2003 Jr. "A" Preview



Wednesday April 16, 2003



BRAMPTON EXCELSIORS

52nd consecutive season in league
Minto Cups won: 4 - 1952, 1957, 1958, 1959
OLA titles won: 10 - 1922, 1930, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1962, 
1976, 1994
8 consecutive losing seasons
made playoffs last year first time in 7 seasons
Record in 21st Century: 14-49-1
2001 record: 6-17-1

Coach: Jeremy Tallevi(6-17-1)

Best Player: Sean Orr.  Have to admire this Huntsville native's loyalty
as he returns year after year.

Next Superstar: Andy Secore.  One of Brampton's high draft picks must
evolve into a top notch player some day.

Key To Success: Having all their draft picks play as well and as
regularly as Orr has.  Oops!  Did I hear that Daryl Veltman's rights
have gone to Orangeville?

Surprise Prediction: Colin Holbrough comes back to take a leadership
role.

Forecast: The defection of Francis Dostie is a crucial blow.  For a
team always fighting to get their draft picks to play for them Dostie
was a trememdous positive heading into 2002.  This year he represents a
negative omen.  There is no shame in missing the playoffs in the OLA
any year.  This season there really is little to choose between fourth
and eleventh place.  Knowing how to win seems to be the only thing
which keeps the Whitbys and Orangevilles and Peterboroughs ahead of the
lesser lights.  These days self confidence is the biggest asset,
perhaps because most lacrosse players seem to be fair weather sailors. 
It would be nice to see one of the bottom teams overcome its history
and rise up to inspire us all.  I doubt Brampton will be that team this
year.

Prediction: 11th place








BURLINGTON CHIEFS

28th consecutive season in league
Minto Cups won: none
OLA titles won: none
*Semi Finalist in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1988 - swept 4-0 each time
one winning season since 1980
missed playoffs last year for first time in 7 seasons
Record in 21st Century: 20-48
2001 record: 4-16

Coach: Jeff Dowling(4-16)

Best Player: Graham Sutherland.  leadership, defence, toughness and an
offensive game still developing.

Next Superstar: David Lomas.  What a wonderful rookie season he
enjoyed.

Key To Success: Several decent young players - like Gilchrist, Wagar,
Leveille and Willson - all must raise their game a level.

Surprise Prediction: Duncan Ross stays healthy this year.

Forecast:  The Chiefs will be in their usual spot of battling for a
playoff spot.  They should have more success this season and climb back
into the post season.

Prediction: 7th place








KITCHENER-WATERLOO BRAVES

13th consecutive season in league
Minto Cups won: none
OLA titles won: none
*Semi Finalist in 1992 - lost 4-2 to St.Catharines
one winning season since 1992
missed playoffs last 2 years
Record in 21st Century: 14-50
2001 record: 5-15

Coach: Corey Hallman(5-15)

Best Player: Ryan Benesch.  Tremendous first year with more to come.
Next Superstar: Obviously Ryan Benesch.  Keep an eye on goaltender Mike
Poulin

Key To Success: Building on their first year accomplishments
Surprise Prediction: Joel Wilson has a big sophmore year.

Forecast: 2002 this was basically a rookie team.  Given that, the
season was a success.  Now comes Year Two and it's time for the Braves
to climb towards the top.  They are not the only young team to be
improved but they are the one which needs to be most closely watched. 
In 2003 there are two Semi Final spots wide open and any of the bottom
teams could challenge for them.  If anyone does surprise it will likely
be K-W.

Prediction: 6th place








MISSISSAUGA TOMAHAWKS

16th consecutive season in league
Minto Cups won: none
OLA titles won: none
*Finalist in 1967, 1968, 1974, 1975 - lost 4-1 in 1968 ending Gaels 
perfect season
1 winning season in last 8 years
missed playoffs last 2 years
Record in 21st Century : 22-42
2001 record: 3-17

Coach Al Burton(25-62-1)

Best Player: Marc Burton.  Consistent improvement continues.

Next Superstar: Jeff Shattler.  Have to rate 2002 as a bit of a
disappointment.  This better be his year.

Key To Success: Scott Gillingham a fulltime Tommie again.

Surprise Prediction: Alex Bournazakis puts two dismal years behind him
and produces offensively.

Forecast: Same old story for Missy?  Things can only look up.  It will
be interesting to see how their young players progress.  They'll be in
the fight for a playoff spot all year long.  If there is one key it
will be their opening three game road trip.  They are all winnable
games.  Really the Tommies first six contests all have the promise of
success and the confidence which comes with it.  But if they falter
early it will be hard sledding.

