Hunters celebrate 2025 championship

For the first time, a banner now adorns the rafters of the Kahnawake Sports Complex.

And it isn’t just any banner: it is the one marking the Kahnawake Junior B Hunters reaching the highest possible level in their level of lacrosse - and succeeding, winning the team’s first-ever Founder’s Cup last year.

“It feels great to finally have one hang in our arena in Kahnawake. It’s the first one, so it feels really good,” said Hunters team owner Derek Stacey.

This year’s team has not reached those heights yet, but they put themselves back on the right path this weekend, with home wins against the Mimico Mountaineers (14-6) and the Brampton Excelsiors (16-6) to bring their record to 5-3, good for second in the East at time of writing.

“That was a big win. We really needed that after those two losses that we should have had that slipped away from us,” said forward Jenson White, referring to the 8-7 loss to the Akwesasne Thunder and 6-4 loss to the Nepean Knights that closed their four-game road trip.

The ceremony to raise the banner took place on Saturday before the game against Mimico, with the Hunters players lining up facing where the banner was raised, above the scoreboard.

To mark the occasion, Joe Delaronde even acted as the in-house announcer on goals and penalties, and special towels were given out for free to youth that came to the game.

Some Hunters players said that getting to see that banner be raised gave them a boost before the game against Mimico.

The Hunters got off to a quick 5-0 lead in the first period and controlled the pace of play for most of the game, leading to a dominant victory for the home team.

“It definitely gave us some more morale to get the win. And obviously, we didn’t want to get a loss after something like that,” said defender Rohahes Stacey.

“The whole group just had that extra fire coming out, which really helped us get that 5-0 jump,” said White.

Before the banner was raised, Derek said a few words to honour the memory of his nephew, Ken’nikahrhà:sa Cross, who passed away tragically in the fall.

“He has cousins on the team, and family, and everybody knew him,” said Derek.

“I found it really lifted them up, because with our schedule lately, it’s been a grueling schedule, and I think they needed it to bring them back down to Earth. The banner is just the icing on top of the cake.”

Rohahes, Derek’s son and Cross’ cousin, plays with a sticker on the back of his helmet honouring Ken’nikahrhà:sa.

He said that, and the passing of his grandfather William “Bulldog” Stacey earlier this year, has motivated him while playing.

“Obviously, at the beginning of the season, that’s all I was thinking about, going into a season just playing for him and my grandfather,” said Rohahes.

“It’s in the past now, but obviously, you still think about it. It’s kind of like a boost I find, going out playing for something. It means a lot more than just being a game of lacrosse. You’re playing for who you lost, and all the people in the crowd.”

It made it extra special, then, for him to score his first goal in a Hunters’ uniform against Mimico, in his second season with the team.

“That was a good feeling,” said Rohahes.

“With our crowd and all the boys on the bench going as well, it felt really good.”

Derek said he was proud of his son’s first Hunters’ goal.

“He was always an offensive player growing up, so he knows how to score,” said Derek.

By the numbers

Statistically, the game against the Mountaineers was the Owen Rice show, with the Kanehsata’kehró:non registering nine points - four goals and five assists.

Winter Rivera also had a hat trick, adding five assists. Other goal scorers against Mimico were Reese Nugent (two), Tehahente Albany (two), Logan Gabriel (one), and Shakononhkwahtsheronniennis Rice (one).

Against Brampton, it was White’s turn to dominate the game, scoring five times and adding two assists. Seven other players scored for Kahnawake: Arahkwenhawe Two-Axe (two), Rakawineh Elijah (two), Albany (two), Shakononhkwahtsheronniennis (two), Wesley Morris (one), Ioteseronties Marcus Diabo (one), and even goaltender Waukiigan Shognosh scoring his first ever Junior goal.

Shakononhkwahtsheronniennis leads the team in goals (14), and points (30) after eight games, with Owen (13-15-28 in seven games) not far behind. Albany’s 17 assists lead the Hunters, meanwhile.

Their next two games will be tomorrow, Saturday, at home against the 1-6 Gloucester Griffins at home at 8 p.m. before facing the still-undefeated Akwesasne Thunder at 6 p.m. at the Sports Complex.

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