Two local players brought home gold medals after competing with Team Ontario at the 2016 Female Box Lacrosse Championships in Calgary July 18 to 23.
Team Ontario Midget player Frances McKnight of Fergus and Bantam team member Erin Rooney of Arthur captured gold during their final games on July 23.
While the Midgets got off to a rocky start, the team took control and hammered through to the gold medal game against British Columbia.
“We knew that last year, my team, the Bantam team, had done the exact same thing, where we came out and lost both first games [and] had to win all the rest of the games,” said McKnight, 15.
“We knew what we had to do and we had to just come out and work really hard and bury the ball and hope just to come out on top.”
The final game was back and forth, but with goal number six scored by McKnight – and number seven scored 10 minutes later – Team Ontario secured the 7-5 win.
“With like three seconds left, we were all standing up on the bench and with one second left, our whole team jumped the boards and ran at our goalie,” said McKnight.
“It was amazing, especially winning it back to back. I couldn’t be happier,” she said, adding she can’t wait to go back next year to try for a third straight title.
McKnight played seven games, scoring one goal and four assists.
Rooney, 13, scored four goals and three assists in seven games, helping Bantam Team Ontario rise to the top of the podium.
“I was really nervous because I was just thinking about how we worked really hard to get to this spot and I really, really wanted to win because it would be a great achievement,” she said.
In the final game against British Columbia, the girls grabbed a 4-1 win.
“My whole team pretty much jumped the boards, we threw our gloves and sticks in the air and jumped on the goalie,” said Rooney.
“It didn’t feel real … I was so happy at the time. It’s crazy to think we’re the best in Canada.”
At the senior level, Hayley Price of Arthur scored three goals and one assist during the six games of the national tournament. However, the senior Team Ontario couldn’t match Alberta and First Nations, losing all six games.
Two more local players, Landon Kells and Sam Hadley, will be playing goalie for the midget and bantam boys teams respectively in tournaments next week.
