifth trip to Peterborough in this series. 

The Excelsiors demonstrated why they are the defending Canadian champs,
building a 4-2 first period lead, extending that margin to 8-5 and
coasting home for the 12-5 win, holding the Lakers scoreless in the
final 28 minutes. 

"(Goaltender Bob) Watson and the defense were great," stated coach Terry
Sanderson. "We had a pretty good effort from everyone." 

Sanderson felt the Lakers tried some rough-house tactics against the
Excelsiors in four of the five games-- the four Brampton wins. 

"They tried to intimidate us," noted the coach. "And they found out you
can't do that against the defending Mann Cup champs." 

Sanderson believes his team will be underdogs heading to Victoria to
face the Shamrocks, even though they are the defending champs. 

"We're up against a fantastic Victoria team," said Sanderson. "Any team
that can beat Coquitlam in five is a good lacrosse club. There is no
doubt we'll be heavy underdogs." 

The coach describes the competition as a strong defensive team that can
also play the physical game. 

The Excelsiors will get a few days off to mend some bumps and bruises
before heading to British Columbia on Wednesday. 

"Hopefully, we'll get a few guys back," added Sanderson. "These few days
off will help." 

The best-of-seven final starts next Friday, Sept. 5. They will play
seven games in nine days, getting the Sunday and Wednesday as off days.





    

Shamrocks Spoiling For
Another Shot At Excelsiors

  
By Sharie Epp: Times Colonist  

Saturday August 30, 2003
  
PORT VICTORIA -- The Victoria Shamrocks lost the Mann Cup by a single
goal last year, after a 6-1 lead turned into a 9-8 Game 7 victory for
the Brampton Excelsiors. It's a game that has been rankling the team all
year long. Now that the Excelsiors have won the Ontario Lacrosse
Association title for the third year in a row, the Shamrocks are more
than ready to offer the Easterners some West Coast hospitality.

"It's time for a little payback in our barn," said Shamrocks coach Walt
Christianson. "It'll be a battle."

The series gets underway Friday at the Archie Browning Sports Centre.

Brampton has been one of the most dominant teams in the country in the
last few years, making seven trips to the Cup since 1992, and winning
four times. They are strong and well-rounded, and their elusive attacker
Josh Sanderson -- he scored two goals and four assists with one hand
broken and the other badly cut in that final game last season -- now has
high-powered help from former Coquitlam Adanac Colin Doyle.

As one who has had plenty of experience trying to slow down Sanderson
and Doyle, also a National Lacrosse League championship winner with the
Toronto Rock this year, Shamrock Grant Hamilton has the utmost respect
for their talents.

"(Colin Doyle) is a marquee player. He's one of the top players in any
league. He can work with the ball, and without the ball," said Hamilton.
"He can beat you one on one."

As far as Sanderson goes, Hamilton described him as shifty, and a great
passer with a knack of finding the open seam or an open teammate. 

"Last year every big goal they got he assisted on."

With the likes of Sanderson and Doyle in mind, the Shamrocks have added
four defencemen, including Andy Turner, the playoff MVP and most
valuable defensive player in the Western Lacrosse Association this year,
Thomas Hajek, Kyle Couling and Jim Veltman. It would be fitting if it's
the defence that makes the difference, since Hamilton, along with Darren
Reisig and Bruce Alexander, all D-men who returned for one more run at
that Mann Cup they so nearly brought home last year.

"This is absolutely the last time," Hamilton said. "It's the last kick
at the can for us, and we want to go out as winners."

In the pocket

- The John Veltman listed on the Brampton roster is the younger brother
of Shamrock Jim Veltman. They spoke on the phone on Friday, and from
John came the brotherly platitude "may the best team win." To which his
older bro replied: "Well, then I guess that's ours." 





       

AN IMPACT PLAYER

Kelly Clancy's Victory Over Cancer Inspires His New Team


By ROB ANDRUSEVICH: Toronto Sun

Saturday August 30, 2003
  
WILLOWDALE -- Some people are cancer survivors, and some people beat
cancer. This story is about 12-year-old Kelly Clancy who not only beat
cancer but won the hearts and respect of his lacrosse teammates. Then he
led them to a provincial pee wee championship. 

Willowdale Blackhawk lacrosse was a new organization in its first year
of play, and Clancy was a first-time lacrosse player. When his teammates
met him they thought he just walked with a limp. It was midway through
the season they found out he had a prosthetic leg. 

"He wore long shorts so you couldn't see the prosthetics," his coach
Bruce Boyden said. "The parents didn't realize until halfway through the
season there was something unique about him. That's how natural he is
with it." 


    A gifted athlete, Clancy picked up the
    goaltending craft quite quickly, making
    the pee wee rep team. But he gave this
    disciplined team with 10 rookies more
    than just a stopper between the pipes,
    according to his coach. 



