World Lacrosse Silver medal disappoints Iroquois Nationals

The Iroquois Nationals once again proved they are among the world’s best lacrosse players.

The club won the silver medal at the world indoor (box) lacrosse championships, which concluded on May 28.
Canada defeated the Iroquois Nationals 13-6 in the gold-medal contest at the tournament, which was staged in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.

The world indoor tournament has been held three times. Each time the Iroquois Nationals have placed second, behind only Canada.

The Canadians had thumped the Iroquois Nationals 21-4 in the final of the inaugural world tourney, held in Hamilton in 2003. A much closer championship final resulted at the 2007 championships in Halifax, as Canada edged the Iroquois Nationals 15-14 in a match decided in overtime.

Members of the Iroquois Nationals felt this was the best squad they had assembled and were seeking a gold medal this time around.

So that’s why they were somewhat disappointed, even with winning the silver medal once again.

“Our expectations were higher than what we got,” said Cody Jamieson, who was an offensive spark with the Iroquois Nationals, accumulating 22 points, including 16 goals in five games.

Jamieson, who is from Six Nations, Ont. and plays professionally with the Rochester Knighthawks of the National Lacrosse League, was one of two Iroquois Nationals’ players named to the tournament all-star team.

He was also chosen as the top transition player at the world event, which featured eight clubs.

Sid Smith, who like Jamieson is also from Six Nations and toils in the NLL for Rochester, was also a tournament all-star and was selected as the event’s top defender.
Early on it appeared the gold-medal match in Prague would be closer than it did end up being.

Canada led just 2-1 after the opening quarter. But the Canadians then took control of the match by outscoring the Iroquois Nationals 7-1 in the second quarter.

“That really defined the game,” Jamieson said. “They got on a good run and we couldn’t stop it.”

The teams then scored four goals apiece in the second half.

“We’re not 100 per cent satisfied with the silver,” said Iroquois Nationals’ general manager Ansley Jemison. “It was definitely a disappointment to win that. We felt we had put together a team that was capable of winning the gold medal.”

The club squared off against Ireland in its tournament opener and came away with a convincing 23-3 victory. That was followed by another lopsided win, 25-5 over the host Czechs.

The Iroquois Nationals then received their first true test at the championships in their final round-robin contest. And they responded with a slim 11-10 triumph over the United States.

Then, with a berth in the championship final on the line, the Iroquois Nationals handily defeated the Czechs once again, 19-6 this time, in their semi-final match.

Iroquois Nationals’ coach Duane Jacobs, who is a coach with the NLL’s Buffalo Bandits, also expressed disappointment at coming up short in the gold-medal battle.

“I don’t think anybody is satisfied getting the silver,” he said.

Jacobs added his side was facing a rather formidable foe in the final.

“You look at their lineup and they had all pro players,” he said. “We had half.”

Despite their disappointment at not winning gold, members of the Iroquois Nationals were still nonetheless pleased just in being able to participate at the tournament.

Many of the team’s players were among those who were caught up in a passport fiasco last summer and were prevented from competing at the world field lacrosse tournament in England.

Officials from the United Kingdom did not allow members of that squad to enter England with their Haudenosaunee passports.

So even though the Iroquois Nationals were viewed as a medal contender for the tournament in England, they were forced to withdraw from that event.

Jemison said all those who were part of the Iroquois Nationals entourage this year travelled to the Czech Republic with their Haudenosaunee passports.

“That was amazing,” Jemison said. “That was certainly appreciated and we thank the Czech Republic officials for all they did for us.”

Jacobs though said the Iroquois Nationals’ journey did have a few glitches - while the team was catching connecting flights in Switzerland, to and from the Czech Republic.

Jacobs said some customs officials in Switzerland had never seen Haudenosaunee passports before and supervisors had to be summoned before those being questioned were allowed to proceed.

Jamieson, one of the players who had been scheduled to compete at last year’s world tournament in England, said team members were thrilled at being allowed to travel with their preferred Haudenosaunee passports to Prague.
“That was a positive right off the bat,” he said.