With the disappointment, and promise, of the Victoria junior ShamrocksB次元官网网址� recently ended season still milling about Rod WoodB次元官网网址檚 mind Tuesday night, a funny thing happened.

And then it happened again, and again, and once more, all while Wood watched the Western Lacrosse Association from a private box in Bear Mountain Arena.

Kory Kowalyk, Karsen Leung and Matt Yager B次元官网网址� who were all junior Shamrocks at one time B次元官网网址� each scored as the senior Shamrocks defeated New West 8-7.

Kowalyk scored twice.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the best part of it,B次元官网网址� said Wood, general manager of the junior Shamrocks.

B次元官网网址淲atching these guys grow into Western Lacrosse Association and, some of them into National Lacrosse League players.B次元官网网址�

In a sad but ironic twist, it was the junior Salmonbellies who eliminated the Jr. Rocks from the junior playoffs in two straight games on the weekend.

ItB次元官网网址檚 now been four seasons since the Shamrocks were provincial champions in 2008. This yearB次元官网网址檚 squad was likened to the 2008 team, with the type of depth necessary to compete for a provincial championship.

B次元官网网址淭his year weB次元官网网址檇 hoped for more, it was disappointing for us,B次元官网网址� Wood said. B次元官网网址淭he team could have been better, and we underachieved.B次元官网网址�

When the Jr. Rocks went to the Minto Cup nationals in 2008, there was no clear-cut superstar who shouldered that team, though Cory Conway, now with the Nanaimo Timbermen, was close on some nights.

The current Jr. Shamrocks team is the same. And so are the expectations.

So perhaps Brody Eastwood, or Jesse King, or Dane Schoor, would have turned into that marquee player. But injuries, unlucky and all, kept coach Larry Smeltzer from finding that mix, Wood said.

B次元官网网址淚njuries were the undoing. Our season is 21 games, and it wasnB次元官网网址檛 until the 17th game we made a healthy scratch. It was difficult for (Smeltzer) to bring his system in without consistent players at the practices. He was always starting from scratch.B次元官网网址�

SmeltzerB次元官网网址檚 brazen approach to the season was refreshing for long time fans of the box game, but at mid-season it was clear he needed an adjustment, and he made one.

B次元官网网址淭he team had a hybrid system using the good points of (his 1980s) system, and the good points of the current way of playing box lacrosse,B次元官网网址� Wood said.

B次元官网网址淚 think it would have won us a championship. If (Smeltzer) wants to come back, weB次元官网网址檒l be happy to give it another shot. We figured it would take a while to get it in place.B次元官网网址�

This yearB次元官网网址檚 injury list went from good to bad. Brody Eastwood missed four games with a tweaked ankle and still managed sixth in overall scoring with 62 points, three in the playoffs.

But they were fluke injuries, the kind that curse a season.

Devon Casey, another top scorer, got hit in the head with a board while working on a construction site and suffered a concussion.

No. 1 defender Brandan Smith only played 13 games, as the 6-foot-3, 220 lb. tough guy from the Victoria Cougars junior-B hockey team suffered shin splints, a runnersB次元官网网址� injury.

Dane Schoor had ligament damage in his hands, missed six weeks and couldnB次元官网网址檛 shoot at full strength when he returned.

B次元官网网址淚t was one after another, all pretty significant players,B次元官网网址� Wood said.

Not too mention transition star Jesse King, who returned from Ohio State in time to play five games. In that span he scored 17 points, which would have put him on pace for 68 points, first on the team. But King is in Finland for the U19 world field lacrosse championships with team Canada, and wonB次元官网网址檛 be back until next week.

Returning to the Jr. Shamrocks next year are 14 players from the 2010 B.C. Intermediate-A provincial championship Victoria team. All win be in their final Jr. A season, and Wood is hoping for a better outcome.