It鈥檚 been two years since anybody has heard the unmistakable squeak of sneakers on concrete lacrosse floors. That, and the other sounds and smells of boxla, will be plentiful as the Victoria Junior Shamrocks open their 2021 sa国际传媒 Junior A Lacrosse League home season tonight with the Island derby against the Nanaimo Junior Timbermen at 7 p.m. at the Panorama Recreation Centre.
Fifty per cent arena capacity, about 200 fans, will be allowed in per the current health guidelines.
鈥淚 think we may sell this game out pretty quickly,鈥� said Rod Wood, vice-president of the Junior Shamrocks and chairman of the sa国际传媒 Junior A Lacrosse League.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great that these players will get to showcase their skills for Western Lacrosse Association, [pro] National Lacrosse League and NCAA [field-lacrosse] teams. And to get it started off with the Island rivalry is a bonus.鈥�
Both Island teams are coming in from weekend road wins on the Lower Mainland. The Junior Shamrocks defeated the Delta Islanders 20-7 as Patrick Dodds scored four goals and added six assists for 10 points, Casey Wilson scored six goals and Noah Manning scored three goals. The Junior Timbermen edged the Burnaby Junior Lakers 8-7 as Ryan Sheridan and Arthur Miller had four points each.
The Junior Shamrocks are playing seven games and the Junior Timbermen six in the unbalanced season, which is being dubbed the Showcase Series. The season is short but vital for the eight sa国际传媒 Junior A teams.
The Senior A Victoria Shamrocks and Nanaimo Timbermen WLA brain trusts will be watching these future prospects closely. The 2020 and 2021 WLA seasons were cancelled due to the pandemic. The juniors, however, could ill-afford to lose two consecutive seasons of development.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so great that the juniors are getting to play because it鈥檚 so important to their development,鈥� said senior Shamrocks GM Chris Welch, who will be in the Panorama stands tonight scouting.
鈥淢issing two years would have been hugely difficult for these junior players. It鈥檚 been a long time between seasons for them and I鈥檓 sure they are champing at the bit.鈥�
The Junior Shamrocks play again at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Panorama against the Langley Thunder. The Junior Timbermen open at home Saturday at 4 p.m. against the Port Coquitlam Saints in the Nanaimo Ice Centre.
