Survival School best at Bantam Sixes

Kahnawake Survival School (KSS) returned home from Westwood High School with a new banner, this time claiming first place overall in the Reseau du Sport Etudiant du Quebec (RSEQ) Greater Montreal Athletic Association (GMAA) Lacrosse Sixes Tournament in the Bantam division.

KSS had a dominant performance, with a 28-2 win against Beaconsfield High School, and 22-2 and 13-4 victories against the two College-Jean-de-Brebeuf teams in attendance.

“It feels great to see the team win the tournament. I was really proud of the way the students represented KSS throughout the whole day,” said Pierre Tobjian, who coached the KSS team at the tournament.

“They competed hard, played together, and showcased a lot of talent. For many of them, lacrosse is a big part of who they are and their community, so it was nice to see them have success in that environment.”

Tobjian said the team was connected for the entire tournament, playing as a complete unit.

“The players moved the ball really well, made the extra pass, and finished their opportunities offensively. Everyone on the roster contributed a few goals during the tournament, which says a lot about the way they played together as a team instead of relying on one player,” said Tobjian.

The tournament being played in the sixes format instead of a traditional game of field lacrosse meant going over the rules with the players so there would be no surprises, he said.

Some of those differences included the four six-minute periods, having six players on the field at a time, the smaller field, the shot clock, how substitutions work, and the faster pace of play - faster than field lacrosse, but not exactly akin to box lacrosse, where full units get substituted after each possession change and while in transition.

All the players on the team have either played with KSS’s field lacrosse team or have been playing box lacrosse, so there wasn’t much else needed to get them ready for the tournament, Tobjian said.

Following the game, goaltender Shanerahtanó:ron Goodleaf was named the player of the tournament, receiving a smaller banner of his own for his efforts.

With Goodleaf in nets, KSS only allowed eight total goals across their three tournament games, by far the lowest mark of any team.

“He had an outstanding tournament between the posts and made a lot of key saves throughout the day. He brought a calm presence to the team and gave the players confidence in front of him,” said Tobjian.

“His ability to come up with big saves at important moments really stood out and played a big role in the team’s success.”

Tobjian said the tournament was a great experience for the players, and more opportunities to play lacrosse in different formats are always a positive.

“Lacrosse has deep roots in the community, so opportunities like this are important for the students and for continuing to grow the game,” said Tobjian.

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