Jr. C Lakers Fall Short in Meredith Cup Final as Six Nations Claims First Championship

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Jr. C Lakers' run at a third straight Meredith Cup championship came to an end Friday night, but they leave the postseason having put together another deep playoff run and another memorable championship series.

Members of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers gather following Friday night's Game 4 loss to the Six Nations Stealth at Healthy Planet Arena. The defeat brought an end to a season that included a Central Division title and a third straight trip to the Meredith Cup Final. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers)

The Six Nations Stealth captured their first Meredith Cup with a 13-7 victory over Peterborough at Healthy Planet Arena, winning the best-of-five final 3-1.

Six Nations took control early, scoring three times in the opening period while holding the Lakers off the scoreboard.

Peterborough came out stronger in the second, with Kennen Withers getting the Lakers on the board at 12:09, assisted by Quinn Jacobs and Ryder Perry. Cardiff Mader and Ryder Evans followed with goals of their own, cutting the Six Nations lead to 5-3.

The Stealth answered with two more goals before the end of the period to take a 7-3 lead into the third.

Peterborough continued to battle in the final period. Ryder Evans scored at 12:20, assisted by Perry, before Owen Thake and Kyson Campbell also found the net. Bobby Crowe scored the Lakers' final goal of the season with 25 seconds remaining, assisted by Campbell.

Six Nations, however, scored six times in the third period to secure the Ontario Junior C Lacrosse League (OJCLL) championship.

A packed house at Healthy Planet Arena brought plenty of energy for the Meredith Cup Final, with Lakers supporters backing Peterborough while a large contingent of Six Nations fans made the trip to cheer on the Stealth as they chased their first championship. The atmosphere stayed loud throughout the night (Photo by Scott Arnold)

Despite the result, the Lakers' season included another trip to the Meredith Cup Final, their third consecutive appearance in the championship series.

Peterborough opened the playoffs by sweeping the Huntsville Hawks in three games before defeating the Whitby Warriors in four games in the Central Division Final. The Lakers then swept the Cornwall Celtics in the Meredith Cup semifinals to earn their return to the championship series.

The final put Peterborough up against the Six Nations Stealth, who finished the regular season with the league's best record at 14-2. The Lakers split the first two games of the final, winning Game 2 at home 9-6 after dropping the opener 7-3 in Six Nations. The Stealth then won two in a row, winning Game 3 by a score of 9-7 before their Game 4 championship win.

The Six Nations Stealth celebrate with the Meredith Cup after defeating the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers in Game 4 on Friday night to capture the first championship in franchise history. (Photo courtesy of the ojcll)

The Lakers also continued to develop a young group throughout the season. Amongst their young stars is Braxtin Howard who was named Central Division Rookie of the Year while finishing as the division's runner-up for MVP after leading Peterborough with 54 points in 14 regular-season games, which included a team leading 29 goals.

For a team chasing a third straight championship, the season did not end the way Peterborough wanted, but another trip to the Meredith Cup Final means the Lakers once again finished their season among the league's final two teams, with a group that will have plenty to build on moving forward.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Fan Support Needed Tonight as Jr. C Lakers Look to Keep Meredith Cup Hopes Alive

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Jr. C Lakers return to Healthy Planet Arena tonight with their season on the line and their pursuit of a third straight Meredith Cup championship hanging in the balance.

the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers return to Healthy Planet Arena on Friday night needing a win over the Six Nations Stealth to force a deciding Game 5 in the Meredith Cup Final. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers)

The Lakers trail the Six Nations Stealth 2-1 in the best-of-five Meredith Cup Final after Six Nations took Game 3 by a 9-7 score Wednesday night.

That leaves Peterborough needing a win tonight at 8pm to keep the championship series alive.

And regardless of the outcome, it will be the Lakers' final home game of the season.

A win would send the series back to Six Nations for a deciding Game 5 on Sunday at 6pm. A loss would give the Stealth the Meredith Cup and bring the Lakers' championship run to an end.

One More Game at Home

For a team that has received plenty of support throughout its playoff run, tonight offers one final opportunity for Peterborough fans to see the Lakers at Healthy Planet Arena this season.

