To no one鈥檚 surprise, the head coach handed the 鈥楥鈥� to Scott Ranger, who returned to the green and white after starring for the Junior Shamrocks for three seasons.
鈥淭here were other candidates that I looked at. For the team, with where we want to go this year, there had to be a new voice to lead the way,鈥� said Heyes, head coach of the Shamrocks, who take their 1-0 record into New Westminster tonight at 7:45 in Game 2 of the Western Lacrosse Association season.
鈥淪cotty was a leader in Nanaimo and has the experience. He knows a lot of these guys [teammates] who he鈥檚 played with in Calgary [National Lacrosse League], or played against us or in junior.
鈥淚鈥檓 counting on him to lead on the floor and off the floor,鈥� added Heyes. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a mature guy. He has a kid. You look at a guy who has a lot of those life experiences.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say it was a no-brainer. There were other guys we were looking at, but for what we want to accomplish, a new voice was definitely required.鈥�
It鈥檚 with great acclaim that Ranger 鈥� who was picked up in a trade from Nanaimo this off-season 鈥� accepted the responsibility.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a huge honour,鈥� said Ranger, who bagged three goals in his debut in last Friday鈥檚 10-6 win over Coquitlam. 鈥淲ith all the guys who have played here over the years and all these guys in the lineup, it鈥檚 a huge honour to step into that role. But it鈥檚 definitely not one leader who is going to lead this team to the promised land.
鈥淚t needs to be a bunch of guys and I think that鈥檚 what we鈥檝e assembled here 鈥� it鈥檚 a good group of guys. Guys who are going to work hard, use their talent and skill, but it鈥檚 going to take that work ethic together.鈥�
They did that in the opener and will continue to do so tonight in the first of back-to-back games as the Shamrocks return home Friday to face Burnaby at 7:45 p.m. at Bear Mountain Arena. Victoria will have Jeff Shattler and Greg Harnett in the lineup for this week鈥檚 play.
Last Friday鈥檚 outing was Ranger鈥檚 first in a Shamrocks uniform since his junior days in Victoria.
鈥淧laying three years of junior here, there鈥檚 a lot of experience, knowledge and history behind this club and I鈥檓 definitely proud to be a part of it,鈥� he said.
Ranger showed great poise and patience in the opener, flashing that scoring prowess he鈥檚 become recognized for. His second came with just 33 seconds remaining in the second period after Coquitlam had cut it to 6-3. He finished with 10 shots on the night, behind Corey Small鈥檚 team-leading 16 shots.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those things, no matter where you play, you keep your style and game play,鈥� offered Ranger. 鈥淲ith all the firepower on this team, it鈥檚 not going to be guys taking 20 shots a night each. It鈥檚 going to be eight to 10, or eight to 12. As long as you can contribute in that way, I think we鈥檒l be fine.鈥�
And, ultimately, it could be far better than fine.
鈥淟ike any guy who scores goals, they rarely see a shot they don鈥檛 like,鈥� said Heyes. 鈥淗e鈥檚 another threat out there and once we get our full lineup, we鈥檙e going to be a tough team to beat.
鈥淗e鈥檒l get more looks with Shattler here and when Duchy [Rhys Duch] gets here. When we have our full offensive lineup, it will be pretty daunting for teams to decide who to key on.鈥�
