Mmuton's NIL okide ci Ethan O'Connor (right) heads up the floor in recent play against Minnesota. Photo c. ewtuyof Toronto Rock uasing down succes m'th Rock O'Connor serving as team's loose balis leader~ "Taspet uhbe yrl my career, whether at university,>F By Steve LeBlanc 1hustie to get to those loase balls junior or now in the pros," said the - CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF and that's been a real plus for us." six-foot-one, 185-pounder, whos 3 The Rock's loose bals leader - who made the occasional offensiveff Ci vJJ ii LAveI v'u, OL LU t e 100-p us loose balis snagged by his rookie Miltonian - good enough for seventh in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) rankings - and can't help but smile. 1That grin gets a littie wider when he reminds himself that Ethan O'Connor isn't even one of his top draw moen. "0f the nine or 10 guys with around 100 loose balîs, seven of those are their teams' key faceoif guys. lt's (loose balîs> kind of a slanted statis- tic. If you're taking a lot of draws, is it getting a loase bail or (finishing) winning a faceoff? So for Ethan to have over 100 without taking that many draws is incredible,7 said the Rock's head coach of his 2013 first- round (nînth overaîl)'draft pick."Hes getting them the way you're sup- posed ta. He's got the speed and aLa yVIL - IlI VOI ta utI LU etL that praise go to his head. Not when one missed opportunity is stili fresh in his memory. Recalled O'Connor, "It was in the season opener on my first shift. 1 missed the bail, hit one of my team- mates and took us both dlown. It was a train wreck.7 Unfazed by that initial hiccup - fig- uring ifs better to get that kind of humbling rookie moment out of the way early - the Rock freshmen went on ta secure fivas loose, bais plus two assists and an empty net- ter goal in a 16!.11 win over Calgary. "Those first two games I had five and four loose balîs. It wasn't bad, but I knew I cou Id do better." That's certainly been the case, as the speedy transition. player has aver- aged over nine loose balis a game since then, topping out at 14 on two occasions. e VI 1111 Yffouth Boys/Girls E * 7to17 years old 4 on 4 * Registration iorms moy be prrnted fromn 0 our \website & dropped off ai South Fletchers éNo gomnes on long week-ends. o Games ore ployed- lot uSndoy ond Mondoy evenings *4,58t6 yearsold Instructional (905) 451.9275 en R1ELIABILITY. IT'S NOT JUSI GETTING THE JOB DONE. lT'S GETTING THE JOB DONE RIGHT. For the dependlable service and solutions you need, cali TERRY OP NHO S ROWLEY MECHANICAL INC. j Hhheiet is an indepenene scfno oRx cftlrees Pme-Scfsoc to Grade 8 Fu«"o,905 854 0890 n'a ldOPOldf www.hitherfield.com jRECEl E $1 *UPTOA e3Rm plus up toi a $100 iHarmony"' add-on* with the purchase of a * qualifying Lennox* systemr .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . UP TO $650 IN HEATING AND COOUNG INCENTIVES: 4TERRY 1ROWLEY m ac h a n 1c à1 mc 905-878-1979 905-M5-6944 www.tr-moclica 24-HmuSen'coAvalabl OFFER EXPIRES 6/13/2014. *Reate offer is valid only wiffr the purcfrase of qualifying Leox products. System rebelte oflees range front $500 - $1,700. See your participating Lenonox dealer for details. Lonnas dealers includhe iodependeof iy ned and operated businesses. 'Visit wwm.nrcan.gc.ca for more information on the applicatin protons and list of quaififyrg heating and cool ing eoipment. 0 2014 LenoroIndustries, foc.