The best in junior A lacrosse will take over the Max Bell Centre next week. The Minto Cup gets underway Sunday. Raiders Lacrosse is the host this year, and they’re hoping to win the hardware on home soil. Raiders Lacrosse is on a high heading into this year’s Minto Cup, just coming off winning their third league title, and are full of confidence. “The last two years, going into the Minto Cup, gaining the experience playing against really good teams, it’s just like fine-tuning this year, so we’re pretty confident going into this tournament,” said Carson Mann. In the Minto Cup, the Raiders will face the best there is to offer in Canada. They’re hoping being at home will be an advantage. “At the start of the year, you know you’re going. Even though we won our way, we knew we were going to be in the tournament no matter what,” said Wyatt Viste. “You get to sleep in your own bed, everything is familiar, it’s your rink and your home arena, so I think for sure it’s an advantage. “It’s your fans; you get to play in front of your family and friends that you love.” Alberta has never won the Minto Cup. Head coach Mitch Banister believes the Raiders have a real chance at changing that. “We’ve had a group together for three years that have been working toward one common goal, and anytime you have a group like that, I think you absolutely stand a chance to go out there and win,” he said. Mann also believes it can happen. He says the Raiders are a much different team than the one that went to the Minto Cup the last two seasons. He says they’re more mature and more prepared for what’s ahead. “I think we have a very strong core group that we’ve been building the last three years with the values and preparations going into this year,” he said. “And then bringing in guys like Luke McNamara, Ben Pousak and other Americans to fill the intricate roles that we needed to get us to that next level, and I think that’s going to carry us through a championship.” The Minto Cup runs Aug. 16-23 at the Max Bell Centre.
