Finalists ready for run at cup

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Whenever a club loses in a championship final cries of 'We'll be back next year' are often heard.

Such was certainly the case with the Six Nations Arrows. Last summer the Arrows were downed 4-1 in a best-of-seven series by the Burnaby Lakers in the Minto Cup, the Canadian Junior A lacrosse championship.

The British Columbia-based Lakers played host to last year's Minto Cup.

This season the champion of the Ontario Lacrosse Association's 11-team Junior A circuit will get to play host to the event. The OLA winner will battle the Western Lacrosse Association champ (many believe it will be Burnaby once again) for the Minto Cup, which was originally handed out in 1901.

Based on their early-season successes, the Arrows have to be considered legitimate threats to make it back to the Minto Cup. The club won nine of its first 10 games.

Many league observers believe it will be either the Arrows, the Orangeville Northmen, who were off to a 9-0 start, or the Whitby Warriors, who lost just one of their first nine contests, who will end up winning the OLA crown and thus playing host to the Minto Cup.

"I'd like to think we're better than last year," said Mike Montour, who shares the Arrows' coaching duties with Kim Smith and Dave General. "We're not winning by big scores this year but we are doing a very good job on defence."

The majority of the players that were with the Arrows are back with the club this season. Only four players from the '98 version of the squad used up their junior eligibility.

Because of what they went through at last year's Minto Cup, the Arrows have been trying things a bit differently this season. The club brought in a handful and is still continuing its search for some rather large and fiesty players.

Montour said the Six Nations side, known for its speed and stick skills a year ago, is trying to pattern itself after Burnaby, a squad stacked with some pretty big boys.

"We were totally intimidated by them last year," Montour said. "They bullied us from start to finish. And our smaller guys couldn't get near their net."

Montour is also looking forward to the possibility of playing the Minto Cup at home. OLA teams have traditionally complained about receiving poor officiating when they battle for national titles out west. Conversely, WLA squads are often lamenting the work of refs during Canadian championships staged in Ontario.

"The referees in B.C. last year were just unbelievable," Montour said. "We play against the refs wherever we go because we are Native. I've been involved with the game for about 40 years. And out West that just took the cake. It was one penalty after another for our team."

The one Arrows' player rivals have been concentrating on this year is Kim Squire. He's been a target because he spent his winter and early spring starring for the Toronto Rock of the professional National Lacrosse League. The Rock won this year's NLL title.

Squire had only about a week's rest after the Rock ended its season and before he joined the Arrows. He didn't play for Six Nations during a pre-season tournament in Burlington, Ont. but he was there for the start of the regular season.

"We didn't expect him back so early," Montour said. "But he's a gamer and he's been there right from the start. Some nights he is our best player but other teams really key on him."

Meanwhile, there's seven other Native clubs participating in the OLA this season.

Four of those teams are at the Junior B level, including the Onondaga Warriors, an expansion franchise from the Syracuse, N.Y. area. The Warriors have had limited growing pains as they got off to an 11-2 start. Onondaga is coached by Freeman Bucktooth, who was also one of the bench bosses for the NLL's Syracuse Smash this past season.

The other three Native Junior B entrants were all off to not so impressive starts. As mid-June approached the Six Nations Red Rebels were 4-5, the Akwesasne Lightning was 5-7 and the Kahnawake Mohawks were 4-7-1.

Native clubs were also strggling early at the Major (senior) level.

The Akwesasne Thunder was 3-3, the Six Nations Chiefs were 1-4 and the Ohsweken Wolves were winless after six contests.