The Okotoks Raiders proved they can compete with the best Ontario has to offer. They were eliminated from the Minto Cup when they were beaten 8-4 by the eventual national champions, the Whitby Warriors, in the semifinal game Aug. 24 at Centennial Arena.
Whitby didn’t put the game away until they scored a pair of goals in the final six minutes of the game – the second one into an empty net with 44 seconds left to make the final 8-4.
Warriors coach Derek Keenan said the Raiders gave them a scare.
“I thought they were awesome,” Keenan said of the Raiders. “Tonight they played like they wanted it a lot more than we did. They were good.”
The Raiders held a 3-2 lead 10 minutes into the game on goals by Dustin Reykal, Chad Mitchell and Cody McMahon.
Whitby would tie the game at 3-3 when Curtis Knight scored with 9:50 left in the first period.
The Warriors would take the lead for good 21 seconds later on an unassisted goal by Mark Matthews as Whitby took a 4-3 lead after 20 minutes.
The Warriors would extend their lead to 6-4 after two periods.
Holden Cattoni scored the lone goal for the Raiders.
That would be as close as Okotoks would get as the Warriors put the game away with the two late third-period goals to make the final 8-4.
An Alberta team still has never beaten a team from outside the Wildrose province in the Minto Cup. However, Keenan said the Raiders could compete in Ontario.
“They would be a solid playoff team,” Keenan said. “Especially with the work-ethic they bring. They have enough skill guys to execute. Their goalie was really good too.”
Raiders goalie Adam Shute stopped 55 of the 62 shots he faced.
Okotoks coach Bruce Codd was proud of his team’s effort against the Ontario champions.
“We had a bunch of guys tonight who probably had their best games of their lives tonight and it showed,” Codd said. “It was 6-4 for the longest time. If we could have gotten that fifth one, I think maybe it changes things.”
The Raiders’ Aaron Tackaberry saved his best for last in his final game in the red-and-white jersey. He had an assist but most impressively held on to the ball and ran off precious time on the penalty kill.
He said the Raiders were much improved over their earlier 17-7 drubbing by the Warriors.
“I think the last time we played Whitby the 17-7 score didn’t really show how we played,” Tackaberry said. “We made a few adjustments and we knew in our minds we could beat them. A few bounces went their way, that could have gone ours which could have made things a lot different in the game.”
Okotoks native Mitch Banister had the difficult job of trying to stop Whitby’s Mark Matthews, who is considered one of the best Junior A players in the country. He did an admirable job, holding Matthews to one goal and three assists.
“I like being the guy who is checking their top players it keeps me more into the game,” Banister said. “I thought we played fantastic. When they got up on us we kept battling right until the final buzzer went. This game could have gone either way.”
It was Banister’s final game with the Raiders. He has played in virtually every game in the Okotoks Raiders’ four-year history.
“It’s pretty crazy – it’s definitely hard to keep the tears back,” Banister said. “I couldn’t ask for a much better way to end than to play in front of my own hometown in a national championship.”
Banister is one of eight players who are graduating from the Raiders’ this year.
Codd said the players will be missed both on the floor and for the leadership in the dressing room.
He said the quality of the Raiders’ returning players and the team’s growing lacrosse reputation should make the team a force to reckon with in the 2012 season.
