2014 World Lacrosse Championships

It’s been nearly a decade since the Iroquois Nationals have played in the World Lacrosse Championships. Now, the only indigenous lacrosse team competing internationally as a sovereign nation, is in Denver aiming to compete for the gold medal.

“This is sort of like the redemption tour for our guys,” said Marty Ward, goalie on the 27-man roster.

So far they’ve won three of their four games with a crucial contest against the USA coming Tuesday. In 2010, the Iroquois Nationals made international headlines when they were forced to forfeit the Lacrosse World Championships in England. The group was travelling on their Iroquois nation’s own passports.

Read more at CBC News | Photo by Kenny Frost

After a two-hour weather delay, the Iroquois Nationals were able to outscore Australia 4-2 late Monday night to earn a 12-10 win and improve to 3-1 in the Blue Division at the FIL World Lacrosse Championships.

Tied 8-8 with about two minutes and thirty seconds remaining in the third quarter, a thunderstorm rolled into Denver and led to a delay, that forced the Iroquois, the Australians and the fans in attendance to seek shelter in the main stadium while the rain came pouring down.

Following a clutch save by Tom Vickery on Cody Jamieson, the Iroquois would break the tie with six seconds left in the third when Jeremy Thompson scored after the Nationals broke up the clear attempt.

Read more at Inside Lacrosse | Photo by Anna Scipione

The Iroquois Nationals were able to avoid two consecutive days of awful weather and emerge Sunday sitting at 2-0 leading up to an important game against Canada Sunday night.

With two games under their belts, the Iroquois appeared to be well on their way to competing for a medal. The team put on a wild display against Japan in a 24-9 win. During that game, I felt like I got what I was hoping for these past few years in looking forward to the Iroquois taking the field again and bringing together some of their very best players who’ve become elite college and pro players since the 2010 mishap.

I still haven’t had a chance to sit down with him and talk at length, but it certainly felt like a special opportunity to stand alongside Chief Oren Lyons during the Iroquois’ bushwhacking of Japan. Watching Warren Hill in the cage, I couldn’t help but wonder what type of impact the Six Nations product could have next year at Syracuse University. Knowing the answer, I asked Lyons who the last Native American goalie was to start at Syracuse.

Read more at Inside Lacrosse

In a game for the ages, Curtis Dickson scored a game-winning goal with 19 seconds remaining on the clock, lifting Canada to a 9-8 win over the Iroquois Nationals in front of a capacity crowd on Sunday night in FIL World Championship group play.

The winner came off a feed from Jeremy Noble, who drew a double-team as the final minute of the game wound down that left Dickson alone right along the crease, where he was able to turn the corner and beat Iroquois goalkeeper Warren Hill.

Read More at LaxMagazine.com | Photo by Scott McCall

Photos by Scott McCall

See gallery at Lax Magazine