Bandits breakdown leaves team in battle for basement

June 21, 2018 · 0 Comments

Written By JAKE COURTEMATTE

The Caledon Bandits seemed poised to pick up their second win of the Ontario Junior C Lacrosse League season, before a third period defensive breakdown did them in against the Mimico Mountaineers.

Meeting for the third time this season, and with their 11 – 8 win over Mimico still fresh in their minds two weeks later, the Bandits came out flying in the first period, though a handful of powerplays were not enough to secure a lead before the buzzer.

It was Mimico that opened the game’s scoring early in the second, finally beating Christian Rusmussen just under two minutes into the middle frame.

A back-and-forth affair followed for the remainder of the period, with five different Bandits finding the back of the net in Andrew Rybka, Chris Hunter, Darcy Thompson, Brandon Marion, and Cole Goodwin, to take a 5 – 4 lead into intermission.

Mimico came out swinging in the third, capping four straight goals to take a three-goal lead with just under seven minutes left on the clock.

Rybka notched his second of the game on the powerplay, but it was too little, too late for the Caledon squad, falling 8 – 6.

With two games left on the Bandits’ regular season schedule, they are locked into a battle of the basement in the OJCLL’s West division with the Halton Hills Bulldogs.

Both sides have two points apiece on the season, and are unable to make up the nine point difference with the closest opponent, the Mountaineers.

Luckily for the Bandits, hometown luck will be on their side in their final two matchups, playing host for both at Mayfield Arena where they secured their only win of the season in early June.

Fans will be treated to a rare Friday home game this week, when the Bandits host the Fergus Thistles at 8p.m.

Tuesday’s game will most likely determine Caledon’s first round opponent, in a battle of pride with the Bulldogs.

Both will face one of the Wilmot Wild (11-3-0), Brantford Jr. Warriors (10-3-1), or the Six Nations Warriors (10-4-0) in the opening round of the postseason.