Round robin play served as the warning shot fired for the Sudbury U13 Rockhounds, signaling just how small the margin of error would be at the 2025 OLA (Ontario Lacrosse Association) Provincial Championships in Whitby this past weekend.

A heartbreaking quarter-final loss to the Lincoln Redcoats only served to reinforce the message.

After posting a 14-0 record in walking off with the banner at three separate tournaments this summer, the Sudbury lads were given a jolt in their first game at provincials, dropping a 4-2 decision to the NOTL (Niagara-on-the-Lake) Thunderhawks on Friday.

Thankfully, the squad bounced back nicely, downing both the Centre Wellington Riverhawks (4-2) as well as the Wallaceburg Griffins (9-1) and creating a three-way tie at 2-1-0 with both Hawks' teams and the Rockhounds.

Ironically, it would be the only team to take down the locals who would fall victim in the tie-breaker as GF/GA advanced the northern crew through to the round of eight.

The matchup with Lincoln was a good one as Sudbury led 5-4 with under two minutes to play, only to see the Redcoats pot a pair of goals twenty seconds apart, stealing a 6-5 win from the Rockhounds and eliminating the local entry in the process.

While local fans wait with anticipation for the start of U22 play on Wednesday, the Sudbury U9 Rockhounds are showcasing just how far they have come this year, capturing their first two games on Sunday in a pair of super tight matchups.

The GSLA reps opened with a 6-5 win over the Clarington Gaels and followed that up with a 6-4 win over the Oakville Hawks. With first place in their pool already clinched, the Rockhounds will wrap up U9 D - Group 2 play on Monday versus the Cambridge Highlanders, with a quarter-final contest awaiting later in the day.