Iroquois Nationals Make History in Defeat of Team USA

Greg Horn in Entertainment. Discussion »

TURKU, FINLAND – In stunning fashion the Iroquois Nationals made history today when they beat the United States 15-13 in their final game of round-robin play at the U19 World Lacrosse Championships. The win by the U19 squad marked the first time the Iroquois Nationals beat Team USA in field lacrosse in any level.

All the other countries at U19 World Lacrosse Championships Today,
were jumping up and down along with our home crowd.

“We asked the boys to play a more composed and settled game,”

Delby Powless, one of the Iroquois Nationals coaches, told Iorì:wase.

“They bought into the system and played with more patience than most Iroquois teams usually play. Defensively we played smart.”

Local lacrosse standout Hank Delisle scored three goals in the game, including the game winner. Delisle's mother Kwetiio Goodleaf was in the stands for this historic win.

“It was amazing,”

she said.

"It seems like the whole world is rooting for the Iroquois Nationals and Hank has his own little group of fans. Everyone was so nervous and at the edge of their seats and the victory was crazy! All the other countries were jumping up and down along with our home crowd! What a feeling to watch my son play the sport he loves against the world and come out on top. I'm a proud Isten'a. I feel like Isten'a to most to these boys because we have been to endless tryouts, tournaments and road trips together. The Iroquois Nationals are one big family and it shows!"

The Americans got on the scoreboard first with a goal by Matthew Kavanagh (Connor Buczek) at 1:48 of the first quarter. Ryan Tucker would make it 2-0 at 8:31 of the quarter, then Michael Tagliaferri and Joseph Leonard would make it 4-0 on by 12:23. Jake Bomberry would stop the bleeding and get the Iroquois Nationals on the scoreboard at 14:29 making it 4-1. Brendan Bomberry would make it 4-2 at 18:45 and the Robert Zoppo scored for Team USA to make it 5-2 with 15 seconds left in the quarter.

At 2:23 of the second quarter Randy Staats cut the Americans' lead to 5-3. At 4:23 Anthony Patterson took an illegal body-check penalty at the same time as Kyle Isaacs got called for slashing for the Iroquois Nationals. Brendan Bomberry was able to score shorthanded at 5:32 to cut the American lead to 5-4. Daniel Eipp would extend Team USA's lead to 6-4 on a powerplay goal at 8:27. Leonard would further extend the American lead to 7-4 at 9:23 of the quarter. Kavanagh then made it 8-4 on a powerplay at 12:41. Delisle would score his first of the game at 14:41 to make it 8-5. Seth Oakes then made it 8-6 at 18:40 to close out the first half.

The Iroquois Nationals would come out firing in the second half of the game. Quinn Powless got the Iroquois Nationals to within one goal just 53 seconds into the third quarter making it 8-7. Lyle Thompson would tie it all up at 8-8 at 2:50 and then Brendan Bomberry would make it 9-8 for the Iroquois Nationals with his third of the game at 3:44. Stephen Jahelka would take a 30 second interference penalty for Team USA at 5:34. Johnny Powless would score on the ensuing powerplay to give the Iroquois Nationals a 10-8 lead. Tagliaferri would score at 12:53 to cut the Iroquois Nationals lead to 10-9. Staats would give the Nationals an 11-9 lead at 15:55, which is how it would stay until the end of the quarter.

The American's would come out strong in the fourth quarter and would cut the Iroquois lead to 11-10 at 1:17 of the quarter. Taglieferri (Kavanagh) would even things up at 11-11 at 5:12. Kavanagh would take a slashing penalty at 6:58 and the Iroquois Nationals would capitalize on the powerplay. Staats would make it 12-11 at 7:21. Then at 10:28 Ky Tarbell would give the Nationals a 13-11 lead. Team USA would not give up and Kavanagh would make it 13-12 at 11:36, then Tagliaferri would tied it up at 13-13 at 13:16.

Delisle would then make it 14-13 at 14:23. The Iroquois Nationals would then do their best to control the play and kill the clock. With about two minutes to play and Thompson was ragging the ball, the Iroquois Nationals called a timeout. When play resumed Team USA called for the officials to check Thompson's stick, saying it was illegal. The stick was deemed legal and no penalty was levied. With just 49 seconds left to play Delisle would score an insurance marker and his third of the game, giving the Iroquois Nationals a 15-13 win.

“There was a lot of good individual efforts from guys like Lyle Thompson, Zac Miller, Hank Delisle, Randy Staats and Brandon Bomberry,”

Delby Powless said.

“But the one guy who made the biggest difference in the game is the hardest working player on the team, goaltender Warren Hill. He played incredible. The kid was lights out in the cage today and really stepped up for his team today.”

Greg Horn is a Mohawk journalist/photojournalist from Kahnawake. Horn owns and operates an online newspaper based in Kahnawake called Iorì:wase (www.kahnawakenews.com) and has 15 years experience in print, radio and television news. Horn primarily works on issues that affect the Mohawks of Kahnawake and the rest of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy).

photo credit 2012 FIL U19 World Lacrosse Championships;
posted July 17, 2012 12:40 pm edt