Photo Credit: Devyn Gallagher
After three long and grueling series, the stage has been set for the 2012 OJBLL finals as the Six Nations Rebels will take
on the Akwesasne Indians.
The Akwesasne Indians found their way to the finals by beating the Clairington Green Gaels in 4 games.
The Indians received a little scare in game 3 in Bowmanville when the Green Gaels won in dominant fashion to a score of 14-4.
The Gaels dominated from the first whistle to the last buzzer. Offense, defense and goaltending were all spot on in the victory for the Green Gaels.
Michigan Wolverine commit Austin Shanks had an outstanding 7 point night. Shanks added 4 helpers and tickled twine 3 times, including an unbelievable break away goal where he dangled the jock off of Indians goaltender Kanathason Horn-David.
Mitch De Snoo also played stellar as he buried 3 goals and 2 helpers as well as playing tenacious defense and consistently moved the ball up the floor quickly.
The Indians bounced back with a bang in game 4 with a convincing 13-6 victory.
The score was knotted at 2 at the end of the first frame and the Green Gaels Connor Latimer broke the deadlock a minute into the second period. That would be it for the Gaels in the second as the Indians exploded with offense scoring 8 unanswered goals which was the dagger in the Green Gaels coffin.
Indians goaltender Jake Lazore bounced back from a weak performance in game 3.
Lazore shut down 46 shots and tallied a pair of helpers to end the Green Gaels Founders Cup dream.
“We didn’t put a full 60 minutes together in game 4” said Green Gaels captain Steve Bourden. “Its kinda cliche but if you give a skilled team like Akwesasne an inch, they will take a mile. That’s exactly what happened.”
Bourden is one of five 91’s graduating from junior lacrosse. Along side their captain, Connor Latimer, Brenden Fox, Brock Levick, Eric Amodeo, Brett Lawandowsky and Lucas Perri all are the latest to join the Green Gaels historic alumni.
On the West side of the OJBLL, the defending Ontario and Canadian champions Six Nations Rebels downed the Wallaceberg Red Devils in 5 games.
The Red Devils had the Rebels on the ropes going into game 4 but Six Nations answered the bell early with a 7-1 after 20 minutes of play.
Wallaceburg closed the gap with 6 goals in the second to make the score 11-7 at the end of two.
The Red Devils caught fire in the third finding the back of the cage five times, including a clutch game tying marker from Jordan Durston with just under six minutes remaining in the third.
At 16:21, Western New York native Zed Williams blasted the ball past Red Devils net minder Brennor Jacobs to take the lead at 13-12.
32 seconds later, Ian Martin potted the insurance marker to make the score 14-12.
Rebels tender Donovan Fliescher shut the door on numerous attempts by the Red Devils offense as the clock ticked the final minutes of the game.
Game 5 was a complete defensive battle as Six Nations defeated Wallaceberg to a low score of 5-4.
The Rebels hopped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first period with goals from Dallas John, Brine Rice and Joe Haodias.
Just under two minutes into the second frame, the Red Devils replied with a goal from Jordan Durston. Williams added a marker for the Rebels five minutes later to increase the lead to 4-1.
Jordan VanDamme scored an individual effort to close the gap to two late in the second period.
Branden Lilley brought the Red Devils within a goal early in the final period. Jordan VanDamme netted his second tally of the game knotting it up at 4 with just over 11 minutes remaining.
With just over a minute later, Jacob Bomberry fired one past former teammate Jacobs which would be the eventual game and series winner.
Ex-Rebel Jacobs was stellar in between the pipes as he stopped 55 of 60 shots he faced in his last Junior game of his career.
The Six Nations Rebels and Akwesasne Indians have both earned bids to the Founders Cup as the Rebels are the hosts while Akwesasne will be entered as Ontario Champions or runners up.
Both squads have strong offenses with solid goaltending to support their transition first defenses.
Although both teams have punched their tickets to the Founders Cup, they both would rather go into the tournament as Ontario champions.
