Innisfil hosted one of two inaugural games in the new Ontario Junior C lacrosse league this week, with the Wolfpack matching up against the Centre-Wellington Warlords at the Stroud arena in front of a crowd of more than 150 fans.
As the first game in both team’s season and careers, the energy in the arena was palatable with players chomping on the bit to get things going.
Caught off guard at the start of the game, in what could have been first game jitters, Innisfil fell behind by two points after a duo of quick goals three minutes into the game.
Ceding a couple of points to the opposition does wonders for focusing a team’s attention, and the Wolfpack came on with a fury, with a short-handed goal by Jack Beasley at the seven minute mark and a powerplay goal by Chris Clifford at ten minutes, to tie the game.
“We were impressed when they quickly fought their way back,” said General Manager Owen Missen. “For a first game, it’s great to see that kind of effort and determination.”
The teams remained stride for stride for the final minutes of the first period with neither team scoring before the buzzer.
Throughout the game the Wolfpack struggled with penalties, accumulating 38 minutes in penalties for 19 infractions, more than doubling Centre-Wellington’s 18 minutes for nine infractions.
“We got into penalty trouble and that was our biggest trouble,” said Missen. “Our biggest concern now is to keep playing with aggression but under control.”
The Wolfpack is a young team and the excitement of the first game combined with officiating difference between the Junior level and Intermediate may have contributed to the number of minutes in the box.
The full impact of penalty minutes hit home in the second period, when Centre-Wellington scored two of its four goals on powerplays. Cody Beasley and Jesse MacAleese both answered for Innisfil in the second but it wasn’t enough to close the gap with the period ending 6-4.
A game of box lacrosse consists of three 20 minute periods with only the fittest keeping the pace until the final whistle. Being early in the season, with many players still getting their legs, the game slowed in the third period with both teams playing a calmer more controlled game. But, again, it was the penalty minutes that provided the opening for the Warlords with the final powerplay goal scored seven minutes into the third for a final score of 7-4.
“If we can stay out of the box we’ll be a hard team to beat,” said Missen, adding that with players in the box it was difficult to mount a consistent offensive pressure. “That hurt our ability to score. Without the penalty minutes it would have made for a very different game.”
Despite the loss the fans were more than happy with the night and the game.
“It’s pretty intense,” said D’Arcey Taylor who came out to watch one of his friends play. He’s never played lacrosse but described it as a lot like hockey but with lots of shoving.
He plans to be a regular spectator throughout the 10-week season and says that having a Junior ‘C’ team in Innisfil is ‘pretty cool.’
For Missen and the coaching staff, it was a tight game in a league that promises to be very competitive. “We’re very pleased with the team,” said Missen.
The Wolfpack plays their next game on Tuesday, May 20 at 8 p.m. at the Stroud arena.
Today's Weather 
Clear and 26°C
Clear and 26°C
