Two Greater Victoria minor lacrosse associations captured gold medals at the 2019 Subway-BC Lacrosse Association Minor Box Midget Lacrosse Provincial Championships.
The Juan de Fuca Whalers and Saanich Tigers were among 24 teams competing from July 25 to 28 at the Langley Events Centre, and each won gold in their respective divisions.
The A1 division Whalers won bronze at last year’s provincial championship but finished the job this year against the Ridge Meadows Burrards, winning 7-2 for their association’s first midget A title since 1988.
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The Sunday final pitted the Whalers against a Burrards team that was 5-0 through round-robin play, including a 5-4 victory over Juan de Fuca in the tournament’s first game.
In the gold medal game, however, the Whalers had the only goal of the first period, extended the lead to 3-0 after 40 minutes and scored another four goals in the third period.
The Burrards finally solved Whalers goaltender Daniel Ramage with a pair of goals 25 seconds apart, but those came with just over four minutes remaining and the team was unable to mount a comeback.
Juan de Fuca used a balanced attack as seven players each scored one goal. Alec Billings led the charge with a goal and two assists, with Noah Manning, Jack McNabb, Jaxon Smart, Koen Block, Seth Calder and Jacob Campbell striking for one apiece.
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Silver medallists a season ago, the A2 division Saanich Tigers were also not be denied this time around.
After falling behind 1-0 to the Ridge Meadows Burrards at the start of their Sunday final, the Tigers closed the first period with four straight goals and ultimately won 9-3.
The Burrards were held to just a single goal in each of the three periods, a number matched by the Tigers’ Mason Croucher alone, as he delivered a hat trick.
Sam Strother added a pair of goals and an assist, while Jordy Neary, Carson Cotie, Jacob Piercy and Owen Carson had one goal apiece.
Reece Young, Ty Fisher and Riley MacDonald were the lone Burrards to beat goaltender Riley Gains.
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Saanich had played three tight, one-goal games during pool play, losing their opener 2-1 to Mission before responding with 6-5 wins over Coquitlam and Langley, respectively.
That put the Tigers atop the pool and they knocked off fellow Vancouver Island squad Juan de Fuca 7-3 in the semifinals.
The Burrards went 3-0 to win their pool, defeating Vancouver 10-3, Juan de Fuca 7-1 and Penticton 7-3.
The Langley Thunder bounced back from that semifinal loss with an 8-2 win over the Juan de Fuca Whalers in the bronze medal game.
Jaden Eves had a goal and an assist for the Whalers.
karissa.gall@blackpress.ca
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