OMLA Product Goes First in Jr. a Draft
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28 Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor “Connected to your Community” [email protected] Sports OMLA product goes first in Jr. A draft Jon Donville had always followed a similar In addition to his older brother (Brennan Thursday, January2015 | 29, Thursday, path in lacrosse as his big brother, Brennan. and Jon will miss out on playing together at | Both have been members of national Cornell by one season), Donville also lists champion provincial teams, and both have his father Jason as a key factor in his devel- played field lacrosse for St. Michael’s Col- opment as a lacrosse player. Jason coached lege School in Toronto. In 2017, Jon will Jon since Jon was seven years old, and was don the Big Red jersey of Cornell Univer- also the coach of the Edge Lacrosse elite sity, where Brennan has already played for travel team that showcased Jon and others OAKVILLE BEAVER two seasons. to scouts in the United States over the past However, Jon recently managed to do six years. Jon Donville, pictured something in lacrosse that Brennan didn’t “More than the X’s and O’s, (Jason’s) just playing for Team On- do first — going first overall in the On- been there and been a great positive role tario at the national tario Lacrosse Association junior A draft. model for us,” Jon said. “He was never a midget box lacrosse Jon was selected by the Mimico Mountain- screamer or a yeller. He’s always tried to championships, was eers, marking the third time in six years an pick the guys up and be optimistic.” selected first overall Oakville resident has been one of the first Donville, who was actually born in Sin- by the Mimico Moun- two picks in the draft (Tyler Albrecht went gapore but has lived in Oakville since he taineers in the recent Ontario Lacrosse www.insideHALTON.com | www.insideHALTON.com second in 2010, Jackson Hulbert went sec- was five years old, could be viewed as a cor- ond in 2012). nerstone piece for the Mountaineers. The Association junior A “Brennan (a goaltender who stopped Mimico franchise is an amalgamation of draft. The 17-year-old playing box lacrosse before junior) has the former Mississauga Tomahawks junior St. Michael’s College been a huge factor in my life. He went to A team (which won one game in the past School student has St. Mike’s before I did and was on Team On- three years) and the junior B Mountaineers already committed tario. It’s not a being-in-his-shadow thing, (5-15 last season). to Cornell Univer- I just see it as wanting to do what he did,” “Obviously, the teams (that formed the sity, where his older said the 17-year-old Jon, who plays offence new Mimico junior A team) haven’t had a brother Brennan has in box lacrosse and is a midfielder in the lot of success, but there’s a lot of excitement played field lacrosse field game. for the future,” Donville said. “There’s an for two seasons. “I’m just excited to be (going into) junior, opportunity to play and hopefully make the most of all, but going first overall was a re- team, so from that standpoint it’s exciting as | photo submitted ally cool experience.” a young guy… but if you put pressure on Donville has spent the past four years yourself, you’ll just set yourself up for fail- with the Burlington Chiefs after playing ure. seven years in the Oakville Minor Lacrosse “I just want to deal with the process of Association system. He saw action in four making the team,” he added. “Then I can games last season with the Oakville Buzz ju- work on being a big contributor.” nior B team, recording four assists. — Jon Kuiperij MSL teams draft Oakville native, Buzz captain Oakville resident Tyler Albrecht was selected fifth overall in Sunday’s Major Series Lacrosse Lacrosse Briefs graduating junior draft by the Peterborough Lakers. ing his senior season at Syracuse University The Lakers traded up from the ninth pick after beginning his collegiate career at Tow- Speed skater qualifies for first Sr. worlds to select the 21-year-old transition player, son. In 2013, he helped Syracuse reach the Oakville Speed Skating Club product Patrick Duffy quali- who scored 25 goals and added 33 assists in NCAA final, where the Orange lost to Duke fied for his first senior world championships after finish- 18 games last year in junior A with the Bur- 16-10 in the championship game. ing second in the men’s 1,000-metre event at the recent lington Chiefs. Albrecht, who also suited up Young has started 32 consecutive games at Canadian short track championships in Montreal. in 27 games for the Oakville Buzz junior B Syracuse. Last season, Young scooped up 15 The 23-year-old earned his spot by finishing third in the squad from 2009-11, plays collegiate lacrosse ground balls in 16 games and finished fourth Canadian men’s overall standings, which were determined at Cornell. on the team with nine caused turnovers. by results at the Canadian championships (80 per cent Colton Watkinson, who captained the Buzz Dawson plays 200th consecutive NLL game weighting) as well as the fall World Cup selections and this past season, was taken by the Brooklin Dan Dawson has played for six teams in his national qualifications (20 per cent). Redmen as the 30th and final pick of the National Lacrosse League career, but whatev- “(The final day of the meet) was really a solid day. It al- draft. The Burlington native, who spent four er jersey he’s pulled on, there’s been one guar- lowed me to break through and get on the podium, which years for the Buzz, also plays field lacrosse for antee: the Oakville native will be in the lineup. goes to show it’s never too late,” Duffy said. “The fall world the Limestone College Saints, who won the Saturday, Dawson became the second play- cups really had an influence on how I approached the NCAA Division 2 championship last year. er in NLL history to play in 200 consecutive weekend. It allowed me to keep my confidence at a good Syracuse senior picked by MLL’s Rattlers games when he helped the Rochester Knight- level.” Oakville’s Sean Young was selected in the hawks defeat the Toronto Rock 8-6. Duffy posted a time of 1:26.484 in the men’s 1,000m, fifth round (37th overall) of Friday’s Major Dawson has not missed a game since his finishing behind only veteran skater Charles Hamelin of League Lacrosse draft by the Rochester Rat- rookie season in 2002 with Columbus. Sainte-Julie, Que. Patrick Duffy was second in the men’s tlers. Shawn Williams holds the NLL record with The senior world championships will be held March 13- 1,000 metres at the Canadian champi- The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defender is enter- 230 consecutive games played. 15 in Moscow. onships. | Oakville Beaver file photo.