Despite Loss, BLC Show Pride and Heart as 2024 Season Draws to a Close

By Mark Stehlin

It was not an ideal situation in which to play game four, particularly as Brooklin were down 3-0 in the series against the Peterborough Lakers. The squad had a number of players out with suspensions, following an infraction-filled game three, and still more were away for personal commitments.  BLC dressed only 16 runners, four of whom regularly appear on the Brooklin Merchants roster.

The Lakers, in front of 2,400 faithful fans, stormed out a 3-0 lead with just 1:43 off the clock. Dawson Theede stemmed the tide as he scored his first of three for BLC in the opening period. The teams went back and forth, and it was 7-5 for the Lakers at the buzzer.

Brooklin won the second period by a score of 3-2 and the clock showed a slim one goal lead for the home side who were up 9-8 after two periods. Adam Perroni scored on a pretty passing play from starter Zach Higgins who sent him in alone on Doug Buchan. Sean Westley was good for two of his own that period and Lakers fans looked a little anxious wondering what would transpire in the third period.

Rob Hellyer put the home fans at ease as he widened the slim gap, while two more from the Lakers opened the lead to 12-8 with 8:34 on the clock. The visitors had chances but Landon Kells ,who replaced Buchan to start the final frame, stymied BLC shooters time and again down the stretch.

The Lakers took the win by a 13-9 final and won the semi-final series 4-0.  They will now meet the Six Nations Chiefs, who defeated the Cobourg Kodiaks in four, for the Eastern Canadian final and the right to host the Mann Cup.

Joel Johnson said, “we were short-staffed out there and spotted them a couple of quick goals, but I felt we tightened down as the game wore on and kept it close especially through the second.”

He added “seeing the effort and the no-quit attitude in this team says a lot and we have much to build on going forward”. 

Johnson closed by saying, “the organization from players, trainers, equipment and executive work hard and we will come back stronger with lessons learned.”

The Brooklin Lacrosse Club coaching staff of Johnson and his assistants, Brad Reed and Clancy Almas were named Coaching Staff of the Year in Major Series Lacrosse (MSL) and goalie Zach Higgins was awarded Most Valuable Player in the MSL.

Scoring – O’Connor (2,2) Keenan (0,2) Theede (3,0) Perroni (1,0) Waters (0,2) Watkinson (0,1) Hickey (0,1) J Robinson (0,1) Westley (3,2) Chaykowsky (0,1)

Shots on net were close as BLC out-shot the Lakers by 56-50 through the game. Oddly enough, the shot clocks malfunctioned for the majority of the night, and the timekeepers and referees had to work together to alert the players verbally as the 30 seconds were winding down.

The Brooklin Merchants travel to Six Nations tonight for game three with the Ontario Series Lacrosse league final tied at 1-1, game four is Sunday night at Iroquois Park Sports Centre at 7:30 p.m. Game five, if needed, is Wednesday at Six Nations.