National Junior Rankings: July 13, 2023

During the 2023 Canadian junior seasons, The Lax Mag will publish our National Junior Rankings, a weekly rundown of all 23 A-level teams across the country. The opening edition will begin on June 7 with future rankings published in the middle of every week (date dependent on league schedule for that week) until the start of the Minto Cup.

The rankings will include the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League (OJLL), British Columbia Junior A Lacrosse League (BCJALL) and Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League (RMLL).

The Lax Mag’s rankings will position teams based not only by overall record, but also the strength of their opposition and the quality of their results - win, lose or draw.

Canada's Junior A playoffs officially started last night when Coquitlam beat PoCo 11-5 in Game 1 of their best-of-five series.

See every league's postseason seeds, series, schedules and scores in The Lax Mag's Road to the Minto Cup tracker: https://t.co/8tSTA2reAR pic.twitter.com/aYKwT3mz7G

— The Lax Mag (@TheLaxMag) July 12, 2023

Prior to last year’s Minto Cup, six different teams sat the absolute top of The Lax Mag’s National Junior Rankings through the 2022 Junior A season: Mimico Mountaineers (x4), Victoria Shamrocks (x3), Whitby Warriors (x2), Nanaimo Timbermen and the Langley Thunder.

Although we’ll continue tracking Canada’s top teams all the way to this year’s Minto in Edmonton, so far this year we’ve had just one number one: the now 20-0 Orangeville Northmen.

The 2023 Jr. A Northmen become the first team in franchise history to have a perfect 20-0 regular season! An incredible accomplishment from this great group of young men. However, we know that in just a few days we go back to 0-0 as we begin the playoff grind this week! #HornsUp pic.twitter.com/Aax0us0Z4R

— Junior A Northmen (@JrANorthmen) July 10, 2023

Earlier this year, we took a digital deep dive into the available Junior A regular season standings, searching for every undefeated campaign ever played. In total, there have been 15 documented 1.000 seasons in Ontario & British Columbia (the RMLL archives only go back so far unfortunatley).

How did those teams do in their provincial playoffs and at the Minto?

1939: Orillia Terriers (14-0) - won Ontario, no decision at Minto Cup

1946 Mimico Mountaineers (11-0-0) - won Ontario, Minto Cup not held

1948 St. Catharines Athletics (10-0) - won Ontario, lost Minto Cup

1968 Oshawa Green Gaels (24-0) - won Ontario, won Minto Cup

1972 Peterborough PCOs (28-0) - won Ontario, won Minto Cup

1974 Peterborough PCOs (28-0) - won Ontario, won Minto Cup

1981 Peterborough James Gang (20-0) - won Ontario, won Minto Cup

1986 Peterborough Maulers (20-0) - won Ontario, won Minto Cup

1987 Peterborough Maulers (25-0) - won Ontario, won Minto Cup

1998 Burnaby Lakers (25-0) - won British Columbia, won Minto Cup

1999 Burnaby Lakers (25-0) - won British Columbia, lost Minto Cup

2002 St. Catharines Athletics (20-0) - won Ontario, lost Minto Cup

2006 Burnaby Lakers (21-0-0) - won British Columbia, lost Minto Cup

2011 Coquitlam Adanacs (21-0) - won British Columbia, lost Minto Cup

2016 Coquitlam Adanacs (21-0) - won British Columbia, won Minto Cup

A perfect regular season has gone to the Minto Cup in every possible instance, outside of a no decision in ‘39 and no national title in ‘46. Lately though, zero-loss regular seasons have not translated to Minto Cup success with four of the last five undefeated runs ending in a loss with the national title on the line.

What will the Northmen do after ticking off their win column 20 times this summer? They open against the Six Nations Arrows tonight at Tony Rose (8pm ET).

We are live from the Bunny Barn tonight for Game 1 of the best-of-five first round of the #OJLLPlayoffs between @JrANorthmen and @sixnationsjra! Game time is 8pm.

📺 https://t.co/WgJF6tRWz0 pic.twitter.com/jqXQynU0Sb

— Ontario Junior Lacrosse League (@TheOJLL) July 13, 2023

National Junior Rankings: July 13, 2023

TW. (LW) Club (League) Regular Season (Playoffs)

1. (1) Orangeville Northmen (OJLL) 20-0 (0-0)
2. (2) Coquitlam Adanacs (BCJALL) 18-3 (1-0)
3. (3) Burlington Blaze (OJLL) 14-6 (1-0)
4. (4) Edmonton Miners (RMLL) 12-3 (0-0)
5. (7) Victoria Shamrocks (BCJALL) 15-6 (1-0)
6. (5) Nanaimo Timbermen (BCJALL) 14-7 (0-1)
7. (6) Toronto Beaches (OJLL) 12-8 (0-0)
8. (9) Mimico Mountaineers (OJLL) 13-7 (0-0)
9. (8) Oakville Buzz (OJLL) 13-7 (0-0)
10. (10) Raiders Lacrosse Club (RMLL) 10-5 (0-0)
11. (11) Calgary Mountaineers (RMLL) 7-7-1 (0-0)
12. (12) Whitby Warriors (OJLL) 9-11 (0-0)
13. (15) Port Coquitlam Saints (BCJALL) 10-10-1 (0-1)
14. (16) Six Nations Arrows (OJLL) 7-13 (0-0)
15. (14) St. Catharines Athletics (OJLL) 8-13 (0-1)
16. (13) Brampton Excelsiors (OJLL) 7-13*
17. (17) Burnaby Lakers (BCJALL) 9-12*
18. (18) New Westminster Salmonbellies (BCJALL) 6-15*
19. (19) Delta Islanders (BCJALL) 6-15*
20. (21) Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club (OJLL) 3-17*
21. (20) Peterborough Lakers (OJLL) 4-16*
22. (22) Langley Thunder (BCJALL) 5-15-1*
23. (23) Saskatchewan SWAT (RMLL) 0-14-1 (0-0)

*Eliminated from playoffs