    "Kelly was influential in our run to the
    provincials," he said. "He was able to
    have a huge impact on our team with his
    enthusiasm and energy. He would make a
    dramatic, big save and it would spur the 
    guys on. He's quite an athletic goalie
    who flings himself around. For his first
    year in lacrosse the players appreciated
    his skills." 



Those skills and athleticism were developed largely through hockey. He
was a star player in his younger years, scoring two or three goals a
game at the AAA rep level when he received bad news in December 1998. 

A cancerous tumor was attached to a bone in his leg and couldn't be
taken off, so he lost part of the leg. More surgery was required in
2001. Clancy's father, Paul, said they're lucky to still have him -- it
was that close. 

Friends pushed Kelly into giving lacrosse a try this year. He chose goal
for mobility reasons, and he fell in love with the position. 

He tried out for the rep team for fun. Three first-year goalies showed
up at camp, but the other two decided to try other positions and moved
on. 

"Lacrosse is my No. 1 sport now," Clancy said. "I just practice and I
watch a lot of games on TV, go to some of the Toronto Rock games." 

He didn't divulge the cause of his limp, hoping to be treated like
everyone else. 

"It made me feel pretty good that they didn't know, they thought I was
just good," Clancy said. "And when they did find out they thought I was
even better." 

The climax of the season was the team's performance at the provincial
championship tournament in Niagara. They beat out 15 other teams to take
the D division title with a 5-0 record, defeating Brockville in the
final on August 9th. 

Clancy played in the semi-final win, but was injured. By the end of the
game he was using his stick as a crutch. Veteran goalie Dylan Rae, who
joined the team at mid-season, played the championship game. 

"Winning was good," said Clancy, was put on the floor in the final
minute of the title game to share in the experience. "We were a
first-year club beating teams with 50 years of lacrosse history, like
Orangeville. 

"Winning it was one of our team goals and it was hard work." 

The aspirations of playing professional hockey are gone, Clancy said.
These days, he dreams of playing pro lacrosse. 

Who would bet against him? 





       

Winding Down
The 2003 Box Lacrosse Season


By BRIAN SHANAHAN: Toronto Sun

Saturday August 30, 2003

TORONTO -- Ontario's summer box lacrosse season is almost over. The
Canadian Junior B and Senior B champs have been crowned and the Minto
Cup (Canadian Junior A) champion is close to being decided. The Mann Cup
will be a rematch of last year's final. 

In minor lacrosse we first had provincial championships cancelled --
then rescheduled -- because of the big blackout. 

Let's first start with the minor lacrosse. Two weeks ago there were a
lot of disappointed children when the novice and midget championships
were cancelled because of a "little" power disruption. Thankfully some
great efforts by many dedicated volunteers enabled the provincials to be
rescheduled a week later at different venues. Congratulations to the
novice A, B, C, D champs from Halton Hills, Windsor, Orillia and
Stayner. 

The Midget B, C and D championships went to Guelph, Fergus and Elora. 

In Junior B, the Barrie Tornadoes won the Founder's Cup and they
certainly earned it. Arguably, Barrie had an easier time winning the
Canadian championship than they did in the Ontario final -- in winning
all four playoff rounds that series, Barrie went the full five games in
three of the four matches. In fact, Barrie faced elimination six times
but came back to defeat Oakville, Mimico, Nepean and Six Nations. 

* * * 

In Senior B lacrosse, the Owen Sound Woodmen had an automatic berth to
the President's Cup as the 2003 host. However, the Woodsmen did not back
their way in to the Canadian championships. 

Owen Sound took first place in the eight-team Ontario Senior B league.
They won the Ontario playoffs, advanced to the final of the six-team
President's Cup tournament where they met a familiar foe, the
Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks. 

The Kodiaks, who finished one point behind Owen Sound during the regular
season, were defeated by the Woodsmen in the Ontario championship as
well as in the President's Cup round-robin. 

Worse yet, Kitchener pulled of a 7-6 win to take the 2003 President's
Cup. 

* * *

In Junior A lacrosse , the Minto Cup has changed from the traditional
B.C vs. Ontario matchup to accommodate the improved level of lacrosse in
Alberta. 

Host province Ontario sent both teams from its final to compete. 

Heading into the third period of the semi-final game of the Minto Cup
tournament it looked as though it would be an all-Ontario final. St.
Catherine's had earned a bye to the final with an undefeated record in
the round robin. 

Orangeville had beat Burnaby in the round robin and led Burnaby 6-4
heading into the third period of the semi-final game. But Burnaby showed
why it has been to the Minto Cup final for the previous seven seasons as
they score three unanswered goals to beat Orangeville 7-6 for a birth in
the final. 

In Game 1 of the Minto Cup, St.Catharines defeated Burnaby 10-3. Game 2
was last night and, if necessary, Game 3 will be tonight in Waterloo. If
St. Catharines wins their second Minto Cup in three years they will be
deserving champions. 

