ONTARIO JUNIOR 'A' LACROSSE LEAGUE RANKINGS 

When it’s this early in an Ontario Junior “A” Lacrosse season, ranking the teams is always a true test of your allegiances and biases. There’s always perennial underdogs that start fast, and conversely, always perennial contenders that start slow. Your heart allows you to fall into a trap and fear the best, or the worst…until reality takes hold in late June and things become clearer. For now though, everyone is still alive, and that makes things a lot more entertaining.  With an eye towards putting all factors into perspective we decided to give it a shot, based on what we know to be true, verses all that which has already happened.

While every team in the top 3 has already lost a game in this young season, there are few doubters as to where they should be by seasons end. With that being said, each team has questions leading into 2018 and their answers to those questions will either keep them in the top 3…or drop them out. Only time will tell, but for now here we go.

1. Six Nations (Record 0 – 1)

Until Proven otherwise, the Arrows are the team to beat in Ontario.  The Champs are awaiting the return of two offensive stars in Austin Staats (JUCO Onandaga) and Tehoka Nanticoke (Albany) to return from school. The Dynamic Duo will undoubtedly ensure the Arrows will be at or near the top in the goals for category. The question mark for the Arrows will be between the pipes, as a stout Six Nations defence lost maybe the biggest x-factor possible in graduate goaltender Doug Jamieson.  Can Drayden Patey take the Arrows back to the Minto Cup? The arrows obviously believe so as the shipped last years back up Briley Miller to Burlington in the off season.

2. Brampton (Record 1 – 1)

Jeff Teat and Clarke Petterson will be back soon from Cornell and will provide the spark offensively to propel Brampton at or near the top of the goals for column. The question with Brampton is, can they get over the hump? Goals for hasn’t been a problem in recent years, and while they finished 6th overall in goals against as a unit, that number will have to improve in order for them to do what they all know is expected of them in 2018. Their D will have to be stingy, and returning goaltender Tyler Smyth will be a focal point. Brampton also traded for back to back Founders Cup Winning Goaltender Daniel Tanner to assist in the pipes.

3. Mimico (Record 1 – 1)

Boasting one of the best one-two punches in recent memory in the pipes, and returning a shutdown defense led by one of the best in the league in Warren Jeffrey, Mimico could actually improve on the 2nd overall goals against average they put up in 2017, second only to Six Nations. New Head Coach DJ Clevely could have his hands full out the O door replacing Tanner Thompson and Andrew Kew. They will need to be at or above their 5th overall finish in goals for in 2017 if they intend to win Ontario in 2018.

This next group of teams is quite large one and encompasses the remainder of the projected available playoff spots in 2018. A couple of them, may just be ready to challenge the top 3 teams for Ontario supremacy. There is a lot of parody in this group and they could finish in any order making them 4 point games every time two of them face off. Needless to say you should get out and watch as many as you can.

4. Burlington (Record 2 – 0)

Burlington has been flirting with greatness for some time now, can this year’s version of the Chiefs be the one to achieve it? Off to yet another fast start, which they have been accustomed to in recent years, the question for Burlington is can they sustain it. The team went out and traded for Goaltender Briley Miller from Six Nations, and having Ryan Lanchbury for the full season will only help this team avoid a June slide. Look for the Chiefs to score a ton, and if their off season game plan of cleaning up a 7th overall finish in goals against and a penalty kill that finished 9th in 2017 pays off, there is no reason the Chiefs can’t climb the ladder and challenge for a top 3 finish in 2018.

5. St. Catharines (Record 1 – 1)

Possibly the most interesting team in Junior A in terms of question marks and potential in my humble opinion. Returning the majority of a d core that finished 4th in goals against and 2nd in penalty kill efficiency in 2017, led by one of the best in Latrell Harris, and a goaltender in Nick Damude that is arguably in the top 3 in Ontario and it becomes clear that this team will be difficult to score on this season.  Additionally, the A’s welcome a brand new Coach in Steve Toll, who is returning home after taking the Mimico Mountaineers all the way to a Minto Cup. Needless to say there is reason for optimism and the belief is that this team could take a major leap forward in 2018. With Alex Simmons and Carter Zavitz a year older and ready to take a step forward, the presence of Jeff Wittig and late 2017 season addition Jake McNabb from Six Nations, the Athletics could improve on an 8th overall performance in goals for in 2017. With a 1-1 record in arguably the two toughest road games they will have this season, their off to a pretty good start thus far.

