The Niagara Thunderhawks were a Junior "B" box lacrosse team from Niagara, Ontario, Canada. The Thunderhawks played in the OLA Junior B Lacrosse League. The franchise folded after 18 years in 2021.

Niagara Thunderhawks
SportBox lacrosse
Founded2003
Folded2021
LeagueOLA Junior B Lacrosse League
Based inNiagara, Ontario
ArenaMeridian Credit Union Arena
ColoursBlue, Black, and White
Head coachRandy Chrysler
General managerAl Janzen

History

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Thunderhawks goalie in 2014.
 
Thunderhawks player in 2014.

The Thunderhawks entered the OLA in 2003. After a slow but modest start, Niagara broke out with a .500 record in 2005 and earned their first birth into the playoffs. Success really came in 2006 as the Thunderhawks finished 15-5-0 and finished in second place overall in the West Conference. They beat out the upstart Hamilton Bengals in the first round 3 games straight. In the second round they faced the more challenging Windsor Fratmen where they went the distance, winning 3 games to 2. The Semi-final went the distance as well, as they faced the Orangeville Northmen, but this time they were eliminated in five games.

In 2021 the Thunderhawks announced they would be ceasing operations. The announcement cited a lack of available players as a reason for the teams folding.[1] However the teams legacy lives on through Niagara-on-the-Lake's minor lacrosse teams which still use the name "Niagara Thunderhawks" as well as their logo and colours.

Season-by-season results== Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season GP W L T GF GA PTS Placing Playoffs
2003 20 6 14 0 151 195 12 9th OJBLL West DNQ
2004 20 6 14 0 142 185 12 10th OJBLL West DNQ
2005 20 10 9 1 166 165 21 7th OJBLL West Lost 1st round
2006 20 15 5 0 194 118 30 2nd OJBLL West Lost semi-final
2007 20 13 7 0 176 147 26 6th OJBLL West Lost 1st round
2008 20 6 14 0 157 206 12 12th OJBLL West DNQ
2009 20 2 17 1 95 180 5 14th OJBLL West DNQ
2010 20 5 15 0 99 155 10 12th OJBLL West DNQ
2011 20 6 14 0 173 225 10 10th OJBLL West DNQ
2012 20 11 9 0 219 197 22 8th OJBLL West Lost Conference QF
2013 20 13 7 0 223 179 26 4th OJBLL West Lost Conference SF
2014 20 16 4 0 204 174 32 4th OJBLL West Lost Conference SF
2015 20 17 3 0 218 132 34 2nd OJBLL West Lost Conference SF
2016 20 15 4 1 214 146 31 3rd OJBLL West Lost Conference SF
2017 20 8 12 0 187 218 16 9th OJBLL West DNQ
2018 20 10 10 0 183 188 20 7th OJBLL West Lost Conference QF

References

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  1. ^ "END OF AN ERA". Niagara Thunderhawks Jr B Lacrosse. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
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