Pioneers Repeat as Provincial Champions!

The Ladner Pioneers are the League and Provincial Senior B Box Lacrosse Champions for the 6th straight season after vanquishing the North Shore Indians in 3 games. The sweep of the best-of-5 final series was completed Sunday August 9th at Ladner Leisure Centre with the Pioneers prevailing 16-10. The contest was close, with the score tied 7 different times and Ladner holding a slim 2 goal lead heading into the 3rd period. Haiden Dickson scored what proved to be the game winner 16 seconds into the final frame and Ladner added 5 goals while only surrendering 2 to punch their ticket to the Presidents Cup National Championship in Edmonton later this month. Mitch Jones (3G, 6A) led scoring with Dickson adding 5 goals. The Indians ended up outshooting the Pioneers 58-55, with Keegan Okino stopping 48 shots for his 6th win of the playoffs.

Wednesday August 5th at the Ladner Leisure Centre, the Pioneers took Game 1 away by a score of 13-8. Ladner never trailed in the contest after taking a 3-0 lead midway through the first period and ended up outshooting North Shore 48-45. Jones (1G, 8A) led the attack with Spencer Bromley notching a hat trick. Okino turned aside 37 of 45 shots in net.

Game 2 took place Friday August 7th in front of a ruckus crowd at Harry Jerome Community Rec Centre, with the Pioneers taking a commanding 2-0 series lead in by edging out the Indians 12-10. After falling behind 1-0 early, Ladner rattled off 5 straight goals to take a 5-1 lead into the first intermission. Play in the second period was even with both teams scoring five. The hosts scored two goals early in the final frame to close the gap to two, only to have the visitors regain a 4 goal margin on a pair of Ben McDonald goals. North Shore made it interesting in the final 3 minutes on goals by Jacob Dunbar and Adam Charalambides, but it was too little too late. The Pioneers outshot the Indians 61-56 with Okino and Lee Jackman standing tall between their teams’ pipes. McDonald was the top points getter with 4 goals and 2 assists.

Mitch Jones ended up the top points getter in the playoffs with 42 and also lead with 25 assists. Haiden Dickson was top goal getter with 20, and Keegan Okino was top goalie with an 0.853 save percentage and 7.17 goals against average.