Mohawks headed to first A Qualifiers
The U17 Kahnawake Mohawks 1made it into the top 10 of the Ontario Lacrosse Association rankings, meaning they will take part in the A Qualifiers tournament starting July 10 in Barrie, Ontario. Courtesy Kahnawake Mohawks Minor Lacrosse Association
Thanks to some strong play, including great tournament results this season, the U17 Kahnawake Mohawks 1 will be the first team from Kahnawake to ever take part in the two-weekend A Qualifiers tournament, which will feature the best of the best in the Ontario Lacrosse Association (OLA).
“As coach, this means the world to me for them. Most of these guys have been working so hard since they were four or five years old. To see all the time they put in to get better every day, there’s no better feeling,” said U17 coach Curtis Diabo.
“I’ve been with these guys all these years, I watched them grow so much up until this point and I couldn’t be prouder, and being able to do this with my youngest son (Ronwatsi’tsaien:ni) makes it that much more special.”
Last weekend, the U17 Mohawks 1 made it to the finals of the Don Swindell Memorial Rockmen Tournament, finishing second after a finals loss against the Brampton Excelsiors.
On June 14, they won the U17 Nepean Capital Showdown Tournament. They also have a 4-2 in regular season play so far this year.
“Winning the Capital Showdown tournament was a huge leap for us and then making it to the finals in this in the Don Swindell tournament put us over the edge,” said Kahnawake Mohawks Minor Lacrosse Association (KMMLA) president Kirby Joe Diabo - he also has a son on the team, Sahakohe Diabo.
The Mohawks jumped three spots with those results, climbing from 13th to 10th, the last spot for the Qualifiers.
“It’s an amazing accomplishment, and you know our boys are going to do good. We have a really strong team. We have a few Junior A draft candidates who, in my mind, are definitely going to be drafted, and this is the tournament to showcase that,” said Kirby Joe.
This being the first time a team from the community makes the A Qualifiers is one of a series of history-setting accomplishments for Kahnawake’s minor lacrosse program, and one more in a series of proud moments for the KMMLA president.
“To finally get there, especially with my son on the team, it makes it even more special,” said Kirby Joe.
“We’ve been making history the past few years now, winning championships and having players get drafted. Playing at the highest level is a great achievement. It’s an honour to be part of everything that’s happening.”
Both Curtis and Kirby Joe credited the entire coaching staff and support staff that has been with the team for years, watching them grow and doing a lot of work behind the scenes to help the laxers play to their potential.
“They put in so much work behind the scenes of the games, and it doesn’t go noticed,” said Curtis.
The first portion of the tournament will feature round robin games played over two weekends. The first of those will be July 10-12 in Orangeville, Ontario. The second will be July 24-26 in Whitby, Ontario.
The top six teams will then advance to the Final Six, which will be held as part of the Ontario Summer Games from July 30 to August 2.
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“This group of young men have that special thing that is needed for any team to be successful and it’s fun to be a part of.
“For most of these guys, it will be their last year in the minors, and there is no better way for them to end their minor careers than placing in the top 10 of the Ontario Lacrosse Association. Whatever the outcome at the end, to me this is a way better accomplishment than provincial gold,” said Curtis.
“It’s exciting to see where these guys go, and I can’t wait to get started.”