After finishing first in the regular season St. Catharines has won 16
consecutive playoff games. In the one of the most emotional moments of
the tournament, 20-year-old Luke Wiles was awarded the player of the
game after scoring three goals and three assists in a 9-6 win over
Orangeville less than 24 hours after his father Steve died of a heart
attack while playing ball hockey. Luke felt that his father would have
wanted him to play. 

* * *

The Mann Cup now has been determined and it will be a rematch of last
year's Brampton Excelsiors-Victoria Shamrocks tilt. 

There are a number of great storylines for this Mann Cup. 

Jim Veltman, captain of the Toronto Rock and three-time Mann cup winner
with the Excelsiors, will be facing his old team as a member of the
Shamrocks. Veltman also will face his brother John, who is a member of
the Excelsiors. 

Playing with Veltman on the Shamrocks will be former Excelsior and
Buffalo Bandit teammate John Tavares, who will be trying for his sixth
Mann Cup and undoubtedly will become the top point-getter within the
first couple of games. 

In 37 Mann Cup games, Tavares holds the record for most goals (75), hat
tricks (14) and sits nine points off of Geordie Dean's record of 164. 

Brampton's Josh Sanderson also will be a threat to break all Mann Cup
records as he has scored 69 points in just 14 Mann games, setting the
single series points mark of 37 in last year's final. 

Unfortunately only 1,700 fans will be able witness lacrosse's greatest
spectacle. 

Victoria will host the series in the smallish Esquimalt Archie Browning
Sports Centre as construction continues on the new 7,500- seat Victoria
Arena.





       

With Final In Waterloo
Where's The Fan Interest?


By Bill Potrecz: St.Catharines Standard 

Photo Standard File

Friday August 29, 2003 

ST.CATHARINES -- Tonight’s the night. At least that’s how head coach and
general manager Bob Luey and the rest of the St.Catharines Athletics
would like to see the story of the 2003 Minto Cup played out. 

Minutes after defeating the defending Canadian champion Burnaby Lakers
10-3 Wednesday night to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, the
A’s were making no bones about the fact they want to end the series as
quickly as possible. 

“We don’t want to come back Saturday, we want to wrap it up, ” Luey
said. 

Win or lose tonight, the end to the A’s season is rapidly approaching
and that means the end of a very special era in the organization’s long
and successful history. 

Ten players will graduate from this year’s team, including former Minto
Cup most valuable player Matt Vinc, perennial all-star Sean Greenhalgh
and defensive stalwarts Pat Russell, Rory Glaves and Jon Sullivan. 

Win or lose, it’s tough to imagine the A’s ever coming up with as
talented and exciting a group to watch. 

Realistically, Vinc is a once-in-a-lifetime goaltender and Greenhalgh
isn’t far behind as a scorer. That type of talent, particularly
homegrown talent, just doesn’t grow on trees — in St. Catharines or
anywhere else. 

With that in mind, it would be nice to see a strong contingent from St.
Catharines make the 1½-hour drive to the Waterloo Recreation Complex
tonight to perhaps see their heroes win their second championship in
three years. 

St.Catharines lacrosse fans supported the A’s well in the round-robin
portion of the Minto Cup, packing Bill Burgoyne Arena to the rafters and
creating an exciting and memorable atmosphere. 

Following their final game at home Monday, the A’s paid respect to their
fans, staying on the floor for a few minutes and saying their goodbyes. 

The sad part about this situation is that we even have to talk about it.

The A’s should be vying for the Minto Cup at home, not in Waterloo where
there is understandably little local interest. 

Let’s face it, if Orangeville were playing Burnaby for the Minto Cup in
St. Catharines, how much interest would that create here? 

Not much, to be sure. 

Luey admits he’d love to be playing at Jack Gatecliff Arena, the site of
the A’s 2001 Minto Cup championship. 

       

“Absolutely, no doubt in the world we would have loved that,” Luey said.
“The best thing would have been for it to be the same as 2001, when we
hosted the Minto Cup and made a lot of money and had the most successful
Minto Cup ever.” 

Although a bigger crowd is expected tonight in Waterloo, there’s little
doubt the format of playing in a neutral city needs to be revisited. 

“I understand it (format) perfectly, but it’s a concept that was come up
with that has probably failed,” Luey said. “With the addition of
Alberta, we had to come up with another solution, and there weren’t a
lot that were any better, either.” 

One suggestion the OLA might want to consider is giving the host city an
automatic bye. It’s the same format that has been used successfully for
the Memorial Cup. 

Another big problem with this year’s format is that of finances. 

“The bottom line is that we have to finance two trips out west and we
didn’t (make enough) to do that,” Luey said. “That’s a killer.” 

On the positive side, major sponsorship from Toshiba and Future Shop was
obtained, although with sparse crowds, it’s tough to say how happy those
companies will be with the arrangement. 

In a perfect world, the A’s would win their second Minto Cup tonight and
do it before their home fans in a facility here in St. Catharines as
desirable as the one in Waterloo. 

We all know there will never be a fabulous complex like Waterloo’s built
here, so the A’s will have to settle for hopefully winning it on the
road tonight — and in the future as well.