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Tribe Swept Aside By Illinois Squad In Championship Game

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By CHRIS ERRINGTON Tribune correspondent

Published: January 7, 2008

WESLEY CHAPEL - It wasn't quite the finish Tampa Tribe Under-17 coach Tom FitzSimons had in mind when his team surprisingly reached the final of Sunday's Rising Stars Division at the Dick's Sporting Goods Lacrosse Tournament of Champions. Then again, he never envisioned even getting this far in the first place.

Saying his team, "ran into a juggernaut," the Tribe were defeated 11-2 by Team Illinois West, the same team they lost to in an earlier pool-play game. But one got the feeling that when all was finished, the final score was the least important aspect of the two-day tournament - both for the local team and for the sport.

"This team has been together only two weeks and 12 out of our 25 guys only just arrived during that time, so I wasn't sure we'd be able to come together as a team in such a short period," FitzSimons said. "Everything about this tournament is a growing aspect for us. These kids are developing and getting better and that's what matters most.

"I think this was a very successful weekend for us and for the tournament."

After falling behind 10-0 at halftime, the Tribe outscored Illinois West in the second half, getting goals from Robert Thorn and Robert Darrow and playing much tighter defense. In the end however, it wasn't enough to overcome an ultra-talented opponent.

"They beat us earlier in the tournament and did it again in the finals," FitzSimons said. "They're a deserving champion."

In the Elite Division championship, defending champion Edge Senior Elite (Ontario, Canada) may have lost in the semifinals, but New Westminster (British Columbia) made sure the title would remain north of the border by topping Headstrong (Pa.) 7-4 in the final.

The Tampa Tribe Elite team lost to Team Bamalax (Ala.) 17-10 in one of its best games of the tournament, before concluding the tournament with a 0-5 mark by falling to Fastlax (Md.).

"I'm very proud of how both our teams competed," FitzSimons said.

The Tournament of Champions, the national championship for high school-level lacrosse, moved to the Wesley Chapel District Park and changed its start date to early January to afford teams an easier opportunity to raise money and make travel arrangements following qualifying tournaments. Tournament officials are in negotiations to make the site their permanent home.

Correspondent Chris Errington can be reached at cerrington@pop.tampatrib.com.

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