The Sudbury U9 Rockhounds could not have asked for a whole lot more drama at the Ontario Lacrosse Festival (Provincials) in Whitby, with three of their five games coming right down to the final buzzer as the first year team made it through to the final four last weekend.
A goal from Arlo Angus with 3.2 ticks on the clock allowed the Rockhounds to escape their opener with a 10-10 tie with the Orillia Kings as the Sudbury crew competed in the U9 Division C OLA Provincials.
The tally would give the talented northern scorer a four goal game, a total that was matched by teammate Hector Medland. Rounding out the Rockhounds attack were Laughlin Hagen and Tucker Robitaille.
Game two was easily the most comfortable win for the nickel city reps, doubling the Huntsville Hawks 14-7 behind the offensive trio of Medland (7 goals), Angus (6) and Hagen (1).
That same troika were right back at it in the final round robin game as the Rockhounds escaped with a 12-11 win over Peterborough Lakers (2), building up a 12-7 third period lead and holding on over a frantic final five minutes of play.
Angus bumped his tournament total to 18, finding the back of the net eight times against the Lakers, with Medland (3) and Hagen also chipping in.
A second straight one goal win would see the Sudbury squad lean upon a few new faces in the goal scoring parade as the locals captured their semi-final affair 7-6 over the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves (2).
Medland (3) and Angus (2) were front and centre, once again, with Tucker Robitaille and Daxton Wabano also hitting the mark once each.
A semi-final battle against the eventual goal medal winning Clarington Gaels would mark the end of the line for the U9 crew, dropping a 16-5 decision to an opponent that would then roll over the West Durham Rockmen in a lopsided goal medal encounter (10-2).
Joining the previously mentioned Sudbury players at their first ever appearance at provincials were goaltender Jack Wilson as well as Luna Bertrand-Thrush, Justin Goulin, Zayden McGregor, Nwaadbasse Trudeau, Jimmy Simpson, Mako-Mgizi-Kwe Ashawasega and Athena Carriere
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