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Despite having 19 players returning this season, the Oakville Buzz doesn’t stand a chance of returning to the East Conference final.
It’s geography, not ability, that will prevent that, though.
With the Ontario Lacrosse Association shuffling the Jr. B conference alignments, the Buzz will be playing in the West Conference this season. The move will make another run at a conference title tougher as that road now goes through the Six Nations Rebels, who went undefeated last season on their way to a second consecutive OLA and Founders Cup (national) title.
Oakville enters the conference with a deep and talented team. Many of the players could have made the jump to Jr. A, but the team’s affiliate, the Burlington Chiefs, had little turnover so few spots were available. That means a Buzz team that went 17-3 last season returns virtually intact.
The Buzz started the season on a positive note Monday by downing the Niagara Thunderhawks 13-4. The team’s depth was on display as nine different players scored, led by last year’s top scorer Brad Gillies, who had two goals and an assist. Sam White, Mark White and Bryan Campbell, the latter a rookie from the Oakville intermediates, also had two goals apiece.
While Sam White and Campbell are regarded more as defensive players, new coach Ken Gillies isn’t hesitating to let his defenders get involved at the other end of the floor. The team lost a pair of strong offensive players in Josh Ruys and Harry Hristopoulos, so Gillies is looking to create offence in other ways.
“Our guys on defence are big and fast, so if they can run up and create an odd man situation, we can create some chances,” said Gillies.
Brad Galante, another defensive player who comes to the Buzz from the Chiefs, had a goal and two assists.
In net, Cam Watts returns to anchor a defence that allowed the second-fewest goals in the league last year (only Six Nations allowed fewer than Oakville’s 122). A strong passer, Watts can also assist the Buzz with the quick breakouts to catch the opposition off guard. He picked up three helpers in Monday’s win.
Backing up Watts will be David Diruscio, who earned MVP honours in last year’s provincial playdowns with the Brampton midgets.
Gillies said the Buzz has been fortunate to have four consecutive strong years in the Oakville minor system to produce players for it. Nineteen of the team’s 24 players are from Oakville. The team is rounded out by five other Halton lacrosse products, four from Burlington and one from Milton.
Buzz notes: Elliott Cowburn, Mark Runciman, Robert Bentivegna and Braden Gallant also scored Monday. Though the Buzz never trailed against Niagara, it led only 5-4 until Oakville scored eight unanswered goals over the final 33 minutes....Gillies takes over head coaching duties from Stu Brown, who is now serving as the general manager for the Toronto Nationals field lacrosse team in the Major Lacrosse League. Gillies will also continue in his role as Oakville’s GM....Brodie Merrill of the National Lacrosse League’s Portland Lumberjax will be at the Buzz home opener Friday (8 p. m., Glen Abbey Recreation Centre) when Oakville plays Sarnia.
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