The Lakers have already played nine playoff games, going through Huntsville, Whitby and Cornwall before reaching the Meredith Cup Final for the third straight year. They then split the first two games of the final with Six Nations before Wednesday's Game 3 loss.

The series has been close throughout. Peterborough won Game 2 at home 9-6 after dropping Game 1 in Six Nations, and Wednesday's game was a seven-goal night for the Lakers, who held leads during the contest before Six Nations pulled away late.

A Chance to Keep the Chase Alive

The Lakers came into the season looking to defend their Meredith Cup championship and become just the second team in the Meredith Cup era to win three championships in a row.

They have already secured another trip to the final. Now, they need to find a way to extend it.

Head coach Ryley Martinell has used that phrase throughout the season: find a way.

It has become the theme of a playoff run that has included tight games, comebacks and one-goal decisions. Tonight, that message takes on even more importance.

The Lakers need one more win in Peterborough to force the series back to Six Nations for Sunday night's deciding game.

For the players, coaches and fans, tonight is the final chance to keep the championship run going on home floor.

Game time is 8pm at Healthy Planet Arena.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Friday Night at Healthy Now a Must-Win for Jr. C Lakers After Falling to Six Nations in Game 3 of Meredith Cup Final

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Jr. C Lakers are one win away from being eliminated from the Meredith Cup Final after falling 9-7 to the Six Nations Stealth on Wednesday night.

The Peterborough Jr. C Lakers trail the Six Nations Stealth 2-1 in the best-of-five Meredith Cup Final heading into a must-win Game 4 on Friday night at Healthy Planet Arena. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers, via Christine Liu)

The Lakers fell behind 3-0 in the opening period before battling back to tie the game early in the second. Brodie Roberts and Kennen Withers scored for Peterborough in the first, with Cardiff Mader and Ryder Evans recording assists.

Ryder Perry opened the second-period scoring with a power-play goal to make it 3-3, but Six Nations answered with a shorthanded goal from Jake Skye to regain the lead.

Perry scored again on the power play at 13:11, with Braxtin Howard and Logan Giroux assisting, before Withers scored his second of the night to put Peterborough ahead 5-4.

Six Nations tied the game with a shorthanded goal from Ryker Powless, but the Lakers regained the lead when Withers completed his hat trick at 7:24, with Howard and Ryder Evans assisting.

Six Nations scored four times in the third period, including two goals from Brian LaForme, to take the lead and hold on for the win.

Jordan Garfat scored Peterborough's lone goal of the third period, cutting the Six Nations lead to 8-7 with 4:26 remaining, but LaForme scored his second of the period with 2:28 left to restore the two-goal lead.

Perry and Withers led the Lakers with three points apiece. Perry had two goals and Withers scored three, while Ryder Evans and Howard each recorded two assists. Roberts and Garfat also scored, with Mader and Giroux adding assists.

The Lakers outshot Six Nations 49-41, while Chase Brown made 32 saves for Peterborough.

Six Nations now leads the best-of-five series 2-1, putting the Lakers in a must-win situation for Game 4.

That game is Friday at 8pm at Healthy Planet Arena, with the Lakers needing a win to force a fifth and deciding game.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Jr. C Lakers Even Meredith Cup Final With Game 2 Win at Home

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Jr. C Lakers have evened the OJCLL Meredith Cup Final at one game apiece after beating the Six Nations Stealth 9-6 at Healthy Planet Arena on Sunday.

Braxtin Howard celebrates a Lakers during Game 2 of the Meredith Cup Final against the stealth on Sunday. The Lakers won 9-6 to even the series at 1-1 with Game 3 set for wednesday in six nations. (Photo via Instagram @ptbojrclakers)

The two teams traded goals throughout the opening period. Jared Martinell put Peterborough on the board first just 1:28 into the game, but Six Nations answered 22 seconds later when Ryerson Montour tied it at 1-1. Kyson Campbell restored the Lakers' lead at 16:43, with Charlie Evans and Ryder Evans assisting, before Six Nations' Jake Skye tied the game again at 2-2 just 24 seconds later, with Ryker Powless and Will Rowe picking up the helpers.

Rhys Doolittle then gave Six Nations its first lead of the game with 3:48 remaining in the period, before Braxtin Howard tied the game at 3-3 with 2:14 left. Ricky Bevan assisted on Howard's goal.

