Watching the Victoria Wolves celebrate their 8-6 win over Coquitlam in Colwood on Sunday night, one could have mistaken it for a key playoff game.
While beating always-scrappy Adanacs teams is cause for most Island players to rejoice, this expansion West Coast Senior (B) Lacrosse Association team hopes to win more such games this season.
WolvesB次元官网网址� governor Chris Jackson, who engineered a return to senior B lacrosse in Greater Victoria, called the win B次元官网网址渉ugeB次元官网网址� and a sign of things to come for this group of former juniors and players who came home after playing senior B elsewhere.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been 17 years since we had senior B in Victoria all these guys are finally getting a place to play meaningful lacrosse again,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he guys are in there, theyB次元官网网址檙e happy as heck.B次元官网网址�
After taking a 6-4 lead on a third-period shorthanded goal by Dane Schoor, the Adanacs tied it on back-to-back goals from Evan Lovestead. With James Spence off serving a five-minute roughing penalty, the locals dug deep and got the eventual winner shorthanded from Max Fredrickson. Colin Bell gave the Wolves some insurance a few minutes later, scoring his second of the game with his team on the power play.
The victory was the first at home for the Wolves (2-0-1-1), who lost their home opener the previous weekend in overtime.
Team captain Adam Brown, one of a few Wolves who played last year with the league and playoff champion Nanaimo, likes the way this group of local players has come together and is starting to gel. He played against many of his teammates as a younger player and is enjoying this experience.
B次元官网网址淲hen you come together, you get to see how good those guys really are,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檙e on the up and up, I think itB次元官网网址檚 going to be a good season for us this year.B次元官网网址�
Defender Graeme Ross, 34, is one of several elder statesmen in this bunch. A one-time Shamrock who played senior C last year for the Victoria Tugmen, he put off retirement when buddies Rick Sanderson (Wolves GM) and Nick Agius (head coach) talked him into joining the new club.
B次元官网网址淚 couldnB次元官网网址檛 resist, I love the game too much. I played with some of these guys in Nanaimo and played a lot growing up with some of these guys and I want to keep it going and have some more fun,B次元官网网址� he said.
Ross, who also scored Sunday and set up FredricksonB次元官网网址檚 winner, likes the combination of speed and skill in the WolvesB次元官网网址� lineup. He predicts big things for this relatively young team. B次元官网网址淚 expect nothing less than nationals this year from this team. I feel that weB次元官网网址檝e got the team to do it, and weB次元官网网址檝e got the leadership and the fellows to do it.B次元官网网址�
Brown knows well the road his new team must travel this year to achieve success. And that means getting the better of his former teammates, who visit The Q Centre on May 26. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 wait for the Nanaimo game, itB次元官网网址檚 going to be a good one,B次元官网网址� he said.
As for Jackson, the architect of this team, he sees the club already starting to develop its own style.
B次元官网网址淲hat weB次元官网网址檙e trying to do is make a brand of lacrosse that weB次元官网网址檙e proud of, hardworking, hard effort, hard hustle, hard defence B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 whatB次元官网网址檚 going to bring fans out.B次元官网网址�
The Wolves have the long weekend off before that Thursday night game against the Timbermen. Game time is 8 p.m.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
