The back-to-back Minto Cup champion Six Nations Arrows had many former and one current player get drafted to the NLL last Monday, with most of the players helping win the Minto Cup and some last playing with the team back in 2012. Some of these guys’ fans already know from their winning ways during the summer box season or from playing college in the NJCAA and NCAA.
Randy Staats was a top player in his early years before knee injuries forced him to miss two straight summers. Never giving up and working hard, Randy made his comeback in 2012 and 2013 to finish off his junior career with the Arrows. In those same years Randy also helped win back to back NJCAA championships with Onondaga Community College and went on to start on attack for Syracuse just finishing up with the Orange this past spring. Not only did Randy come up big in the MSL for the Six Nations Chiefs in just his second summer of Senior but also played great for the Iroquois at both the field games in Denver and the WILC the Georgia Swarm got a great player that can do a tone from the forward position.
Derek Searle from Hamilton, Ontario is another former Arrows player who was an early pick in the draft. Searle was never afraid while playing with the Arrows, dropping the gloves with Andrew Suitor even. This past summer for Kitchener Waterloo in the MSL Searle was one of the best defenders and was also a Team Canada field U19 captain and is a great pick up for the Rochester Knighthawks.
Two others may have just played for a short time in Six Nations but both are part of the Arrows family: Shayne Adams most recent St. Catherines Saints, Oakville Rock and Detroit Mercy was a steal for the Vancouver Stealth and Luc Magnan out of Robert Morris University and Brampton MSL is a great pick up for the Toronto Rock.
For the guys just off this past 2015 championship team, Adam Bomberry, who just won a Founders Cup with the Indians, also won his second Minto and a silver medal at the WILC. Adam won two NJCAA titles at OCC the past two years and will be going to a franchise that knows how to win in Rochester.
Also going to Rochester was Greg (Sawi) Longboat who also will be looking to crack a roster spot on the defensive end and has the skill to do so. For the Stealth, they picked up Jordan Durston who is a strong forward who knows how to put the ball in the back of the net and has the skill set for the NLL. Arrows teammate Keegan Letourneau who is not afraid to drop the gloves will be joining Durston out west with the Stealth.
For Calgary they also took some talent from the Arrows in Keith Leclair who is a big defender from Windsor who also played college football. Leclair can really help boost the Roughnecks defense.
With so many junior programs in Canada only the top ones can say they put as much talent into the NLL as the Arrows do. Not only are players such as Cody Jamieson, Sid Smith, and Craig Point alumni. Also names such as Shawn Evans and Callum Crawford have also suited up for Six Nation along with many more greats with the great organization.
