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OkillSports 26SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2011'Horns strugglingin return to BronteIt hasnt been a storybook return to Bronte Athletic Field so far for the Oakville Longhorns.The Longhorns, back at Bronte this year after sitting out the 2009 Northern Football Conference season and then playing the 2010 campaign at Burlingtons Corpus Christi Catholic SecondarySchool, have been soundly beaten in their first two games both at home. Oakville dropped itsseason opener 40-15 to the Sudbury Spartans last month, then was routed 37-0 by the Tri-CityOutlaws Saturday.Such results arent familiar for an organization that was once the class of the NFC, winning anunprecedented 11 consecu-tive league championshipsand three national titles between 1992 and 2003.Several different factors have led to Oakvilles slow start, according to Longhorns head coach Howard DAN HO / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVERBetty.Part of the reason is its harder now to get the ROYAL TREATMENT:Colton Watkinson of the Oakville Buzz (left) fights off Orillia Kings player Jesse Van Tassel during Sunday's Ontariokids to come out to practice, said Betty.Lacrosse Association junior B contest at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre. Watkinson recorded a hat trick to help the Buzz win its final home gameThey all want to show up on game day.of the regular season, 18-8.That issue is exacerbated by a shortage of NFCveterans on the Oakville roster, meaning that inexperienced players are learning on the fly.Buzz draws Akwesasne in Round 1The system is not what theyre used to. YouGoing into last nights (Tuesdays) season finale, members of Akwesasne.have to find the universi-Part of the rea-the Oakville Buzz knew their travel plans over the next couple Oakville carried an 13-6 record into last nights contest afterty-type kids that can goweeks included a trip through eastern Ontario.winning two of three games over the past week. The Buzzthrough these systems,son is it's harderThey just didnt know when that trip would be, or for how dropped an 11-3 decision to the South East Division-leadingbut (our) kids are coming now to get thelong.Halton Hills Bulldogs Thursday in Georgetown, then dumpedout of the junior systems,kids to come out Regardless of the outcome of last nights contest in Newmarket the Mississauga Tomahawks 11-4 Friday and the Orillia KingsBetty said.to practice. They(a game that began after theBeavers press deadlines), the Buzz 18-8 Sunday at Glen Abbey Recreation Centre.Sometimes, when all want to showwill face the Akwesasne Lightning in the first round of the Gianni Bianchin, Colton Watkinson and Jake Jagodkin scoredtheyre not used to things,Ontario Lacrosse Association junior B playoffs.goals for Oakville in the loss to the Bulldogs. Halton Hills led 4-0they have a tendency toup on game day.If Oakville defeated or tied the Saints last night, or if after one period and then outscored the Buzz 6-1 in the thirdwalk away from it, rather Longhorns coachAkwesasne lost or tied its game with Kahnawake, the Buzz period to coast to its third win over Oakville in as many meetingsthan try to learn some-Howard Bettywould finish fourth in the Eastern Conference standings and this season.thing.hold home-floor advantage for the best-of-five series with the Friday, it was Oakville that used a dominant third period toAnd Betty has alreadyLightning. An Oakville loss and an Akwesasne win or tie break open a victory. The Buzz led Mississauga 5-4 through twoseen several players walk away this year, evenwould mean that Akwesasne would finish ahead of Oakville periods before scoring six unanswered goals in the final frame.before the season began. Registration costs haveand potentially host three of five contests in the opening Spencer Gallant and Bianchin both netted hat tricks, Jackrisen over the years to the point that many young-round.Matthews scored a pair and Elliott Cowburn, Eric Wales ander players decide they cant afford to play.Due to the distance between the two communities, the Matt Worlidge added singles in support of winning goaltenderWe had about four to six kids quit after train-higher-ranked team will have the option of hosting either the Tyler Sullivan.ing camp. They went right through mini camp first three or last three games of the series in order to minimize The Buzz then blitzed Orillia early and often in its final homeand then when (they) had to pay (their) money, alltravel.game of the regular season Sunday, building a 7-0 lead beforeof a sudden they were going back to university or This year marks the first postseason meeting between the the game was 17 minutes old. The Buzz added another ninecouldnt stay this summer, said Betty, noting that Buzz and Lightning since 2008, when Oakville prevailed in five goals in the second period to build a 16-7 advantage through 40fees this year were roughly $400 a player.games. That series was particularly memorable because a dis-minutes. Wales paced the Oakville attack with four goals and twoYou know its not that they dont want to play, pute over scheduling caused the OLA to rule that the top-seeded assists, while Todd Nakasuji, Robert Bentivegna and Coltonits that they dont have the finances.Buzz and eighth-ranked Lightning would play the fifth and Watkinson all struck for three goals each. Bianchin potted twoThats left the Longhorns with as little depth asdeciding game on a neutral floor in Bowmanville.and Keyan McQueen, Cowburn and Jagodkin also tallied in theone of TheReal Housewives of Orange County.The Buzz was victorious in its lone regular-season meeting laugher. Sullivan recorded the win in net as the teams combinedIn Saturdays loss to Tri-City, there were times with the Lightning this year, earning a 4-3 win May 1 in for 126 minutes in penalties.See Lack, page 27