Six Nations regained the lead early in the second when Noah McQueen scored at 16:50, assisted by Brian Laforme and Skye, but the Lakers answered with four straight goals to take control.

Ryder Perry tied the game at 4-4 at 10:47, with Howard assisting. Quinn Jacobs then put Peterborough back in front with a power-play goal at 9:07, assisted by Perry and Ryder Evans.

Perry scored his second of the game on another power play at 7:11, with Charlie Evans and Jacobs picking up the assists. Six Nations cut the deficit to one when Brian Laforme scored at 4:14, assisted by Powless, but Brodie Roberts restored Peterborough's two-goal lead with one minute remaining in the period.

The Lakers added two more goals in the third period to extend their lead to 9-5. Jacobs scored both, with Perry assisting on each goal. Logan Giroux and Charlie Evans also picked up assists.

Six Nations added one more goal when Noah McQueen scored with 10:01 remaining, with Laforme assisting, but Peterborough held on for the 9-6 victory.

Perry led the Lakers with five points on two goals and three assists, while Jacobs finished with three goals and an assist. Howard had a goal and an assist, and Charlie Evans recorded three assists.

Ryder Evans added two assists, while Campbell, Martinell and Roberts each scored once. Bevan and Giroux each recorded one assist.

Chase Brown made 23 saves for the win as Peterborough outshot Six Nations 37-29.

The best-of-five series is now tied 1-1, with Game 3 set for Wednesday at 8pm in Six Nations.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Stealth Take Early Lead as Jr. C Lakers Fall in Meredith Cup Final Opener

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Jr. C Lakers will look to even the Meredith Cup Final on home floor after falling 7-3 to the Six Nations Stealth in Game 1 Thursday night.

The Peterborough Jr. C Lakers opened the Meredith Cup Final against the Six Nations Stealth on Thursday night, with the two teams battling in Game 1 of the best-of-five championship series. (photo via instagram @ptbojrclakers)

Six Nations jumped out to a 3-1 lead after the opening period and added two more goals in the second to take a 5-2 advantage into the final frame. The Lakers battled back in the third period, but the Stealth scored twice late to secure the win and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five championship series.

Ryder Evans opened the scoring for Peterborough in the first period, while Kennen Withers added a power-play goal in the second. Braxtin Howard scored midway through the third period to bring the Lakers within two, but Six Nations answered with two late goals to close out the victory.

Evans also recorded an assist, while Ryder Perry and Quinn Jacobs each picked up one helper.

The Lakers were outshot 31-30 in the game, with Chase Brown making 30 saves in the loss. Six Nations goaltender Kayden Hearn stopped 28 of the 31 shots he faced.

Game 2 of the Meredith Cup Final is set for Sunday at 4pm at Healthy Planet Arena, where Peterborough will look to even the series before it returns to Six Nations for Game 3 on Wednesday.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Jr. C Lakers Return to Meredith Cup Final With History in Sight

By Scott Arnold

The Peterborough Jr. C Lakers are heading back to the Meredith Cup Final for the third straight season, but this year’s championship chase has a different challenge: a chance to make history.

The Lakers begin their quest for a third consecutive Meredith Cup championship when they face the Six Nations Stealth in the league final. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers, via Christine Liu)

The Lakers will meet the Six Nations Stealth in the best-of-five league final, beginning Thursday night in Six Nations, as Peterborough looks to capture its third consecutive Meredith Cup championship.

Only two teams in Ontario Junior C Lacrosse history have ever won three straight championships. Owen Sound accomplished the feat during the first era of Ontario-sanctioned Junior C lacrosse from 1977 to 1979, while Clarington became the only team to do it during the Meredith Cup era with three straight titles from 2010 to 2012.

A win this year would also give Peterborough its fifth Meredith Cup championship, moving the Lakers past Clarington for the most titles in league history.

But before the Lakers can think about history, they have to get through a Six Nations team that finished the regular season with the league’s best record at 14-2.

“It’s a big one,” said Lakers head coach Ryley Martinell. “You don’t want to hang your hat on that, but it’s definitely something you think about when you’re sitting at home on the couch.”

