Hunters move past the Bulldogs

The crowd’s roar could be heard through the building as time rolled down late in a hard-fought win by the Kahnawake Hunters. They had just punched their ticket to the second round of the Ontario Junior B Lacrosse League playoffs.

In the playoffs, it is often said that things could go either way, making every play matter more, each matchup coming with its own sense of uncertainty. However, Hunters’ faithful could be certain of one thing after Saturday’s win - they wouldn’t be needing Sunday.

The Hunters racked up their third win in the best-of-five series against the Halton Hills Bulldogs on Saturday, eliminating them in four games.

After splitting the first two games of the series, played on the Bulldogs’ home turf, the Hunters swept the last two games back in Kahnawake to move on to the next round of the playoffs.

Although they were able to secure the ideal outcome, it didn’t come easy for the home team. This was a game that never felt finished until the very end, keeping its audience on the edge of their seats.

The largest lead for either team throughout the game was three goals, which only came in the final period. Halton Hills gave the home team a scare early in the second period, gaining a 4-3 lead early in the frame.

However, the Bulldogs’ efforts fell short, as this was the only lead the visiting team held in Saturday’s contest.

Head Coach Brandon Francis mentioned “trust the process” as a mantra the team follows when falling behind in any given game.

“We go through our ups and downs and things don’t always go our way, but at the end of the day, we got a win, and that’s all that matters,” said Francis following the game.

The Hunters followed their coaches’ message in the later part of the second period, as they overcame the deficit and added another score to lead heading into the final period.

“We just worked hard all game, kept it going by listening to our coaches’ instructions,” said Forward Kaymen Diabo, who contributed with a team-leading six points in the win.

After fighting off another push by the opposition early in the third period, the Hunters closed the game out with sound defensive play and dependable goaltending to secure the win. “They’re the backbone of our team,” said Francis.

Although it was defender Hawi Francis that scored the game-winning goal, forward Winter Rivera’s goal shortly after was the final nail in the Bulldogs’ coffin.

Hats came flying out of the rafters as his third goal of the game completed the hat trick, giving his team their largest lead of the game.

“The brotherhood is there. Everything is falling into place. It feels great,” said Rivera when asked to describe the sentiment in the locker room following the win.

The coaching staff isn’t looking too far ahead, maintaining a stoic approach heading into the next round. “One round at a time,” said Francis.

The Hunters now move on and become one step closer to avenging last year’s exit in the finals.

Their next matchup is against the Clarington Green Gaels, with that series’ first game being played Saturday at 7 p.m. in Clarington. The first game in Kahnawake will be Game 3 on July 11 at 8 p.m.

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