Oakville Minor Lacrosse Association

The 11th ranked Oakville Hawks Tyke 1 Rep Team went into the Provincial Championship Tournament, as decided underdogs and were given little chance by most onlookers, except for Team Staff, Players, and Team Parents. They were the big surprise, making it to the final four, after eliminating the 5th ranked Innisfil Team and then the 7th ranked Toronto Beaches Team.

In the Final Four Semi Final round, the Hawks faced the daunted Whitby Warriors, who have yet to taste defeat in 2011. Whitby has won the A Division Championship at Provincials for three years running, and were determined to make it a fourth.

The valiant Hawks were running on empty after the energy they expended playing their best lacrosse of the season against higher ranked opponents. They fell to the warriors 9 to 3, but they won the admiration of a lot of onlookers, including higher ranked opponents. They wore their hearts on their sleeves, and left everything they had on the Arena Floor. Like true Gladiators, they never gave up, and fought the Warriors until the last buzzer sounded. They showed pride in wearing the Oakville Hawks uniform, and showed that they had no reason to hang their heads.

Not only do these boys deserve our admiration and respect for the heart, determination and effort they gave, but the Team Bench Staff also deserves to be recognized for the teamwork development, skill development and sportsmanship they taught the boys this season.

Remember that emotional line spoken in the movie "Remember the Titans". It went something like this: "Make sure you play the game, so they will never forget the day they played the Titans". I think the Innisfil Wolfpack and Toronto Beaches will never forget the day they played the Hawks at Provincials.

Hawks Players and Bench Staff-You made Oakville proud!!