Steve Conrad of the Clarington Green Gaels makes a break to the net with Six Nations’ Alex Hill, right, defending in Game 1 of the Junior B finals at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex. The Gaels lost their first game of the entire season, 8-6.
Green Gaels fall for first time
BOWMANVILLE -- The undefeated season is no longer for the Clarington Green Gaels.
Now on to more important matters: fighting for a trip to British Columbia for the Founders Cup national championships.
That, for the first time this season, was cast into doubt Thursday at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex, where the Green Gaels dropped the opener of the Ontario Lacrosse Association Jr. B final 8-6 to the Six Nations Rebels.
The best-of-five series continues Friday in Six Nations and returns to Bowmanville for Game 3 Sunday at 8 p.m.
“The kids got a wakeup call. We’ve hit a little bump in the road here,” said Green Gaels coach Jason Crosbie, who sat out the first of a two-game suspension Thursday, stemming from an incident at the end of the Halton Hills series.
“This is by far the best team we’ve faced all year,” Crosbie said of the Rebels. “They run, they’re really good on loose balls. They’re really tenacious in front of the net.”
The Green Gaels went into Thursday’s contest with a perfect 29-0 record this season, which included Eastern Conference playoff sweeps over Mississauga, Barrie and Halton Hills.
But they had yet to face the Rebels, champions of the Western Conference after a 17-3 regular season and 9-1 playoff run.
“They’re a well-balanced team that really, really hustles, so if you’re not up to giving 100 per cent, they’re going to be all over you,” Crosbie says.
The Rebels jumped out to a 4-1 first-period lead before the Gaels battled back to tie with three quick goals early in the second.
But a power outage caused a 20-minute delay, and the Gaels’ momentum was gone after the break, as the Rebels scored the next four and held on from there.
Wayne VanEvery scored three times for the Rebels, while Cody Johnson added a pair.
Adam Derks led the Clarington offence with three goals and an assist. Ryan Degerdon, Mark Matthews and Scott Fitchett also scored.
Todd Collins, who went into the game as the top playoff scorer, was held to one assist.
Despite the loss, Crosbie saw flashes of dominance by his club and still expected a long series.
“It’s hard to go through a whole season undefeated,” he said. “It was a great accomplishment what our kids did and I’m so proud of them, but I’m going to be prouder of how they respond to this.”