With hundreds of fans still lingering around The Q Centre, drinking in the jubilation of the Victoria ShamrocksB次元官网网址� ninth Mann Cup lacrosse win and first since 2005, Karsen Leung gave a shoutout to his teamB次元官网网址檚 supporters.

B次元官网网址淲e fought so hard through the series; weB次元官网网址檙e exhausted; but just having these guys here getting loud it helps out so much,B次元官网网址� he said after scoring twice in the RocksB次元官网网址� series-clinching 12-6 win over the Peterborough Lakers in game six Friday. B次元官网网址淲e look forward to playing in front of these guys all the time. ItB次元官网网址檚 a special feeling right now.B次元官网网址�

Leung, one of a number of Shamrocks players who learned the game as kids in Greater Victoria, dedicated the win to the whole Victoria community.

B次元官网网址淓ver since we were in Mann Cup 2013 (in Colwood), everyoneB次元官网网址檚 been pushing me, pushing our team to keep going, keep going. And this is it, we finally did it.B次元官网网址�

Up against a tough Lakers squad that wouldnB次元官网网址檛 go quietly B次元官网网址� Peterborough trailed 4-0 after one and 5-1 in the second Friday but pulled within two, 6-4, by the end of the period B次元官网网址� a fired-up Shamrocks team came out guns blazing in the third.

Jesse King scored his seventh and eighth goals of the series, 30 seconds in and at the 4:45 mark to make it 8-4, and team captain Scott Ranger added to the lead 32 seconds later.

While the LakersB次元官网网址� Turner Evans returned the favour less than a minute afterward to cut the gap to 9-5, Peterborough never really recovered from the early onslaught and the ShamrocksB次元官网网址� defenders and transition players clamped down further.

B次元官网网址淥ur defence has really been the core of our team, I think, throughout the whole year, King said after receiving a huge hug from his dad, Lorne. B次元官网网址淪eeing them battle is just amazing and I like to return the favour once in a while. I think they enjoy that as well so I just try to feed off them.B次元官网网址�

Fellow attacker Dan Dawson, who earned his sixth Mann Cup title and piled up a Cup record-tying eight assists on the night quarterbacking the offence, said the Shamrocks responded well to the LakersB次元官网网址� mid-game threat.

B次元官网网址淭hey were answering -- they got within three goals, and then got it within two, it was a scary thing,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o our transition, our defence won us that Mann Cup, no doubt.B次元官网网址�

Dawson, who heads to New York this week to captain Team Canada at the World Indoor Lacrosse Championships, had a huge smile on his face as he cradled four-month-old son, Theo, and watched his teammates share Cup time with each other and their families.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a young group weB次元官网网址檝e got. (IB次元官网网址檓) reflecting; when they grab the Cup over their heads, thatB次元官网网址檚 what itB次元官网网址檚 all about. Seeing the joy and the excitement in the guys raising the Cup for the first time, it never gets old.B次元官网网址�

While the Rocks appeared to have more energy than the Lakers down the stretch Friday, Peterborough head coach Mike Hasen didnB次元官网网址檛 make excuses for his team.

B次元官网网址淥ur guys were ready for this tonight B次元官网网址� ThatB次元官网网址檚 what the Mann Cup is, itB次元官网网址檚 a grind and both teams have to go through it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址�(The Shamrocks) came out with a purpose and a pop in their step and we did our best to match it, and at the end of the day we came a little bit short.B次元官网网址�

Corey Small scored a game-high three goals, added an assist and was awarded the Mike Kelly Memorial Trophy for his efforts as Mann Cup most valuable player. He led all players with 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in the six games.

Also scoring for the winners were Daryl Veltman and Rhys Duch, and defenders Bradley Kri and Tyler Hass. Other goal scorers for Peterborough were Curtis Dickson, Brad Self, Mark Farthing, Scott Evans and Chad Tutton.

Victoria outshot the Lakers 45-37 on the night, with the RocksB次元官网网址� Aaron Bold and PeterboroughB次元官网网址檚 Matt Vinc going the distance.

The building of a champion

The management of the Victoria Shamrocks, along with head coach Bob Heyes and his staff, set themselves a goal last fall after losing a second straight Mann Cup final to the Six Nations Chiefs.

They looked at what past Cup winners had in common, what their team already had going for it and what it was missing, with the idea of building a roster that could not just compete for the Cup, but go all the way.

They accomplished that in spades this season, winning the Western Lacrosse Association regular season and playoff crowns and downing the Peterborough Lakers 4-2 in this yearB次元官网网址檚 Mann Cup.

Along the way they went 12-2 in the post-season, outscoring their opponents 151-96.

B次元官网网址淲e brought guys in who could help show us the way, Dan Dawson, Rory Smith, Matt Roik; those are guys that have been there and they can show us the intricate parts of what it takes,B次元官网网址� Heyes said Friday after his players captured the clubB次元官网网址檚 ninth Cup.

B次元官网网址淵ou bring in guys who are hungry: a Steve Priolo, a Daryl Veltman; guys who played their whole careers probably never ever thought theyB次元官网网址檇 get a chance to be here and theyB次元官网网址檝e done it. Then you take a Jesse King, who was a star two years ago for two games in the Mann Cup, and then couldnB次元官网网址檛 play last year for us. Then this year he made the sacrifice and the commitment to come and play here for the whole year. He had offers to do other things but he wanted to win a Mann Cup, so itB次元官网网址檚 great.

B次元官网网址淎ll these guys committed, sacrificed the time to be here. ItB次元官网网址檚 a great place to play; we take care of them but itB次元官网网址檚 outstanding B次元官网网址� It takes a lot to put this team together, but I think thereB次元官网网址檚 going to be a focus to be a repeat and to do it, but itB次元官网网址檚 a long road to go, a long road.B次元官网网址�

editor@goldstreamgazette.com