St. Regis Braves take President’s Cup Championship

The atmosphere was tense in the A’nowara’ko:wa Arena on Sunday night as the Snake Island Muskies were once again facing off against the St. Regis Braves in a championship game. Fans from both sides packed the Turtle Dome and the line-up to Cornwall was well over the bridge and then some as more fans tried to make it for this much-anticipated gold medal round. Both teams had something to prove based on their history together this season; with the Snake Island Muskies taking the Three Nations Lacrosse League championship in a Game #5 overtime period and then the St. Regis Braves winning the battle of the unbeaten’s last Thursday – night dishing out the Muskies first loss of the round-robin tournament.

With everything on the line the tempo of the game was much different than the one during the round-robin portion of the tournament. Each team gave everything they had, showing the audience what skilled lacrosse players’ look like. Very different from the rumble of Thursday night, the first period was like a testing of each other’s strength with each team matching goal for goal. By the end of the first period the score was tied at 3-3.

Starting off the second period the Snake Island Muskies pulled ahead briefly with a one-goal lead at 4-3, only to be taken aback as the St. Regis Braves countered with five unanswered goals. When the Snake Island Muskies were down by only two-goals they requested an equipment check, which would end up costing the St. Regis Braves their goalie while also serving a two-minute penalty and game misconduct against Justin Delormier. This setback didn’t deter the St. Regis Braves who managed to hold the line and maintain their lead through the end of the second period.

Coming into the third and final period of the game the Snake Island Muskies won the face-off, pushing the ball up the floor find Joe Hall open 15-feet away from the net. Joe Hall followed up his first goal of the period bringing his team to within two goals early in the third period. Two more goals later had the entire crowd on the edge of their seats wondering if they were about to witness a repeat of the TNLL Championship Game.

Not to be outdone St. Regis Braves player Scott Thompson found his teammate ‘Pistol’ Pete Jacobs on the opposite side of the floor who managed to score bringing his team ahead 9-8. Shortly after Mickey Golchrest pushed his way through the middle of the Muskies defense to score goal ten for the St. Regis Braves increasing their lead to 10-8.

With nothing else to lose both teams brought out every weapon in their arsenal to battle each other, with either teams goalie denying shot after spectacular shot. With the clock winding down to the three-minute remaining mark the tension in the Turtle Dome could have been cut with a knife. Would the St. Regis Braves hold off the other team and be crowned President’s Cup Champions, or would the Snake Island Muskies close another large deficit to clinch the top honor that only few of the great Akwesasne Lacrosse players have held?

With the final minute of play counting down the Snake Island Muskies rallied to gain control of the ball. A costly turnover saw Cody Jacobs of the St. Regis Braves take possession of the ball and after running down the shot clock he found an opening in front of the net. With six-seconds left on the clock Cody Jacobs managed to score the eleventh and final goal of the night with 28.26 seconds left on the clock. With a final score of 11-8 the St. Regis Braves go down in Sr. B Lacrosse history as the first Akwesasne team to win the President’s Cup in Akwesasne.

Box Score:

St. Regis Braves G-A-Pts

88 – Cody Jacobs 3-4-7

07 – Brett Bucktooth 3-3-6

12 – Scott Thompson 2-3-5

18 – Peter Jacobs 1-3-4

11 – Mickey Gilchrist -1-2

04 – Jeremy Thompson 1-1-2

09 – Averill J. Bucktooth 0-1-1

22 – Jerome Thompson 0-1-1

49 – Justin Delormier 0-1-1

Snake Island Muskies G-A-Pts

19 – Rusty Kruger 2-3-5

91 – Josh Sanderson 1-3-4

11 – Joe Hall 3-0-3

61 – Blaine Manning 0-3-3

77 – Wallace Thompson 0-1-1

88 – Delby Powless 1-0-1

03 – Evan Cree 0-1-1

06 – Raweras Mitchell 1-0-1

14 – Curry Rice 0-1-1

Earlier in the day the Kahnawake Mohawks faced off against the St. Catharines Saints to determine the bronze winner of the tournament. The Saints took an early lead finishing the first period 3-1 agains the Mohawks. This dominance continued throughout the game ending with the St. Catharine Saints fending off the Kahnawake Mohawks 13-8.

Box Score

Kahnawake Mohawks G-A-Pts

72 – Brodie Merrill 1-2-3

13 – Kasey Biernes 2-1-3

07 – Louis Alfred 1-1-2

10 – Luke Wiles-1-1-2

66 – Callum Crawford 1-1-2

91 – Chad Culp 1-1-2

96 – Kevin Dostie-0-2-2

32 – Alex Henderson 0-1-1

11 – Markie Kirby 0-1-1

16 – Chad Norton 0-1-1

08 – Joe Franck Thomas 1-0-1

St. Catharines Saints G-A-Pts

30 – Jake Henhawk 1-3-4

13 – Dylan Llord 2 -2-4

09 – Geoff McNulty 2-2-4

03 – Dus Nanticoke 2-2-4

39 – Chandon Hill 2-1-3

10 – Pat McReady 1-1-2

66 – Blue Hill 0-2-2

05 – Brad Favero 0-1-1

07 – Cody Johnson 1-0-1