Can the Mounties bounce back after a return to the bottom?

One of the best stories to come out of the Maritime University Field Lacrosse League are the Mount Allison Mounties. The school is not exactly a hot bed for lacrosse talent, but year after year they continue to put together a team of athletes who, by season’s end, come together to play competitive games.

It’s common place for the majority of the team to be new to the sport when they first come to Mount Allison, and the student representatives are always hard at work recruiting former Varsity Football, Soccer and Basketball players.  From 2010-2014, the Mounties defeated every team in the MUFLL at least once - a major accomplishment considering those teams regularly feature many of the top players from around the Maritimes.

2015 was a tough season, as they went winless for the first time since 2009. Will they be able to bounce back, or will a tough, late summer injury to a key player lead to another long season?

Senior Players:
Peter Burns - Attack
Spencer Betts - Attack
Jerica LeBlanc - Attack
Aaron Burton - Midfield
Jacob Bragg – Goalie

Over the last several seasons, Bragg and Betts rotated in the net, before Betts moved full time to attack in 2015. The goaltending position can be a tough ask on a Mounties team that tends to give up a lot of goals, especially early on in the season, and will be a tough hole to fill next year. Burton, having only scored 1 goal in his first 2 seasons, came on strong as a Junior, potting 6 for the Mounties. Leblanc, only the third woman ever to play in the MUFLL, also added three goals and will provide valuable depth up front for the Mounties.

Finally, wily veteran Peter Burns enters his 6th and final MUFLL season. Fresh off his best season to date, Burns will provide leadership for a young Mounties squad.

Key Returnees:
Nick Scott - Defense
Cam DeMont - Attack/Midfield
Mitchell Barry - Midfield

Three tough injuries plagued the Mounties last year, having lost Nick Scott, their top long pole before the season even began. Geoff Zed, the team’s rookie of the year in 2015, stated that Scott was a monster in late season practices. DeMont, the team’s 3rd leading goal scorer despite only playing 4 games, will look to build off strong freshman and sophomore years as one of the team’s most important players in 2016.

Key Departures and Injuries:
Geoff Zed - Midfield

The aforementioned Zed, the captain of the 2015 Southwest Hurricanes, went down late in an East Coast Junior Lacrosse League playoff game with a torn ACL. The Mounties leading scorer was again going to be counted on to provide the team with much needed skill and finish at the midfield position, and could be a devastating loss for the team.

Coming from a great family, Geoff’s leadership skills have never been questioned. Instead of taking the year off, he has stepped up and will coach the team in 2016. Having solid connections through the Halifax Southwest Hurricanes organization, he will certainly have many resources and coaches back home to lean on, and his impact will still be felt throughout the season.

Upcoming Players:
Gus Doane - Attack

As a freshman, Gus Doane finished second only to Zed on the team in scoring in 2015. He gained some valuable experience as a playoff call up for the ECJLL’s Northwest Marley Lions, playing an important defensive role.

When asked about his view for the upcoming season, Gus stated, “We should be a much deeper team with the chance to win games and bounce back after a rough season last year. The return of our manager Nick Scott to the field on defense will be a difference maker for us”.

The Mounties will need him to lead the offensive unit that struggled to score in 2015.

Incoming Players:
Austin Rand - Midfield
Jordan Sperling - Midfield

Mount Allison usually takes a "wait and see" approach with incoming freshman, and this year is no different with no known players yet coming to the team. They will look to Austin Rand to provide some much needed depth. The 2nd year student hailing from Hudson, Ohio, played for Western Reserve Academy in High School, and will be a name to watch in the Freshman of the Year battle.

Interested in playing for the Mount Allison Mounties? Contact manager Nick Scott at ntscott@mta.ca for more information on the team and one of Canada’s top undergrad universities.

Look for our next preview of the University of New Brunswick Buccaneers tomorrow!