Warhawks advance to provincials 

The U13 Warhawks Purple’s hot streak is continuing uninterrupted after their sectional finals win against the Outaouais Rapides Espoirs Blue.

There is one more stop left for the Warhawks’ season: the provincial championships.

In the first inning against Outaouais, after the Warhawks did not get much of a warmup, the Rapides put up two quick runs. “Everyone was uneasy, you know, it was like a shocker,” said Roddy Meloche, the Warhawks’ head coach.

But, as has often happened with the Warhawks Purple, they battled back and took over the game, thanks to their strong pitching and solid offensive performances from the entire team. They finished with a 7-4 win.

Seven other teams qualified for provincials along with the Warhawks, each winners of their own sectional title. The tournament is single elimination, meaning a win advances you, and a single loss sends the team home.

Meloche does not let that faze him too much.

“I feel good. I'm trying to look at the other teams' records and stuff, because these are teams we never played before,” said Meloche. “Looking at my team, I think we could win it all.”

Meloche is not the only one feeling optimistic about the Warhawks’ chances on Saturday.

“This team is very strong, so we have high hopes for them,” said Kahnawake Minor Baseball president Terry Stacey.

Stacey said that no team from Kahnawake has even won a baseball provincial championship before, and he is hopeful this year’s edition of the Warhawks will be the first ones to do so.

“I believe they have the talent to win it,” said Stacey.

We’ve come a long way to get here. I’m hoping that we have a great weekend,” said Jessica Hernandez, who helps coach the team.

Hernandez first became involved in minor baseball when her husband, Kaniehtaké:ron Gilbert, became an assistant coach on their daughter Iehwatsirahnì:ra’ts Gilbert’s team.

“The first year my husband coached with somebody else. The second year, I would start to do the lineup for them. And then after that if he was coaching or assisting, then I was going to be part of the team with him,” said Hernandez, who described her role as being the “momager” of the team, helping the girls both with the game itself and being there to listen and help with problems they may have off the field.

“I'm there to make sure that they can play through that and get in a good state of mind to play the game,” said Hernandez.

Her daughter has been a part of the same core of players on the team who have come up together through the minor baseball system for the last half decade, starting in U9 until now in U13.

Hernandez said that this has helped the players get to where they are now.

“They know how to play, they know how to move, they know what they're doing, and it becomes more fun to see them anticipate and make decisions on their own,” said Hernandez. “It's just really exciting to see them work together.”

Hernandez also said the support of parents and coaches has been an important reason for the team’s great season.

“Whether it is the coaches who are on the field or the fans that come to watch the games, the parents have so much to do with their success,” said Hernandez.

“A lot of parents and coaches are very dedicated, and if they weren't coaching, they’d probably be working with their kids in the yard,” said Stacey.

The Warhawks’ first game of the provincial tournament will be against the Candiac Comets Turquoise this Saturday, September 14 at 9 a.m. at Parc Lorraine in Lorraine, Quebec.

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