But at least they know now, if they do advance in the Junior A lacrosse playoffs, they can compete with the league's best.

The Warriors closed out the regular season Sunday in Six Nations with a respectable 9-7 loss to the undefeated Arrows.

In fact, the Warriors held a two-goal lead at the midway point, but watched as the Arrows scored the game's final four goals, including the only two of the third period.

The result left the Warriors in fourth place with a 10-6-2 record and set up a best-of-seven quarterfinal series with the Lakers (10-7-1), whom they seem to face annually in the post-season.

The series begins tonight at Iroquois Park and shifts to Peterborough Friday. The rest of the series is as follows: in Whitby Saturday, July 21; in Peterborough Monday, July 23; and as necessary: in Whitby Tuesday, July 24; in Peterborough Thursday, July 26; and in Whitby Friday, July 27. The first six games are scheduled for 8 p.m. and Game 7 for 8:30 p.m.

The winner will advance to the semifinals and, barring any upsets, hook up with the Arrows, who were 17-0-1 this season.

The Warriors acquitted themselves fairly well Sunday, jumping out to 5-4 lead through one period and building it to 7-5 with a pair of Steve Hutchins goals in the middle stanza.

But the Arrows, led by former Laker Shawn Evans, took control of the game from there. Evans had three goals and an assist to finish the season with 108 points, 32 more than runner-up and teammate Cody Jamieson.

Hutchins led the Warriors with three goals and two helpers, while Derek Hopcroft, Zack Greer, Kyle O'Brien and Matt Carroll each tallied once.