It was a great way to wrap up a season.
The Langley Thunder took the Subway British Columbia Lacrosse Association (BCLA) field lacrosse provincial championships U18 Tier 1 gold medal on Monday (Feb. 8). They beat the Coquitlam Adanacs 11-9 in afternoon action at Willoughby Community Park.
The Thunder’s Connor McNeill was named MVP.
McNeill also received a Warrior Sports Canada Fair Play award, as did Thunder coach Bryan Poole.
Poole, who has been coaching with his brother Ian for about seven years, was confident going into the championships.
“I felt that it’s a very competitive league, but the way we had played all season, I knew that we had just as good an opportunity to take home a gold medal as any of the other teams” Poole said.
“Our guys just had to be ready.”
Goalie Levi Gallant was instrumental in the win, Poole said.
“Our goalie had has a good run his whole career. We’re just very fortunate to have someone like that.”
The Thunder won or tied every game they played en route to the win, beginning Friday against Coquitlam, winning 12-8. Ryan Martel was named MVP.
The players posted two wins on Saturday, beating New West 7-4 (Quinn McKitrick was named MVP) and Ridge Meadows 9-2 (Caleb Pearson named MVP).
On Sunday, Delta held the Langley team to a 7-7 tie (Levi Gallant MVP), which led to the Monday final and victory.
“It’s always nice winning the last game of the season,” Poole said.
Forty-five teams from Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland, Interior and the North competed in the four-day event.
Members of the Thunder: Ryan Alcos, Quinn Beavis, Josh Brunsch, Matthew Brunsch, McKenzie Day, Colin Gormley, Trevor Hawley, Dylan Kaminsky, Everett Kellner, Nathaniel Kozevnikov, Jordan Lewis, Ryan Martel, Nathan McKeigan, Quinn McKitrick, Connor McNeill, Chase Moore, Kyle Olsen, Caleb Pearson, Cole Radke, Cal Slade, Brenden Symons, Torin VanRheenan, Craig Whitton, Levi Gallant, Brandon Goff and Connor Watson.
Coaches: Bryan Poole and Ian Poole.
Trainer: John Pearson.
Other gold medal winners were the U18 Tier 2 Coquitlam Adanacs, the U15 Tier 1 New Westminster, the U15 Tier 2 Nanaimo Raiders, the U13 Tier 1 Coquitlam Adanacs and the U13 Tier 2 Ridge Meadows Burrards #2.
Below: Langley Thunder's Nathan McKiegan shoulders past a Coquitlam Adanacs players in the U18 Gold medal round Monday Feb 8 at Willoughby. Dan Ferguson/Langley Times