Peterborough returns to the Meredith Cup Final after another strong playoff run that included series wins over Huntsville, Whitby and Cornwall. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers, via Christine Liu)

A Different Path Back to the Final

The Lakers entered the season knowing they had lost several key pieces from their previous championship teams, but the expectations remained the same.

“When we show up to camp with the coaching staff we have and kind of the culture in the team we’ve grown, our expectations are always to chase a Meredith Cup,” Martinell said.

Peterborough finished first in the Central Division before opening the playoffs with a three-game sweep of the Huntsville Hawks. The Lakers then defeated the Whitby Warriors in four games in the division final before sweeping the Cornwall Celtics in the Meredith Cup semifinal.

While the results may look dominant on paper, Martinell said the road to the final was anything but easy.

“We’re just as skilled, we’re just younger, which closed the gap a little bit,” he said. “The theme of the year is just find a way. We’re a young team. We know we’re going to go through struggles. We know we’re going to get down. Just find a way, dig deep, find a way to win.”

That mentality has carried the Lakers through close games throughout the postseason, including a one-goal win over Whitby in the division final and a comeback victory against Cornwall after falling behind in Game 3 of the semifinal.

Braxtin Howard was named Central Division Rookie of the Year after leading the Lakers with 54 points during the regular season and continues to be a key contributor during Peterborough’s playoff run. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers, via Christine Liu)

Howard Leads Young Lakers Core

One of the players helping lead that young group is Braxtin Howard, who was recently named Central Division Rookie of the Year and finished as the division’s MVP runner-up.

Howard led the Lakers with 54 points during the regular season, recording 29 goals and 25 assists in 14 games.

“He’s kind of a different animal,” Martinell said. “He’s an old school lacrosse player as a first year junior player.”

“He’ll score, he’ll fight, he’ll hit a guy. He gives us 100% every time he shows up on the floor, and Rookie of the Year was a no-brainer.”

Howard has continued that production in the playoffs, entering the Meredith Cup Final ranked seventh in league playoff scoring with 38 points in 10 games.

Head coach Ryley Martinell watches the action from the bench as the Jr. C Lakers continue their pursuit of a third straight Meredith Cup championship. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers, via Christine Liu)

A Final Against One of the League’s Best

The Six Nations Stealth enter the series after sweeping the West Grey Rampage and Burlington Warriors before defeating the Whitby Warriors in a five-game semifinal series.

The two teams met once during the regular season, with Six Nations earning a 13-12 overtime win on May 3.

Martinell said that game was a long time ago and that the Lakers roster has changed since then.

“We had a lot of guys away at school and kind of filled some pieces,” he said. “I’m a lot happier with our roster going into this series than it was in game three or four of the year there.”

The final will feature some of the top offensive players in the league. Six Nations’ Brian Laforme leads all playoff scorers with 47 points, while teammate Ryker Powless also has 47 points. Peterborough’s Ryder Perry ranks fourth with 41 points, while Howard sits seventh with 38 points.

Laforme, Perry and Howard are also among the league’s top playoff goal scorers, ranking second, third and fourth respectively.

“They’re fast, they’re athletic, they’re super skilled,” Martinell said of Six Nations. “They’re going to be the strongest team we’ve played all year other than the one time we’ve seen them.”

The Jr. C Lakers and Six Nations Stealth meet in the Meredith Cup Final, with the championship series beginning Thursday night in Six Nations. (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Jr. C Lakers, via Christine Liu)

A Series Worth Watching

The Meredith Cup Final begins Thursday, August 6th at 8pm in Six Nations before returning to Peterborough for Game 2 on Sunday, August 9th at 4pm at Healthy Planet Arena.

Game 3 is Wednesday, August 12th at 8pm in Six Nations, with Game 4 scheduled for Friday, August 14th at 8pm in Peterborough. If necessary, Game 5 will be played Sunday, August 16th at 6pm in Six Nations.

Martinell expects a fast-paced series between two teams looking to prove themselves.

“Junior C in general, it’s fast, skilled, the kids are athletic, they work hard,” he said. “Everybody’s skilled. Everybody’s good enough to play at a higher level.”

For a Lakers team chasing a third straight championship, the message remains the same.

“Find a way,” Martinell said. “Whatever it takes.”

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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