beavers 35

Giving all they possessed, the home brew Athletics went down to elimination before 2,000 spectators at the city sports park last night when the more experienced and swift moving efforts of the all-star Burlington Beavers brought their second straight win, this time by a close 15 – 12 score.

The second victory, earned only after the Indians had extended in a lightning fast and rugged checking game, gave the Beavers the championship of the senior O. A. L. A. one and qualified them to meet the Orillia Terriers, Mann Cup defenders in the league finals. The first game will start next Tuesday night at Burlington.

The Athletics were glorious in defeat. With the odd exception, they displayed a vastly superior style to the first match, which they lost 18 – 7. They gave the Burlingtonites one of the stiffest battles they have had to contend with this year in a game which saw the score knotted on four occasions.

The A’s had a distinct edge on the territorial play but passes that went awry, erratic shooting and the sensational goal-tending of Cliff Lickers in the Beaver net deprived them of enough goals to even the series. Lickers, lucky at times, turned aside 37 shots, while he particularly stood out in the final three quarters when the blue-shirts applied the pressure.

The Indians netted three goals during George Hope’s penalty in the first quarter, but the Brown-Cahill Saints rapped in three quick goals to trim the visitor’s margin to 5 – 4 at the first quarter. Play roughened in the second session and the Beavers were not as effective in the heavy going and the Athletics evened the count 7-all at halftime.

Harold “Shy” Manning played a good game stopping 25 shots, while he started several scoring plays with long passes. In the final quarter he came out of his net to check Jackson who had broken free from his check.

St. Catharines continued to set the pace in the third quarter but they missed several good scoring chances and Jack Worthy’s champions came from behind a one-goal deficit to punch in three fast tallies and lead 12 – 10 at the three quarter mark.

The big crowd of fans who were pulling strong for a Garden City triumph counted heavily on a repetition of dynamic finishes shown in two previous games. But with the tension high , checking close, the A’s lacked experience and though they bombarded Lickers with thirteen good shots, Beavers hung onto their margin to earn the win.

The game was the roughest of the St. Catharines-Burlington meetings this year with the winners serving 14 of the 26 penalty minutes. The Saints were unable to capitalize on any of the Beaver enforced rests, while the lake shore team shot in four counters during the Athletic penalties.

As the gong sounded the completion of a season which started May 24, the record crowd stood in the stands as the players of the respective clubs gathered and they cheered each other and then the conqueror and the conquered shook hands. It was a fitting close to a season that once again acknowledged St. Catharines as a major lacrosse power.

On the Athletics, every player gave their utmost to stem the powerful Beavers. The scoring was well divided with nine players figuring in the scoring column. Roy “Bun” Barnard staged three pretty rushes to convert neat passes into goals, while George Hope came up from his defense position to shoot two angle shots past Lickers. Gus Madsen scored one goal and handed out two passes, while Jack Blair was the only rearguardsman to go scoreless, but he played a brilliant checking game.

On the home, Bill Fitzgerald and Roy “Pung” Morton scored two goals and handed out an assist each, while Jack McMahon both scored one and supplied a pass for a tally.

Irv. Lounsburry who made numerous scoring plays, tallied one and handed out a pass, while “Tank” Teather made two scoring plays and Hugh Arbuthnot one. Bob Pinder and Harry Smith played hard-working games.

Bill Isaacs, who chalked up three counters and handed out two passes, Luman Jackson and Lance Isaacs, both netting a trio of goals stood out for the Beavers. Hess tallied two and collected an assist, while McCallum, M. Miller, Walsh and “Red” Millar scored one each.

Millar, who along with Wilson and Downey, will represent this city in the finals, was given a heavy riding by his former mates, but he checked well and was always effective.

	S.	G.	A.	P.
Manning, goal	0	0	0	0
Blair, def	2	0	0	0
Barnard, def	2	3	0	0
Lounsbury, rover	4	1	1	2
Pinder, c	5	0	0	0
Fitzgerald, f	3	2	1	0
Arbuthnot, f	3	0	1	0
Madsen, subs	3	1	2	2
Hope	1	2	0	6
Smith	2	0	0	0
Morton	4	2	1	2
McMahon	2	1	1	0
Teather	6	0	2	0
	37	12	9	12

	S.	G.	A.	P.
Lickers, goal	0	0	0	0
Hess, def	0	2	1	2
Martin, def	0	0	1	2
Miller, rover	2	1	1	0
B. Isaacs, c	5	3	2	2
Jackson, f	3	2	0	2
L. Isaacs, f	6	3	0	0
Richardson, subs	0	0	0	0
McCallum	3	1	1	2
W. Isaacs	2	0	0	2
Walsh	1	1	0	0
Millar	2	1	0	2
Rae	1	0	1	0
	31	15	7	10

Another great little lacrosse team bowed to an admittedly superior band of foemen here last night and with the second consecutive defeat, "finis" was written to the senior aspirations of the St. Catharines Athletics for this season. Burlington Beavers just simply had too much science, ability to gather in loose balls, precision in passing and deadly sniping for the blue-barred homebrews and when sensational net-minding is added, there is very little remaining to be consoled over.

Giving the credit where it is due, there was no hesitation in handing the crown to Jack Worthy’s flashes and the unfortunate answer in return is that the expectant stars of the Athletics did not shine in the manner expected. They were checked too closely and what the enemy did not do, they did for themselves in failing to snare loose balls, make sure of their passing plays and pick the net corners. If they scored 12 goals, they earned every one and missed a dozen more, while six of the Beavers might be categorized as being of the soft variety. Yet no team worked harder than the Saints, who deserve a cheer for their splendid season’s efforts.