The Okotoks Raiders belong to be with the best, the next step it to beat the best.
The Raiders were eliminated in the Minto Cup by the Mimico Mountaineer 6-4 on Saturday in Brampton, Ont.
The loss gave the Raiders an 0-3 record in the four-team tournament for Canada’s Junior A lacrosse championship.
But the red-white-and-black was oh so close in all of its games.
None of their losses was by more than two goals.
“That’s what is so heartbreaking,” said five-year Raider Kade McCormick. “You have to think positive, but it does hurt being that close and have nothing to show for it.
“It was a great effort but we didn’t get the results.”
The Raiders dropped a two-point decision when the Six Nation Arrows shot them down 9-7 on Thursday.
Okotoks had a 5-4 lead after two periods but were unable to hold off the high-powered Arrows’ attack.
The Arrows scored five goals – four unanswered — in the final period for the victory.
Raiders goalie Kevin Orleman was phenomenal in net, stopping 51 of 60 shots to keep Okotoks in the game.
“He had an amazing tournament — a real stud,” McCormick said.
Raider Brett McIntyre led all scorers in the game with four goals and an assist.
The Raiders then had their hearts broken when the perennial powerhouse Coquitlam Adanacs scored three late goals for an 11-10 victory over the Okotoks squad on Friday.
Okotoks led 10-8 with 10 minutes remaining, but the Adanacs rattled off three straight goals, the winning goal with just under three minutes remaining.
“That was heartbreaking — to be that close and not hang on,” McCormick said.
Harrison Matsouka led the Raiders with four goals.
The Raiders were then eliminated when they were downed by Mimico 6-4.
“That’s the hardest one to explain,” McCormick said. “
“After playing so well against Coquitlam, to only score four goals – you can’t win a lacrosse game with just for goals.”
He said Orleman was outstanding in keeping the Raiders close.
McCormick, a High River native played his final game with the Raiders. He joins Dylan Kinnear, and Travis Getz as five-year players on the Raiders 2017 squad.
The Raiders are losing 13 players who have aged out.
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