Prediction: 10th place








ORANGEVILLE NORTHMEN

13th consecutive season in league
Minto Cups won: 3 - 1993, 1995, 1996
OLA titles won: 4 - 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000
10 consecutive winning seasons
made playoff 12 straight years
Record in 21st Century: 45-21-1
2001 record: 17-13

Coach: Lindsay Sanderson(119-62-2)

Best Player: Chad Culp.  Could be best in the league.

Next Superstar: Nathan Sanderson...eventually.  School responsibilities
will limit his imput for now.

Key To Success: Jr.B Northmen, like Josh Agar and Jeff Rusak.

Surprise Prediction: With more floor time Darren Halls develops quickly
into one of the best drawmen, toughest loose ballers and adds more of a
scoring touch to his portfolio.

Forecast: Time to replace talent like Brodie Merrill Matt Marchildon
and Bryan Kazarian.  The Northmen have never been top heavy on offence
so the challenge is a terrific one.  Orangeville lacrosse does have
depth though so they will remain in the thick of matters and be a
pushover to no one.  I am confident Agar will settle their goaltending
concerns.  Putting the ball in the net will still be the paramount
task.  If things go Orangeville's way, they could really surprise and
be a top two team.  A more reasonable expectation would be a tough
fight with Peterborough for fourth spot.  If Whitby flops then third is
very available.  But all that offence which has graduated is a nagging
worry.

Prediction: 5th place








ORILLIA KINGS

6th consecutive season in league
Minto Cups won: 3 - 1937, 1939, 1940
OLA titles won: 3 - 1937, 1939, 1940
1 winning season in 5 years
made playoffs last 2 years
Record in 21st Century: 31-41-1
2001 record: 12-15

Coach: Jim Meredith(12-15)

Best Player: Luke Wiles.  Hasn't he been one of the best in Junior
three years now?

Next Superstar: Chad Thompson.  Kings offence will be centred around
him and Wiles this season.

Key To Success: Braden Deane.  Every year Cam Devine scrambles for
goaltending and every year he finds someone.

Surprise Prediction:  Louis Alfred comes back?  That really is too
much.  How about: Derek Lowe?

Forecast: It is a shame to see such a good team lose so much talent. 
The Kings were a real treat to watch in the playoffs last summer and it
was unfortunate their campaign ended so abruptly.  Their final three
games of the Beaches series were the best three games I witnessed all
last year.  I haven't seen a decent Jr.A game since then!  Now Orillia
must regroup.  At least they still have Luke Wiles, which gives them
the potential to recover very quickly.  Alas the competition, even in
the bottom half of the league, is thick and it will take more than one
player to carry a team through.

Prediction: 8th place








PETERBOROUGH LAKERS

45th consecutive season in league
Minto Cups won: 11 - 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1981, 1982, 1983, 
1986, 1987, 1989
OLA titles won: 14 - 1961, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1981, 
1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
1 losing season in 11 years
made playoffs 11 straight years
Record in 21st Century: 46-39
2001 record: 21-10

Coach: John Martin(184-78) - won 1986 & 1987 Minto Cups

Best Player: Dan Carey.  Though Scott Eldridge is the best drawman in
the league.

Next Superstar: Shawn Evans.  You can bank on a forty point season and
perhaps much more.
Key To Success: Replacing Cole Murray number one priority.

Surprise Prediction: The Lakers will score as many goals as they did
last year.  Too much good young talent for them not to.

Forecast: This is the team which should have been kicking itself all
winter long.  Everything lay at their feet a year ago and to not get to
the OLA Final to give themselves a chance was a glorious opportunity
lost.  So we start fresh in 2003 and expect the young Lakers to bounce
back quickly.  From Carey, through, Wasson, McIntyre and Hobbins, on to
Vitarelli(if he's not lost to hockey) plus rookies Evans and Sorensen,
there's too much potential there for this team to fall far.  The loss
of Cole Murray is a huge blow.  Yet Peterborough is like the little boy
putting his finger in the dyke, they find ways to plug their holes and
stay close to the frontrunners.  It is already rumoured that they've
found a replacement for Murray.  Time will tell.

Prediction: 4th place








ST.CATHARINES ATHLETICS

22nd consecutive season in league
Minto Cups won: 5 - 1947, 1950, 1990, 1991. 2001
OLA titles won: 15 -1914, 1920, 1921, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1947, 
1948, 1949, 1950, 1990, 1991, 2001, 2002
20 consecutive winning seasons
made playoffs 21 straight years
Record in 21st Century: 84-27-1
2001 record: 34-4

Coach: Bob Luey(0-0)

Best Player: Matt Vinc.  This is the year we get to see how good he can
be.

