All photos by Kenny Frost
Photos: Iroquois vs Japan
Iroquois Nationals compete as own nation at lacrosse worlds
The only indigenous team competing internationally as a sovereign nation is in Colorado for the World Lacrosse Championships.
However, it’s more than a game for the 27-man Iroquois Nationals.
“It’s our way of life. It’s deep in our culture. In our cradle board, we are given a wooden lacrosse stick. We grew up playing since we’ve been walking,” Jeremy Thompson, 27, told The Denver Post.
The Nationals will compete against the world’s top players from Australia, Canada, England, Japan and the U.S. in the top tier of the nine-day competition played every four years.
Thompsons Lead Iroquois Road Show Into Denver
The headline attractions are the Thompsons. Beville surmised it’s the lacrosse equivalent of traveling with the Beatles, and he’s not far off. Every time Lyle or his three brothers walk into the lobby of the world championship host hotel where they are staying, young lacrosse fans and their parents flock to them, asking for a picture before the team heads off to a practice. In the waning moments of games, kids begin to line up along the front of the bleachers to ensure a good spot for an autograph. It’s a sight to see.
Read More at LaxMagazine.com | Photo by Scott McCall
Iroquois Nationals Behind the Scenes: Part 2 — Hiana Thompson’s Comeback, More
A star at Onondaga Community College in 2007 and 2009, Hiana had hoped to make it to Syracuse University, where his brother Jeremy was a starting midfielder in his junior and senior seasons after playing at OCC.
It didn’t happen, but Hiana continues to play lacrosse and coaches up on Akwesasne. His path was the focus of Lukas Korver’s documentary titled The Medicine Game, but it’s a story that continues to develop. Hiana’s presence on the Iroquois Nationals, along with his three brothers — Jeremy and this year’s co-Tewaaraton winners Miles and Lyle — is a unique opportunity beyond compare in sports.
“It’s just pretty exciting to be able to go out there and play in front of the world, in front of everybody — our people, with all three of my brothers,” Hiana said. “It just feels good.”
World Games: Day 3 — Iroquois Top Japan
The Iroquois Nationals dismantled Japan 24-9 Saturday afternoon at the FIL World Lacrosse Championships in Denver to improve to 2-0 in the Blue Division.
After opening up the tournament Friday night with a strong defensive showing in a 15-4 win over England, the Iroquois offense exploded after what seemed like a slow start.
The Iroquois got out to a 3-0 lead with 11:12 left in the first, with Miles Thompson putting up a goal and two assists, both of those feeds on goals by Cody Jamieson. The Japanese responded with three straight goals, and after Jamieson scored his third with 2:45 left in the first, Japan tied the score at 4-4 with 32 seconds left in the quarter.
Iroquois Dominate, Australia Thrills in FIL Day 2
A dominant performance from the Iroquois Nationals against England closed out a late second day of the FIL World Championships, an evening double-header postponed first by rain and then by a thrilling triple-overtime opener between Australia and Japan.
In the nightcap, the long-awaited debut of the Iroquois team, participating for the first time in FIL senior men’s play since 2006, was a tight affair at the start but soon exploded as the Nationals turned a 2-1 second-quarter deficit into a 7-2 halftime lead on the way to a 15-4 victory.
World Games: Iroquois Route England 15-4
In a matchup that hadn’t happened since 2006, the Iroquois Nationals overwhelmed England offensively and defensively to earn a one-sided 15-4 victory in the first appearance for both teams at the FIL World Lacrosse Championships Friday night in Denver.
Much like the Team USA and Canada opener a night earlier, the Iroquois and England seemed to take a while to find themselves throughout the first and most of the second quarter.
England was able to get out to an early 1-0 lead on Sam Russell’s first goal. The Iroquois would answer just a couple minutes later with Lyle Thompson’s first of three goals on the night and the score would stay tied at 1-1 through the first.
Read More at Inside Lacrosse | Photo by Clark Bell
A closer look at the Iroquois Nationals
Via Major League Lacrosse
By Molly Shunney
While Team USA opened the FIL World Lacrosse Championship with a convincing 10-7 win over Canada on Thursday night, a game in which 34 MLL players were involved, the Iroquois Nationals Team, another team considered to be a contender this year begins play on Friday against England in the same division as the US and Canada.
In this year’s event, the MLL is proud to have players from Rochester and Charlotte competing for Iroquois.
[Read more…]
Video: Lacrosse All Stars Interview Miles Thompson
Photos: Iroqouis vs Israel Scrimmage
