From tragedy to triumph.
Priorities, motivation and focus — the Okotoks Jr. A Raiders played for a bigger purpose in a tragic year which saw the passing of team founder David Fehr and teammate Jordan McKinnon and completed the first step in their mission in capturing the Alberta Junior A title in five games over the Calgary Mountaineers.
“I can’t talk about Mr. Fehr enough,” said Raiders captain Travis Getz. “He was such an emotional leader for us, every single time you’re up, you’re down and you come to the rink Davey always had something nice to say to you, something to keep you going.
“It was a tough loss losing him and Jordan McKinnon, but that motivated the guys further. I’ve never been part of a more motivated team than this one right here.”
The results back up the sentiment.
Okotoks lost just once in the 20-game regular season and took out the defending champion Mountaineers in the best-of-seven set in five games.
“I’ve got new brothers on the team every year,” said Getz, a fifth-year Raider. “And when you’ve got guys that close it makes it easy to go to bat every night for them.”
The Raiders capped the championship in a 9-6 triumph Aug. 2 at the Max Bell Centre.
League leading scorer Brett McIntyre led the way with two goals while High River’s Kade McCormick notched a key insurance marker in the third period to put the contest out of reach. McIntyre, who set a new league benchmark for career points in the regular season, was named the inaugural winner of the David Fehr Award for Alberta Junior A MVP.
“It means everything,” said McCormick, an alternate captain on the team. “There is nowhere I would rather be in my lacrosse career right now than with the Raiders after five years.
“I got to play with my brother (Carson), got to win one with him and it means everything to win this year and get another chance at the Minto.”
The equals parts curious and illuminatory trend of alternating titles has continued. The cross-town rivals have met in six-straight league finals with both teams alternating championships.
No one has been able to repeat in Alberta since Okotoks accomplished the feat in 2010-2011.
“It’s keeping that ultimate goal in mind and knowing that we can’t move on without finishing what’s right in front of us,” McCormick said. “Give them all the credit in the world, great team, they’ve always been, and it’s always close.”
“Every year I think one team is going to dominate the next year and I’m always wrong. I don’t know what it is.”
For the fifth year players on the team it’s a long awaited return to the Mecca of Junior A lacrosse, held Aug. 17-29 in Brampton, Ont.
Okotoks has not competed in the Minto Cup national championship since 2013.
The Raiders will battle the Six Nations Arrows, Mimico Mountaineers and the British Columbia champion Coquitlam Adanacs for the right to lift the trophy.
“It’s the talk every year. It’s Minto Cup or bust, we haven’t been able to do that yet,” Getz said. “I have this feeling we’re not done yet. Other years I was a younger player and we won (Alberta) and we’re drinking beers after and we think it’s done.
“This year I’m battling for every single time I get to play lacrosse. You’re not satisfied.”
For more information on the team go to raiderslacrosse.ca
