OHWEKEN – Six Nations’ Travis Longboat, already pegged at 16-years-old to be a future lacrosse star, proved he is also a formidable hockey player, as he led the Six Nations Midgets to a 7-3 win over Waterford with a four-goal performance.
Coach Terry Smith attributes his captain’s recent success to having better players on the ice as his team begins to gel.
“The guys are moving the puck around better, too,” says Smith. “I’ve been waiting for that for a while. But my defensemen played very well, too.”
Smith is candid enough to admit that they could be even better if all of his players would show up for games and practices.
Longboat showed his game was just as impressive at both ends of the ice as he broke up several Waterford plays on the back-check.
“I expect that out of him,” says Coach Smith. “That’s why he is wearing the ‘C.’ He is experienced and is a good, real player.”
Deryl Porter and Tanner Jonathan made it 2-0 after the first period with assists by Jonathan, Nick Martin and a pair of helpers by Hayden Smith.
Alex Heimbuch got Waterford on the scoreboard with a wrap-around goal and Haiden Coates evened the score with a great deflection from Jonathan Cebulak with just shy of six minutes remaining in the second period.
Longboat got his first of the game with a tap in near the crease from Vern Hill and Isaiah Aaron, then followed up the 4-2 goal with a similar tap in near the crease only seconds later.
Vern Hill made it 5-2 twenty-nine seconds into the third period, from Jarod Martin and Davin Whitlow. Longboat closed out the game with his third and fourth of the game.
With 1.4 seconds left, Waterford’s Jon Kozicki was awarded a penalty shot after he was hauled down on a break away by a Six Nations defender. Kozicki made several moves before scoring Waterford’s third goal of the game in the 7-3 Wildcats loss.
Not willing to take all the credit for his four-goal game, Longboat passed the congratulations over to his teammates.
“My teammates set me up a lot today,” he said.
He is not sure about where he will play lacrosse this summer, but has decided he will not play any winter lacrosse so he can stay with his Midget hockey club and try to help earn them a provincial title.
