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THURSDAY, July 7, 2011 8 Pages MEET YOUR BULLDOGS Player & Staff profiles Pages 4-6 2011 BULLDOGS' STATISTICS PAGE 2-3 BULLDOGS PLAYOFF PREVIEW Founders Cup champs reload for playoffs Bulldogs primed for another shot at title By EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer They had so much fun the first time around, the Halton Hills Bulldogs are poised to make a long post-season run again this summer. The 2010 Canadian Lacrosse Association Jr. B champions don't appear to be content with just one Founders Cup title to their credit and with a strong core of players returning, some additions have been made to put the team in contender status once more. Finishing the 2011 regular season with a 17-3 mark-- the same record as last year-- the Bulldogs placed second in the Ontario Jr. B Lacrosse League's East Conference behind the Clarington Green Gaels, who have beaten Halton Hills in both meetings so far. The 'Dogs certainly found out in their first-round playoff series with the Markham Ironheads that the path to another Founders Cup was never going to be easy, pulling off a pair of one-goal wins in the threegame sweep. Next up is the fourth-place Akwesasne Lightning, which defeated Oakville 3-1 in its opening series but hasn't advanced out of the first round of playoffs since 2005. "It's been a difficult year for everyone, because it's a different element when you're the champs and everyone's chasing you," said Blaine McCauley, in his sixth year as head coach of the Bulldogs. "I'm proud of the way they've handled it. The great thing about this team is that everyone buys into the concept and they know everyone has a role to play. We learned last year that to achieve our goal, it's a long road and it just doesn't happen overnight. If you start looking past anyone, you're going to get caught." McCauley was likely referring to last year's euphoric journey through the playoffs, in which his team seemed down and out in the East Conference final against the mighty Green Gaels. Trailing 2-0 in the best-of-5 series, the Bulldogs stunned the Gaels by taking three straight wins including two in Bowmanville. Then, Halton Hills led the Elora Mohawks 2-0 in the Ontario championship before the West Conference reps rallied to force a fifth game that the Bulldogs would dominate in an 8-3 victory, securing their berth in the Founders Cup in Etobicoke. This year's squad had to find replacements for the offence lost when the likes of Shane Scott, Ethan O'Connor and Nic Grasby moved on, so GM Mike Hancock and McCauley made some late-season moves to add some experience to an already battle-tested group. See PIECES, pg. 7 Seth Laidlaw of the Halton Hills Bulldogs intercepts a pass and heads up the floor alongside older brother Peter (right) during a recent regular season contest against the Oakville Buzz. The `Dogs finished the regular schedule with a 17-3 record this year, the same mark the team had in 2010 when they captured both the Ontario and then Canadian Jr. B lacrosse titles for the first time in the club's 16-year history in Georgetown. Photo by Eamonn Maher Ontario Jr. B Lacrosse League East Conference Best-of-five semifinal series Game 1 Saturday, July 9 @ Akwesasne, 8 p.m. Game 2 Sunday, July 10 @ Akwesasne, 2 p.m. Game 3 Friday, July 15 @ Georgetown, 8 p.m. x-Game 4 Saturday, July 16 @ Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. x-Game 5 Sunday, July 17 @ Georgetown, 2 p.m. x-if necessary Go Bulldogs Go! From the staff at Mink! 324 Guelph Street, Unit #5 Georgetown, ON L7G-4B5 (905) 702-0411