Jr. C Bandits losing streak hits six games

Written By JAKE COURTEPATTE

The rich are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer, in the 2019 rendition of the Ontario Junior C Lacrosse League.

The Caledon Bandits hit a season-long six-game losing streak on Friday, following a 10 – 8 loss at the hands of the Barrie Bombers on the road Friday evening.

Veteran Bandit Jarrett Petrie put up a night to remember at the Holly Community Centre, posting a seven-point effort to lead all scorers, one point shy of a season high for the forward. He had the primary assists on a pair of goals in the final four minutes of regulation off the sticks of Derek Humphrey and Darcy Thompson, thought it was too little, too late for the visiting Bandits.

Thompson was among three other Caledon players to post a multipoint night, which also included Thomas McClure and the offensively-inclined Andrew Rybka. Trevor Wilson was between the pipes for the first two periods, though it was Christian Rasmussen who took the loss, coming in for the final frame and allowing what would become the game-winning goal with just under seven minutes remaining on the clock.

The loss brings about an even larger gap between the top and bottom teams of the OJCLL's West division, with the Bandits sitting in fifth position with a record of 3 – 11. The Bombers currently occupy the four spot, but are twelve points up on the Bandits with just three games left on the regular season schedule.

Despite the fall in production on the standings ladder, the offensive production remains for the Bandits, and will play a key role in ensuring any success in July's upcoming postseason. Petrie's highlight real night has him jump to second in scoring league-wide, an impressive feat in a fifteen-team league that spreads across Southern Ontario.

Rybka, another veteran who has exploded in goals through the season's first fourteen games, sits close behind in fourth across the league.

The two teams will meet one more time this Saturday in Barrie, while the final home game of the season will go Wednesday with the Bandits hosting the struggling Halton Hills Bulldogs (2 – 11) at Mayfield Arena. Opening faceoff is set for 8p.m.

Caledon will close out their schedule on June 28 in a visit with the Brantford Warriors.