The reigning-champion Coquitlam Jr. Adanacs are definitely the team to beat at the upcoming Minto Cup national Jr. 'A' lacrosse tournament -- and they know it.
"The bullseye is right there, we can feel it," said Jr. A's general manager Ken Wood, whose squad eliminated the New Westminster Jr. Salmonbellies on Saturday in the B.C. Jr. 'A' playoff final and are ranked No. 1 entering the four-team event starting Saturday in Okotoks, Alta. "Not only did we win [the Minto] last year, we went undefeated in it. But the pressure was there all year during the regular season and I can't see, or expect, our players using that as an excuse. It's just another challenge and, to be honest, we like that."
There are couple more tasks forthcoming for the Jr. A's, too. The Minto was in Coquitlam last year whereas it's in small-town Alberta this go round, and Ontario's Whitby Warriors -- not the Orangeville Northmen as many have grown to expect to qualify -- will be their main nemesis. The host Okotoks Raiders and the Edmonton Eclipse are also competing.
"Travelling to Alberta is a little better than going back east," said Wood, whose team qualified for the Minto in 2009 in Brampton, Ont. but was bounced by the host squad in the semifinals. "In 2009, it was really hard to get adjusted after the time difference and jet lag. Your routine is still disrupted whenever you're on the road but Alberta's at least closer time wise."
The Jr. A's went a glistening 21-0 during the regular season and enter the nine-day clash as the team to beat, while Whitby was listed No. 5 in the latest poll released Aug. 3. The Warriors knocked off No. 2 Orangeville -- the two-time defending Minto champs prior to Coquitlam winning last year -- 7-6 Sunday to win the Ontario Jr. 'A' league playoff final in the seventh and deciding game. Whitby last won the Minto in 1999 and is led by hulking, six-foot-four scoring wizard Mark Matthews, who was a standout last season on the Jr. A's as an Ontario import.
"We love Mark but he's on the wrong team right now," Wood said. "I'm not surprised at all [Whitby beat Orangeville]. Word from back east all along was this is supposed to be Whitby's year. We were surprised Orangeville actually made it that far."
As for the two Alberta teams, Wood said he doesn't know too much other than what he saw from now-No. 6 Okotoks at last year's Minto and via the limited footage he's had shipped to him featuring the unranked Eclipse. He does know one thing for certain: Neither is going to roll over to the Jr. A's.
"They're both going to be tenacious, chippy and they'll run the ball," Wood said.
After dropping Game 1 to the Jr. 'Bellies, the Jr. A's rattled off four straight wins, including a 7-5 triumph Saturday at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex, to move on to the Minto.
The Jr. A's actually trailed 5-4 heading into the third period, where they out-scored New West 3-0 to grab the victory.
Matthew Dinsdale, Casey Jackson and Jeff Cornwall all scored in the final frame for Coquitlam, with goalie Steve Fryer coming up big with 12 of his 32 saves in the final 20 minutes. Other Jr. A's goal-getters were Ben McIntosh, Travis Cornwall, Brandon Bertoia and Clay Miller.
