Founders Cup.
The Halton Hills Bulldogs captured the 2010 Founders Cup Sunday evening after defeating the Mimico Mountaineers 4-3 in sudden death double overtime at the Mastercard Centre. Here, Bulldogs assistant captain Nic Grasby hoists the winning trophy aloft.
Photo/GRAHAM PAINE
The Mimico Mountaineers Jr. B lacrosse squad did, indeed, end their 2010 playoffs much better then they began it.
In fact, they almost wrote the perfect ending, only to lose the national Jr. B 'Founders Cup' championship game 4-3 in double overtime to the Ontario champion Halton Hills Bulldogs before an overflowing crowd Sunday, Aug. 22 at the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke.
"It was one hell of a game, though," said Sean O'Callaghan, Mimico's GM and coach.
"The guys played absolutely awesome. The goaltending was great, defence was great. Both teams' goaltending and defence was great.
"And the offences of both sides, they didn't have much to do. Both teams shut down the other team's offence.
As for the double overtime winner, O'Callaghan acknowledged that "it was a nice goal."
Mimico's Brendan Muise was declared the tournament MVP and he led scoring in both goals with 18 and points with 33.
"He had a great tournament," said O'Callaghan.
Mimico qualified as the hosts after being ousted in the first round of the Ontario playoffs. But they kept practicing hard for a month-and-a-half and in the end they came agonizingly close to going from first round ouster in Ontario to tops in Canada.
There was not much to spare between the two Ontario teams during the championship game - or the 12-team tournament, itself.
Both dominated.
Both were undefeated through their semifinal game and through five preliminary round games (they were in different pools).
Mimico in the semifinal game, knocked off the defending national champion Calgary Mountaineers 8-5.
Mimico couldn't have asked for a better match-up in the national final with the two Ontario teams being the best competitively in the tournament - and, no question, also the best for the box office.
"There had to be at least 2,000 people in that place (MasterCard Centre) Sunday. It was a great showcase for the sport of lacrosse," said O'Callaghan.
"There was a ton of people in from Halton and a ton of local people that were there ... it was jam packed. It was a day that we expected it would be if we're in the finals with Halton.
"The crowds were there and the building was rocking. For anybody that was there - I don't know how many people came up to me afterwards and said it was the best lacrosse game they had ever seen. The atmosphere. Everything.
Notwithstanding a Mimico goal called back in the first period that "could have gone either way", he said the reffing was also great.
"They (the refs) let the players decide the outcome."
Etobicoke native and former Mimico Jr. B team member Dave Bolland, who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup this past spring, took in a lot of the tournament, including the final game.
Another of the team's former stars from the mid-nineties, Andy Dudun, helped to fire up the troops, speaking to them before the game. During his tenure, he led the league in scoring three years in a row and was league MVP twice.
After losing in the first round of the playoffs to Newmarket, O'Callaghan said the team quickly refocused.
"In the six weeks off we changed our system a little bit to match the large surface of the MasterCard Centre."
Notwithstanding their first-round exit, O'Callaghan added that "truthfully, our team was probably one of the top three or four teams in the east (division) this year. We just happened to go up against one of the other top three or four teams."
As for next season, O'Callaghan said "we have about eight kids going overage but our (Mimico Mountaineers) minor system is very strong. We have a good midget team, we have a good intermediate team ...
"The goalie (Eric Penney) that played yesterday is a rookie and we've got him for four more years. He showed how good of a goalie he can be."