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Home , Buffalo Bandits, John Tavares (lacrosse), National Lacrosse League, Rochester Knighthawks

SportsOakville Beaver 34 SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email [email protected] • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

MACRAE AND GILLIES PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY; RUYS AND JOHNSTON PHOTOS BY OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF DRAFTED: Pictured from left to right, local residents Dan MacRae, Josh Ruys, Scott Johnston and Sean Gillies were all selected in last week’s National League . Ben McCullough, a Brampton resident who played in the Oakville Minor Lacrosse Association for several , was also picked in the draft. Five former Hawks selected in draft By Jon Kuiperij week’s National Lacrosse League draft. “I was learning something new every Thomas Aquinas, should be a good fit with BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR Dan MacRae was the first OMLA product game. I felt every game that I was improv- the Knighthawks, a club known for its to have his name called, going sixth overall ing,” said MacRae, who helped Brampton toughness. As a coach in the Oakville Minor Lacrosse to the Roughnecks. Josh Ruys went reach the provincial final before the “Rochester fits his personality. That team Association in the mid-1990s, Rob next, selected by the Excelsiors fell to the Peterborough Lakers in has good skill, but even their skill players MacDougall had no shortage of young talent with the 12th pick. Ben McCullough was seven games. carry a swagger,” MacDougall said. to work with. drafted immediately after, going to the MacRae was flattered to be picked so high Ben McCullough Players MacDougall had at his disposal . Scott Johnston was picked in the draft, but he’s not taking anything for included , Steve Mason, Stefan by Rochester in the third round, and Sean granted. McCullough was a Brampton resident Legein, Reggie Traccitto, Michael Scholz, Jeff Gillies rounded out the local crop by going to “Nothing’s set in stone. Everyone’s asking who came to play lacrosse in Oakville Budd and Chris Moulson. the Rock in the sixth round. me if I’m excited to live out there (in because he couldn’t crack the bantam A All have gone on to accomplish great Calgary), but I still have something to prove squad in his home organization. Dan MacRae things in sports. Tavares and Mason are both to myself and the coaching staff,” said the “He walked into our team and he just took stars in the , while Of the five OMLA alumni to be drafted this Holy Trinity grad. off,” said MacDougall. “He was an exception- Legein and Traccitto are currently with NHL year, MacDougall said MacRae was the one ally talented kid but he never got a fair Josh Ruys farm teams. Scholz has suited up for the who always gravitated towards lacrosse the shake.” national men’s rugby team, Budd was a most. Ruys has always been known for his size. McCullough, a midfielder, was fourth in Canadian finalist in badminton, and Moulson “You could really tell when he became the “I always considered him as Baby Huey,” team scoring for the State University of New (whose brother Matt is a teammate of Tavares stick stringer in town,” said MacDougall. said MacDougall. “He was always the biggest York at Potsdam Bears team with the Islanders) is playing uni- “There’s a real skill in stringing sticks. I’ve kid amongst everybody.” last season. versity hockey at Cornell. never attempted to string a stick. Yet, he was That size hasn’t always worked out to Scott Johnston “I’ve always basically said that was the way the kid at 13 or 14 years old walking around Ruys’ advantage. In fact, it often led to some the cards fell,” MacDougall said of the crop of with a red tool box in his hand. It was full of extra punishment in front of the opposition’s Johnston is following in the footsteps of talent. “The same thing happened in leather, string, knives, scissors... you name it, net. his father, Jim Johnston, who played pro Thunder Bay with the Staals (four brothers he had it. He was the stick doctor.” “I think he was (mad) at me a few times lacrosse for the Toronto Shooting Stars and now playing in the NHL) and Patrick Sharp In peewee, MacRae began to develop into because I’d send him into the middle, post- Bolts in the 1970s. (of the Stanley Cup champion Chicago an elite player. He is now a highly-regarded ing,” MacDougall recalled. “He thought it “It still hasn’t really set in. It’s crazy - I’ve Blackhawks). It was just a fluke.” defender with a knack for getting loose balls, was because I didn’t like him, but it was been watching the pros my whole life and Five more of MacDougall’s former a reputation that was enhanced by a strong because he was big and strong and disci- now getting drafted,” said the 21-year-old charges could be on the way to similar Major Lacrosse Series season with the plined.” Ridge grad. “It was always lacrosse, heights as well after being selected in last Brampton Excelsiors this summer. The coach expects Ruys, a graduate of St. See Gillies page 35