Six Nations captures Mann Cup

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In a series dubbed the "War of the Wooden Floor," the Six Nations Chiefs defeated the home-town New Westminster Salmonbellies to take their second-straight Mann Cup. The cup is representative of the Canadian senior men's lacrosse championship.

Six Nations won the feisty, best-of-seven series, which concluded on Sept. 13, in six games.

"I didn't have any doubt about winning it all this year," said Chiefs' coach Les Wakeling. "We had eight new guys but the nucleus of our team was back. And I knew we were stronger this year than we were last year."

Returnees on the Chiefs' roster included John Tavares and Paul Gait, two of the word's top box lacrosse players and brothers Rich, Darrin and Travis Kilgour.

Wakeling, who also coached Ontario's Brampton Excelsiors to back-to-back Mann Cup crowns in 1992 and '93, said that, because of the sport's rich Native history, he was proud to bring back a second national title to the Six Nations.

"I don't really look at race, creed or color when they're playing," he said. "But it is special to do it for the Natives. It's impressive to see all the support they give us."

During the regular season the Chiefs played their games in nearby Brantford, Ont. For the league playoffs, however, the Chiefs played their home games in Oshweken, on the Six Nations Reserve. The Chiefs had success at both venues, posting a 19-1 regular-season mark and winning all eight of its OLA playoff encounters.

This year's national final lived up to its nickname, early on. In the opening minutes, one of the Salmonbellies' stars, Ben Hieltjes, was involved in a minor altercation with Tavares. One of the Chiefs' enforcers, Miles General, didn't like what he saw.

General levelled Hieltjes with a vicious cross-check from behind, a hit which signalled the end of the series for both players. Hieltjes was physically unable to return to action while General received a game misconduct and was suspended for the remainder of the series. He will also need to return to the West Coast in November to answer to a charge of common assault laid against him after the incident was reviewed.

"It's just ridiculous," Wakeling said. "I've seen a lot worse hits during the time I've been coaching. If he had hit any other player but Hieltjes, nothing would have happened." Wakeling was also critical of the series refereeing.

"There was a lot of politics and a lot of bad refereeing in that series," he said. "It was ridiculous. For our last game we were down to 16 runners."

Wakeling was especially upset that the refereeing crew saw his side as more aggressive. During the six games, the Chiefs amassed 150 penalty minutes more than the 'Bellies, whom he felt were the ones instigating the rough play.

"We do not have to play that way," he said. "We have a lot of talent out there. But (the Salmonbellies) have been looking for their 25th Mann Cup since 1991. We knew they were going to try anything they could to win it this year."