St Catharines Athletics Secure Opening Night Win

Photo: Merina Richardson / OJLL

The Brampton Excelsiors and St Catharines Athletics kicked off the 2024 Ontario Junior Lacrosse League (OJLL) season at Brampton Memorial Arena on Friday night. It was a back-and-forth affair capped by four unanswered goals by the visitors in the fourth quarter leading St Catharines to an 11-9 win.

Athletics’ goaltender Oliver Vanyo and Vancouver Warriors’ (NLL) eighteenth overall pick Connor O’Toole matched each other save-for-save all night. Midway through the first period, Christian Lefeuvre scored a pair of goals to give St Kitts a 3-1 lead. Bowie Horsman would single-handedly erase the advantage scoring three goals (one on the power play), ending the first tied 4-4.

Keaton Zavitz and Lefeuvre opened a penalty-filled second with goals for the visitors, with the latter’s hat trick the second of four power play markers for the Athletics. Horsman’s fourth capped a three-goal Brampton run, helping hand the hosts their first lead. Zavtiz second of an eventual three tied the game at seven – the third tie of the game.

In the final two minutes, the Excelsiors brought the home crowd to life. Dante Bowen, who missed all of last season to injury, grabbed a loose ball in the defensive end. Crossing center, he lowered his shoulder, running over his defender, and scoring with a celebration towards the fans. Just ten seconds later, Darcy Thompson would increase the lead to 9-7 – the score after two.

Four goals in the third from Lefeuvre, Zavitz, Julian Race and Gavin Howard helped St Catharines overcome the deficit and capture the first win of the season.  

Bowie Horsman – who led Brampton in scoring last season – topped the home team with six points (4+2) and was the only multi-goal scorer. Dante Bowen was next with three (1+2).

Most of the Athletics’ offence came from Christian Lefeuvre and Keaton Zavitz. Lefeuvre was credited with seven points (4+3), while the A’s captain finished with six (3+3). Tye Steenhuis added four assists.