Next Superstar: Mark Paniccia.  He's a bit older than most in this
category but I suspect he'll be the league's top goal scorer.

Key To Success: Too good a team to define success by any one player,
however Craig Conn not getting suspended and producing every night
would be a big boost.

Surprise Prediction: A's return to run and gun offence of the past.

Forecast: It is easy to dismiss a perfect season after it has happened.
But the A's did do the unthinkable last year.  They were clearly
better than any other team by a large margin.  Returning nearly all
their offensive stars and most of their defensive standouts, the Double
Blue should be the team to beat once again.  I don't think anyone
should expect a 32-0 season.  Still I will put my money on the
Athletics to be the last Ontario team standing in the end.  Their
greatest asset has always been their ability to find ways to win.

Prediction: 1st place.








SIX NATIONS ARROWS

14th consecutive year in league
Minto Cups won: 1 - 1992
OLA titles won: 2 - 1992, 1998
1 losing season in six years
made playoffs 6 straight years
Record in 21st Century: 56-30-1
2001 record: 9-15

Coach: Duane Jacobs(9-15)

Best Player: Dus Nanticoke.  Yet another terrific player with limited
size.

Next Superstar: Cody Jacobs.  Was just getting comfortable late last
year.

Key To Success: Stewart Monture's point totals jump as much again this
year.

Surprise Prediction: Pete Benedict returns.  That would be a major
upset.

Forecast: We saw the Arrows tumble before.  1995-96 were two difficult
seasons.  This time, at least, they have not fallen so far and the
talent is there to recover immediately.  However the last thing needed
is a coach resigning two weeks prior to the start of the season(if the
rumours about Jacobs are accurate).  Thus Six Nations enter 2003 with a
young team, unproven goaltending and the handicap of a coaching change
at the top.

Prediction: 9th place








TORONTO BEACHES

6th consecutive year in league
Minto Cups won: none
OLA titles won: 5 - 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919
1 winning season since 1995
made playoffs last 2 seasons
Record in 21st Century: 31-33
2001 record: 22-16

Coach: Jack Chisholm(22-16)

Best Player: Kyle Wailes.  He's the horsepower behind the Beaches
offence.

Next Superstar: Clearly Wailes, yet Bobby McBride must be watched.

Key To Success: Some good offensive talented players, one needs to step
up and become great.

Surprise Prediction: John McLellan makes his mark as the OLA's top
goalie.

Forecast: A year ago Jon Iannucci passed on Toronto and Peterborough to
play for St.Catharines.  It proved to be the correct choice.  This
season Jordan Hernandez is the next high profile westerner to come
east.  He has chosen Beaches over St.Catharines.  Has something
changed?  Is there a sense in the lacrosse world that this is the
Beaches year?  They are certainly the prime challenger to the dominant
A's.  They have everything necessary to win it all, though they will
have to be better in 2003 to beat St.Catharines - something they did
not do last year.  It's a mighty gap to close.  Safe money is on
Toronto and St.Catharines advancing to the Minto Cup.  I suspect there
will be little to choose between these two powerhouses.  The difference
may be that I see the possibility of Toronto being upset before the
final.  I don't think anyone else in this league can touch the A's.

Prediction: 2nd place








WHITBY WARRIORS

29th consecutive season in league
Minto Cups won: 5 - 1980, 1984, 1985, 1997, 1999
OLA titles won: 8 - 1960, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1997, 1999
9 consecutive winning seasons
made playoffs 9 straight years
Record in 21st Century: 50-36-1
2001 record: 14-12-1

Coach: Jeff McComb(14-12-1)

Best Player: Mike Morrison is their best talent.  Will he show before
July this year?

Next Superstar: Zack Greer.  He and Evans easily the best two coming
out of Midget.

Key To Success: Ryan McMichael plays smart and combines his toughness
and talent to surprise everyone.

Surprise Prediction: Josh Colley is a top ten scorer in the league.

Forecast: I'm tempted to simply copy last year's forecast.  Another
disappointing fifth place finish.  Only worse this time as the Warriors
failed to win a playoff series.  A terrible seven game loss which was
as ugly a series as Junior lacrosse has seen since the 1980s.  So
Whitby look to 2003 with as many questions surrounding the team as last
year.  Most disappointing a year ago was how low scoring Warrior games
were.  Hopefully Whitby can revive it's offensive tradition.  The
addition of Zack Greer is a step in the right direction.  With luck
Josh Colley will finally settle into a Warrior uniform and make his
mark.  Perhaps Mike Morrison will recover from a dismal 2002 campaign. 
The talent is there for Whitby to do much.  The danger is that they
falter again and the franchise gets into the habit of playoff losses.

Prediction: 3rd place