6. Toronto (Record 3 – 0)

The Beach boys are off to a fast start in 2018…all games at home thus far. Toronto is a team that again boasts a good young offensive group, and have brought in some new pieces on the offensive side of the ball in order to improve upon a 6th place finish in goals per game and a dead last 11th in power play efficiency in 2017. The 2018 version of the beach boys has the potential to score a ton of goals in 2018. The obvious question that I eluded to in a previous article is, can they continue this torrid start as they start travelling, and as the calendar switches to June? This will depend on them improving on an 11th place finish in goals against in 2017, a mark that will have to drastically improve in order for Toronto to contend in 2018.

7. Orangeville (Record 1 – 3)

After back to back Founders Cups Head Coach Bruce Codd has taken over the reins in Orangeville. This year’s version of the Northmen is young and fast and while they are off to a slow start by Northmen standards, they started with 3 on the road and are coming off a big win vs. a depleted Brampton team in their home opener. As young teams usually do, and with Coach Codd at the helm, it’s easy to envision this group getting better as the season wears on.

8. Whitby (Record 3-2)

The Whitby Warriors are another team with a lot of young offensive talent. Second year man Dyson Williams and Tanner Cook have had nice starts to their season and will need to continue to do so if the Warriors intend to finish near the top in goals for, as they did a year ago (2nd overall). On the back end, Whitby will have to drastically improve a 10th overall goals against average in order to compete in 2018.

9. Kitchener-Waterloo (Record 2 – 0)

The braves are among a trio of teams creating quite a buzz in the early going. Strong between the pipes with starter Steven Orleman, KW has jumped out to a 2 – 0 start. Offensively they return all of their top 5 scorers from 2017, with all of them a year older, they are bound to improve upon an 8th overall goals per game average. If Orleman and the defense can replicate their 5th overall finish in goals against average than we may see KW improve upon a 7th overall finish in the standings in 2017.    

These last two spots represent those teams that are rebuilding. Both teams have high quality top end players and a plethora of young talent. By no means are they being written off in this article, they are only being identified as the longest odds to win this season, and as the Vegas Golden Knights continue to prove…this means absolutely nothing. Anyone can get hot, and in a short Junior A season…a little heat can go a long way.

10. Barrie Lakeshores (Record 1-3)

The Barrie Lakeshores lost a lot of players last year and undertook a big rebuild. Rookies Jakob Power, Cam and Matt Acchione and Carson Moyer are all looking good early on, second year man Brett Handsor, along with high scoring veteran Brendan Welsh should continue to lead the way as Barrie Looks to improve an offense that finished dead last in Goals for in 2018. Coach Brian Beisel has the defense doing their part early on in front of top end goaltender in Ethan Woods, holding all opposing offenses under 10 goals, and all this without one of the best in Ontario on the back end in Owen Down. This team has a bright future, and if the offense can get near ten on a given night their D will give them a chance to win. If that does happen the future could be closer than you think in Lakeshore land.

11. Peterborough Lakers (Record 0-5)

The Peterborough Lakers, while off to a slow start, have a lot to be excited about in 2018. First and foremost is the return from Injury of Ethan Walker which will be a tremendous boost to the group. The lakers added some top end offensive talent in this year’s draft in Jaden Bushey and Tyler Hendrycks, both of whom have had an impact early on. Second year transition man and 2017 first overall selection Zach Young looks ready to take a step forward in his second year, and Landon Kells is making the jump to Junior A in the pipes. The Laker youth movement will no doubt improve as the year progresses, and needs to in order to challenge for a seat in the playoffs in 2018. 

By: Mark Baldini