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Coquitlam, BC – All across Canada and Native nations, teams started the season with the goal of hoisting the President’s Cup. In 2014, the Redhawks earned that honor by defeating the Six Nations Rivermen 9-7 and became the second time they were crowned as President’s Cup Champions; the first title came in 2010.
The Redhawks met the Rivermen in round robin play and were victorious by one. Both teams had studied each other’s strengths and were well prepared. Both defenses were ready for the attackers and goal keepers Ross Bucktooth and Warren Hill for Six Nations were on their game. It wasn’t until half way through the first period when Lyle Thompson got his hands free from his defender to score on an outside snipe. Before the period ended, the Rivermen were able to tie the game at 1.
The second period saw the Rivermen score first when a Six Nation’s attacker scooped up a rebound of a Ross Bucktooth save and flip it into the goal. Jerome “Hiana” Thompson answered with a goal where he beat the Six Nations defense down the floor and double faked the goalie to knot the game at 2. Six Nations again scored off a save before Miles Thompson showed off his range with a laser from the outside. The Rivermen continued to battle for loose balls on the offensive end and turned it into a 4-3 lead at the end of the second period.
With only one more period to decide who would win the cup, Lyle brought the crowd to their feet as he tied the game at 4 with highlight reel goal. The Rivermen then made their move towards the cup with a shot from the outside and a fast break goal to take a 6-4 lead. The Redhawks sensing the momentum beginning to sway towards the Rivermen, again turned to tournament MVP Lyle Thompson who responded with another outside blast.
Miles Thompson, game MVP, then began pressuring all clearing attempts by the Six Nations defensemen, intercepted another clearing pass and turned it into a beautiful goal of his own tying the game at 6. A few possessions later, Redhawk defensive specialist Kevin Wilkerson was pulled down from behind giving Onondaga a power play. The Redhawks worked the ball around and found Hiana Thompson free for the outside shot which he buried for a 7-6 lead. Before the Rivermen could mount a comeback, Miles found a cutting Wade Bucktooth who tallied a beautiful backhand goal of his own stretching the Redhawk lead to 8-6. After 16 minutes of the final period had expired, Miles again found Onondaga’s veteran attacker Neal Powless who faked and was able to find the corner to stretch the lead to 9-6. The Redhawks defense was there to hold onto the win, only allowing a single tally when the Rivermen pulled their goalie for an extra attacker.
As the final horn sounded, the jubilant Onondaga Redhawks stormed the floor and goal keeper Ross Bucktooth, celebrating a second President’s Cup title for the organization while the President’s Cup celebrated its 50th year. During this Presidents Cup victory, the Redhawks only lost one game by a single goal, placed 6 players in the scoring leaders (Lyle Thompson, Jerome Thompson, Miles Thompson, Brett Bucktooth, Pete Benedict, and Neal Powless), placed two players on the All Star team (Jeremy and Lyle Thompson), had the tournament MVP in Lyle Thompson, and will be bringing home the Presidents Cup back from Vancouver for the second time.
