Switsons 58

WELLAND – After an absence of almost 60 years, lacrosse returned to Welland Thursday night.

The newly-formed Welland-Crowland Switsons, staffed entirely by former St. Catharines senior players, opened their Ontario Lacrosse Association schedule a 9 – 6 win over the Long Branch Pontiacs. The Long Branch team, which replaced the suspended Peterboro Timbermen in the Mann Cup series last autumn, is generally considered top contenders for the Eastern Canada title this year.

A crowd of slightly under 1,000 fans, many of them watching their first game of box lacrosse, gave an enthusiastic reception to the Garden City “experts” and it is conceivable that within a few weeks seats may be at a premium in the Welland Arena.

The score of 9 – 6 was actually misleading. The Switsons, although not playing “as well as I thought they would” according to Coach Gus Madsen, had a tremendous advantage in territorial play. Only the heroics of Long Branch goalie Porky Douglas prevented the Welland club from at least doubling their nine-goal output.

The first period provided the best lacrosse of the night and the fans showed their appreciation by giving both teams a standing ovation before the first intermission.

Ted Howe, captain of the Switsons, was also the team leader in the opening 20 minutes, scoring two goals and assisting on another as his club managed a slim 4 – 3 lead.

Long Branch tied up the score early in the second period as a goal by burly Bruce Sears but that was the closest they came to spoiling the Welland opener for the Switsons.

Les Howard, Mike D’Amico, and Gary Carr, the latter well known in Welland as a member for the last two years of their senior “B” hockey club, scored single goals and the verdict was not in doubt the rest of the way.

Play slowed down in the third period but Welland still managed to give the portly Long Branch goalie some anxious moments. Only two of their chances resulted in goals however, Nip O’Hearn scoring the first and assisting on Brian Woods closing counter.

Late in the third period Glen Passmore and Ted Howe staged an exchange of cross-checks and in a matter of seconds every player of both teams got into a shoving match.

Out of the scuffle came Rich Daniels of Welland and Sears of Long Branch with fists swinging. The two players, biggest on the floor for both clubs, required the concerted efforts of both officials to pry them apart and were both given major penalties. The instigators of the battle, Howe and Passmore, escaped with minors.

Next home game for the Switsons is next Thursday night against the Hamilton Tigers.

Included in the crowd last night was a fair representation of St. Catharines lacrosse fans.

Long Branch Pontiacs: Goal, Russell; defence, G. Kapasky, Passmore, Main, Kells; forwards, Ruse, Owen, Henderson, Tomchyschyn, Riel, Rawson, Brazier, McKinnon.

Penalties: Passmore (slash), Carr (high stick), McNulty (slash), O'Hearn (high stick), McMahon & Ruse (roughing)

Penalties: Morningstar (trip, served by Hall), Henderson (slash), Riel (major, slash), Passmore (roughing), Howe (roughing), Daniels (major, fight), Sears (major, fight)

Team	W	L	F	A	Pts
Welland-Crowland Switsons	20	3	322	178	40
Brampton Excelsiors	18	6	251	204	32
Long Branch Pontiacs	11	11	223	206	22
Peterborough Timbermen	9	15	246	278	18
Hamilton Lincoln Burners	7	16	176	247	14
Mimico Mountaineers	3	16	138	229	6

Strictly speaking, St. Catharines won't have a lacrosse team on the west coast this month. However, numerically speaking there will be more Garden City lacrosse stars in British Columbia than from any other city in the country.

The way they're going only a major catastrophe will stop the Welland-Crowland Switsons from flying to B. C. Saturday Sept. 13 in search of the Mann Cup. All players on the Welland club are from St. Catharines and with the exceptions of part time travelers such as Nip O'Hearn and Jim McMahon, have played all their lacrosse here.

There will also be one St. Catharines player with the Brampton Excelsiors (juniors) when they head west tomorrow evening. Gary Moore, the high scoring forward who moved back from senior to play with the junior Athletics, was the unanimous choice to accompany the Excelsiors in their bid for the Minto Cup.

If the Switsons win the Eastern Canada title, and it would take a supreme pessimist to believe they won't, no decision has yet been made whether the club will be bolstered.

With three goaltenders on their roster, and Justin Howe playing sensational playoff lacrosse, there seems little need for strengthening in this department. Defensively the club is sound with Nip O'Hearn playing the best lacrosse of his career and able assistance from Dick Daniels, Skip Teal, Gary Carr, and when not a forward, Doug Smith.

Offensively the Switsons are strong but they just can't have too much scoring power for the west coast opposition. If aid is sought for this forward brigade, Larry Ruse of Long Branch would seem to be the logical choice.

Tonight the Switsons play what could be their final home game of the season. It is unfortunate that the attendance is just starting to grow in Welland when the season is virtually completed.

It is difficult to say just how well lacrosse "caught on" in the present experimental season. Unfortunately many of the games were so one-sided that a little of the edge was taken off the regular schedule.

During the playoffs the turnstiles have been turning with a more pleasant hum but at least 50 per cent of the fans attending are driving to Welland from St. Catharines. In fact there is so much interest here at the present time that it would be no exaggeration to say there would be 2,500 - 3,000 at each of those final games if they were played at the Garden City Arena.

This is not meant to aim criticism at the Welland fans who we still feel have taken a keen interest in a "foreign" team playing a "foreign" (to them) game. Perhaps now St. Catharines folk may begin to realize that they let a pretty good thing slip away from them when, by their lack of support, they forced senior lacrosse into Welland.

footnote: the Welland-Crowland Switsons lost to the New Westminster Salmonbellies in the Mann Cup finals