Hunters drafted by National Lacrosse teams
Graduating Kahnawake Hunters Kaymen Diabo (left) and Hawi Francis were both selected in the National Lacrosse League entry draft on September 6. Courtesy Kahnawake Hunters
Fresh off their celebratory parade and party in town on Saturday to celebrate their Founders Cup win, Kahnawake Junior B Hunters players Kaymen Diabo and Hawi Francis learned that their summer of lacrosse success was not quite over.
Both players were selected in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) entry draft on Saturday, with Diabo being selected in the fifth round, 66th overall by the Colorado Mammoth, while Francis was picked in the sixth, 79th overall by the recently relocated Oshawa Firewolves.
“I’m really excited to be drafted. It’s a dream of mine to play pro and I have a chance to do that, I just have to try and get a roster spot,” said Diabo.
He was excited to see that his teammate Francis was drafted, too.
“I’m super happy for Hawi, he deserves this so much and was a really key piece on our offense, and I think he will be a key piece in the NLL,” said Diabo.
He said that as the rounds progressed, and he remained unpicked, he was starting to feel nervous. That all changed when Colorado selected him with their fifth-round pick.
“It just felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders, because it started to get deep in the draft and I didn’t know if I was going to get picked,” said Diabo.
Kaymen’s father, Kirby Joe Diabo, has been with his son throughout his lacrosse journey, whether it be as parent, fan, coach, or, this year, as assistant manager to the Hunters.
Like his son, Kirby Joe was very happy he was drafted.
“It’s unreal. He’s come a long way. He’s put a lot of work in over the years, and it’s good to see it all paying off,” said Kirby Joe.
“He knows there’s a lot of work to be put in. The work didn’t even start yet. The first step is getting there, and now it’s all about making the team.”
The Mammoth won’t be a completely unknown environment for Kaymen, because Mammoth head coach Pat Coyle was also his coach when he played for the Minto Cup-winning Junior A Coquitlam Adanacs in 2024.
“Pat Coyle is an amazing coach, and I’ve learned a lot from him from my time with the Adanacs,” said Kaymen.
“It was a really lovely system. He’s a coach that knows how to win,” said Kirby Joe.
Kaymen also had the benefit of having played a season in the Arena Lacrosse League (ALL), the NLL’s developmental league, where he posted strong results for the Paris RiverWolves: 29 goals and 28 assists in 10 games.
Kaymen and Francis were both big pieces of the Hunters’ success on offense this year. In 34 Ontario Junior B Lacrosse League games, playoffs included, Kaymen had 67 goals and 95 assists for 162 points. Francis, in just 15 games, scored 26 goals and assists for 52 points.
At the Founders Cup, both players scored 21 points in five games. Francis had eight goals and 13 assists, while Kaymen had six goals and 15 assists.
Goaltender Waukiigan Shognosh was also selected in the NLL draft, going in the first round, 14th overall to the Buffalo Bandits.
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Shognosh was in net for five of the Hunters’ first eight games this season, starting four of them. He had a 4-1 record with the Hunters, registering a 7.12 goals against average and a 0.727 save percentage.
Midway through May he moved up to Junior A to play for the Peterborough Lakers, where he went 15-8 with a 7.51 goals against average and a 0.851 save percentage.
