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Inaugural First Nations Junior B Lacrosse League Season is Underway

The 2015 season of the First Nations Junior B Lacrosse League (FNJBLL) got underway on Saturday at Aréna Kevin-Lowe in Lachute, Québec. The seven-team outfit is a merger of the Iroquois Nations Junior B and Montreal Junior leagues, both of which began play in 2014.

The FNJBLL is blind to all borders, kicking off the inaugural season with one team from Montreal, Canada joining two American and four Six Nations teams.

  • Kanehsatake Warriors (IRO)
  • Montreal Shamrocks (CAN)
  • Onondaga Redhawks (IRO)
  • Rochester JHawks (USA)
  • Seneca WarChiefs (IRO)
  • Tonawanda Braves (IRO)
  • Vermont Voyageurs (USA)

Two Québec-based teams clashed in the first-ever league game as Montreal Jr. Shamrocks defeated Kanehsatake Jr. Warriors 6-5. Chad Fairfoull, coach of the Jr. Shamrocks, was pleased with the result of the first game.

You could tell that both teams were struggling with ball control, but it was the first game of the season for both teams,” said Fairfoull.

“As the game wore on though, it became an end-to-end rush fest with good goaltending at both ends keeping the score low and close. Both of these teams will improve dramatically over the season.

Matt Muoin played with Montreal Jr. Phoenix in 2014
Matt Muoin played with Montreal Jr. Phoenix in 2014

The Jr. Shamrocks were 4-2 in MJLL play in 2014, finishing behind league champion Vermont Jr. Voyaguers (6-0). Montreal swept a best-of 3 series against Kanehsatake before falling to Vermont in two-straight games of the league finals.

Montreal goalie Matt Muloin, who allowed just one goal in the final period, was acknowledged after the game by Fairfoull as the player of the game.

Jr. Warriors player Jansen Nicholas had this to say about the inaugural game:

Both teams gave a lot of intensity despite short benches, but I felt we gave up too many scoring opportunities and made a lot of unforced errors that cost us the game.

League play resumes this weekend when all seven teams will be in action, check out the full league schedule for more.

Saturday, May 23

  • Rochester at Tonawanda
  • Vermont at Kanehsatake
  • Onondaga at Seneca

Sunday, May 24

  • Kanehsatake at Montreal
  • Seneca at Rochester

Jr. Shamrocks vs Jr. Warriors scoring

Montreal

  • Steve Sambault (2 G, 2 A)
  • Jordan Blondin (2 G, 1 A)
  • Zach Harman (1 G, 1 A)
  • Davin Miller (1 G)
  • Kyle Comintini (1 A)
  • Colin Di Giamncomo (1 A)
  • Joe Mitchell (1 A)
  • Doug Moar (1 A)

Kanesatake

  • Kyle Canatonquin (2 G)
  • Alex Beaupre (1 G, 1 A)
  • Joe Beauvais (1 G)
  • Steven McPhee (1 G)
  • Skylar Baker (1 A)
  • Sterling Beaver (1 A)
  • Ben Doxtator (1 A)
  • Jansen Nicholas (1 A)
  • Brandon Rice (1 A)

Keep up with the FNJBLL website as it grows and be sure to follow the league on Twitter to keep us with the season!