IL Indoor

Ontario Junior B, Road to the Founders

Brampton lacrosse played big role in leading Halton Hills to Founders Cup title

The Halton Hills Bulldogs won the 2010 Founders Cup, with plenty of help from Brampton. (Photo: Graham Paine)

The Brampton Excelsiors are 1 victory away from yet another trip to the Mann Cup and that’s a mild surprise, if only because of all the hype the rival Peterborough Lakers have received this summer. And really, can you fault the hype? Rolling such a star-studded lineup on to the floor all summer long gave observers every indication that the Lakers were the Major Series team to beat this summer and the Excelsiors haven taken that to heart. So how is Brampton getting it done? The fine goaltending of Anthony Cosmo certainly is a factor, if not THE factor. But looking ahead, Brampton itself has a fine stable of young talent that bodes well for seasons down the road. And a good chunk of that potential talent just won the Junior B Founders Cup with the Halton Hills Bulldogs. READ MORE »

Business Time

Arena Lacrosse League pushed to 2012 start date, “… very confident that we will have teams from New York to Florida.” – Harvie

Arena Lacrosse League President & Commissioner Alan Harvie

It was back in late-June that Allan Harvie Jr. officially announced his plans for the Arena Lacrosse League, an indoor lacrosse based league that would operate as a non-profit organization with proceeds being donated to Harvie’s run virginians4haiti, a charity that, “assists with rebuilding of the homes, hearts and souls of the Haitian people who are in desperate need of such aid.”

Harvie initially announced that the unique league would operate within Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland, but stated today in a report in the Richmond Times Dispatch that, “I can say that we are very confident that we will have teams from New York to Florida,” Harvie offered. “As it stands we will start our first season with 7-8 teams but I would like to have 10.” READ MORE »

B.C. Junior A, Road to the Minto Cup

Coquitlam Adanacs post-game Minto Cup winning celebration

Above, check out the dying moments of this year’s Minto Cup and the Coquitlam Adanacs post-game celebration, sweeping the favoured Orangeville Northmen in two straight games in their best of three national final, Coquitlam backstop Dan Lewis named Insider’s Playoff Performer of the Year yesterday. Check back with Insider on Wednesday for a photo rewind with photographer Ward Laforme Jr., featuring some absolutely stunning images from this year’s Minto in BC. Video provided by disktracker.

Back in the Day

New Westminster Salmonbellies and Wayne Goss featured on TSN

Lacrosse legend Waye Goss

For those that tuned into TSN’s SportsCentre yesterday, you likely saw that stellar piece they broadcasted on the New Westminster Salmonbellies, the city of New West the last stop on TSN’s Kraft Celebration Tour. The segment on the recent three-time WLA champions featured a profile on one of the sport’s greatest, classiest, highest scoring, winningest icons, Wayne Goss, the multiple Hall of Famer part of an unfortunate accident in the early 80’s, suffering a severe brain stem injury affecting his balance, co-ordination and speech. Click here to check out TSN’s profile with Goss, looking at just how important the sport is to the six-time Mann Cup winner and virtually everyone living in the city. And for those into checking out some classic WLA memories, check out this blog, WLA Past Masters Lacrosse, a great little online retrospective hosted by Gord Frederickson Jr.

Road to the Mann Cup

Canadian Lacrosse Association Major Power Rankings: Three still alive in drive for Mann Cup, Bellies still waiting, Excels a win away

Can Jamie Batley get the heavily favoured Lakers to this year's Mann Cup? (Photo: Dave Sanders)

Is Geoff Snider, who has yet to suit up for the Peterborough Lakers (or Senior B affiliate), getting antsy? The New Westminster Salmonbellies are still waiting and watching the Brampton Excelsiors and Lakers pound the hell out of one another in a series that could still go a full seven. The good and bad of the Evans brothers has been showcased during the MSL final. And what a finish to Game 5 on Sunday night, which now has Brampton just a win away from hostig this year’s Mann Cup, in search of their third straight title. After the jump, check out this week’s Insider CLA Major Power Rankings. READ MORE »

Futures Report, Ontario Junior A

NLL Entry Draft: Hello My Name Is… Scott Johnston

Burlington Chiefs transition defender and assistant captain Scott Johnston

As we’ve mentioned before on Insider, one of the biggest things that snows fresh National Lacrosse League prospects, even just at their first training camp, is usually the speed and tempo of the game, through the opposition’s wheels and ball movement.

Of the two typical road blocks rookies experience, a lack of speed will not be an issue for Burlington Chiefs two-way defender Scott Johnston, one of the OLA Junior A loop’s quickest, shiftiest and more intelligent up-the-floor defenders, a relentless worker in his own end whose impressive speed allows him to kick-start the Chiefs’ O press too. READ MORE »

Buffalo Bandits

Buffalo names former Bandits great Rich Kilgour Assistant Coach

Buffalo has named former Bandits Cup winner and captain Rich Kilgour assistant. (Photo: Bandits)

From Press Release

Buffalo Bandits Director of Lacrosse Operations Scott Loffler today announced that former captain Rich Kilgour has been named as an assistant coach.

“I watched last season from the stands and it was difficult. It’ll be good to be back inside the glass. And I think I know the head coach pretty well, so the transition from the floor to the bench shouldn’t be that difficult,” said Kilgour. “We have a great group of guys and an awesome fan base so I am extremely excited to be back in the fold.” READ MORE »

Road to the Mann Cup

Peterborough Lakers go from series lead to barely holding on, Brampton Excels W away from Mann Cup after pair of weekend wins

Heading into last Friday night, the Peterborough Lakers had a 2-1 Major Series Lacrosse Final series lead over the two-time defending Mann Cup champion Brampton Excelsiors. On Monday morning however, things have changed dramatically. Above, check out video of the Excels’ Game 4 win from Friday night at the Powerade Centre, and after the jump find out what’s happened since, Brampton now just a W away from yet another trip to the Mann Cup. READ MORE »

Alberta Junior A, B.C. Junior A, Ontario Junior A, Road to the Minto Cup

Playoff Performer of the Year: Coquitlam A’s Dan Lewis, plus All-Minto First & Second Teams

Coquitlam Adanacs goaltender Dan Lewis was one of the tournament's biggest impact players, a huge difference maker in the three wins over Orangeville. (Photo: Ward Laforme Jr.)

Insider had named Coquitlam Adanacs goaltender Dan Lewis this year’s Playoff Performer of the Year, the A’s goaltender a huge reason why Coquitlam beat the Orangeville Northmen not just once in round robin play but two straight times in the Minto’s best-of-three final, giving the Adanacs their first ever Minto Cup victory. READ MORE »

Road to the Mann Cup

Victoria Shamrocks left pondering the progress they made in summer of 2010

Victoria's Tyler Hass scores on New Westminster goalie Matt Roik in Game 4. (Photo: Gary Woodburn)

The expectation for the Victoria Shamrocks really is quite simple: Win. That’s the price any organization pays when it builds the reputation the Shamrocks had built, winning 4 Mann Cups and appearing in 5 other Mann Cup finals since 1996. And it’s a price the ‘Rocks are, year in and year out, more than willing to pay. Victoria thought it had the receipt to cash in on the glory in 2010, but that dream was rudely interrupted by a bigger, stronger New Westminster team. “It was a little bit alarming how good they were, and how easily they beat us,” Victoria coach Walt Christianson told the Times Colonist after his team was swept by the Salmonbellies last week. READ MORE »