Bucks off to solid start in new lacrosse league

Thursday, June 22nd, 2023 4:04pm

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The Akwesasne Bucks play the Axemen in Cornwall June 23.
By Sam Laskaris, Windspeaker.com

The Akwesasne Bucks are playing in a new league this season.

And the Senior B men’s lacrosse squad, which plays its home matches out of rinks in Cornwall and the Mohawk community of Akwesasne in Ontario, is enjoying success.

The Bucks were founded in 2019. They previously competed in the Can-Am Lacrosse League.

The Akwesasne club won in that circuit in both 2019 and 2022. The Can-Am loop did not operate in either 2020 or ’21 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After winning both of its Can-Am championships, the Akwesasne side advanced to the Presidents Cup, the national Senior B tournament.

The Bucks captured the silver medal at the 2019 national tourney staged in Kahnawake, Que. And Akwesasne was also the runner-up at last year’s Canadian tournament in Edmonton.

As for this year, the Bucks now participate in the Three Nations Senior Lacrosse League.

This eastern Ontario league includes the Capital Region Axemen, Snake Island Muskies and Cornwall Redmen.

League entrants also play regular season matches against the Kahnawake Mohawks, the lone entry in the Quebec Senior Lacrosse League this season.

The Bucks managed to win their first three starts in their new league this year, collectively outscoring their opponents 43-17.

Akwesasne’s next game is Friday, June 23, against the Axemen at the Howard Darwin Centennial Arena in Cornwall. The opening faceoff is set for 8 p.m.