Coquitlam Jr. Adanacs took a commanding lead early for the first time in their B.C. Junior 'A' lacrosse league playoff series versus the Langley Thunder but the result was virtually the same.
The Jr. A's jumped to a 5-0 first-period lead and sailed to a 14-4 victory Wednesday over the Langley Thunder at Poirier Sports Complex to wrap up their best-of-five semifinal in three straight games.
The Jr. A's now await the winner of the Delta Islanders and New Westminster Jr. Salmonbellies, who held a 2-1 lead in the other semi heading into this weekend's action.
Ben McIntosh paced the Jr. A's with five goals, with Wesley Berg and Robert Church adding four and three respectively for the victors. Vincent Ricci and Challen Rogers also struck net for Coquitlam, who got seven assists from Reid Reinholdt.
In the first two contests, the Jr. Adanacs got stronger as the game wore on.
On Saturday, the Jr. A's out-scored the hosts 5-0 in the third period Saturday on way to a 15-4 romp at Langley Events Centre, and after putting up a 5-1 final frame last Wednesday to beat Langley 11-8 at Poirier in a B.C. Junior 'A' lacrosse league semifinal series.
On Saturday, Church and McIntosh whipped in four goals apiece for Coquitlam. Matthew Dinsdale added three markers, with Jr. A's singles going to Michael Messenger, Reinholdt and Ricci.
Cole Shafer racked up five assists for the winners, who outshot the Thunder by a staggering 52-26 count.
Last Wednesday, Church pumped in four goals and contributed four helpers as the Jr. A's posted the comeback win.
Jean-Luc Chetner added three tallies, with McIntosh supplying a pair. Also scoring for Coquitlam were Nathan Klein and Reinholdt.
The Jr. A's outshot the Thunder 52-42, including 23-11 in the third period.
BIG PLAYOFF WIN FOR BANDITS
Andrew Murphy rifled in four goals to rally the Tri-City Bandits to an emphatic 18-5 win over the Langley Warriors in a first-round West Coast Senior 'B' Lacrosse League best-of-three series game Wednesday.
Game 2 in the series is Saturday at PoCo Rec Centre, 8 p.m.
Darren McEwen added three goals and supplied six assists for the Bandits, who clinched first place in the eight-team loop Monday when PoCo Saints' Junior 'A' call-up Richard Lachlan fired in four goals to pace the Bandits to a 10-5 victory Monday over the host Port Moody Thunder.
The Bandits finished the regular season with a 15-4-0-1 record.
SILVER FOR COQ. IN FEMALE BC's
Coquitlam No. 1 was tripped 7-4 by New Westminster No. 2 and settled for the Junior division's silver medal in the B.C. Lacrosse Association female provincial box lacrosse championships last weekend in Nanaimo.
In Midget action, the PoCo Saints shaved New West 6-5 to capture bronze.
Warrior Fair Play awards in the Peewee division went to Morgan Lowe, Coquitlam No. 2; and Kaitlyn Walker, PoCo; in the Bantam division to PoCo's Jena Milani; in the Midget division to PoCo's Kiah Cardiff and in the Junior division to Ellie Delich, Coquitlam No. 1; Cassandra Miller, Coquitlam No. 2; and Danita Stroup, PoCo.
Also, PoCo's Teresa Kuppan won Warrior Fair Play Coach honours in the Midget division.
