It’s been 17 years since the Coquitlam Adanacs brought the Mann Cup to the Tri-Cities. But the trophy that is awarded to Canada’s senior national lacrosse champions could be dropping by if the Maple Ridge Burrards prevail in their best-of-seven final against the Peterborough Lakers that begins tonight in Peterborough.
That’s because eight players on the Burrards are from the Tri-Cities, including Port Coquitlam’s Curtis Dickson, who won the trophy last year — when he played for the Lakers.
Dickson, 30, scored 61 points in 11 regular season games for the Burrards, joining the team after his season for the Calgary Roughnecks of the National Lacrosse League ended. He also played for Canada’s national team at the FIL World Lacrosse Championships in Israel in August where he was named to the all-world team.
In nine playoff games, Dickson had 42 points, one more than teammate Ben McIntosh, who’s from Coquitlam.
Dickson played his first five seasons in the Western Lacrosse Association with the Burrards, before heading east to pursue his dream to hoist the Mann Cup, something his father, Derek, had done for the New Westminster Salmonbellies 37 years ago. He achieved that last year, when the Lakers beat the Salmonbellies in six games at Queen’s Park Arena.
Heading back to Peterborough, this time to wrest the cup from his former teammates adds a unique twist to this year’s championship, Dickson told the Peterborough Examiner.
“I knew it would be pretty cool to come back and play on the other side of the floor and have the fans cheer against you,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
McIntosh will also be key to the Burrards’ championship aspirations. The former first overall pick in the 2013 WLA draft amassed 41 points in the team’s playoff run. He also led his NLL team, the Saskatchewan Run to its second league championship in three years and was named to the all-world team at the Worlds.
The Tri-Cities’ juice isn’t just limited to the Burrards’ offence. Coquitlam’s Frank Scigliano played so well in the team’s net during the WLA playoffs, he was named a co-winner of the Bill Ellison trophy as most valuable player, along with Dickson and McIntosh.
That was another chalice for Scigliano to place in his trophy case as he was also voted the league’s outstanding goaltender during the regular season.
Other players who may bring the Mann Cup over the Pitt River Bridge for a visit should the Burrards prevail include Jeff Cornwall and Sam Cook of Coquitlam, Dayne Michaud and Tyler Codrun of Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody’s Aaron Davis.
The Burrards last played for a Mann Cup in 2016, when they were defeated by the Six Nations Chiefs in four games. The team hasn’t won the championship since 1977, when it was based in Vancouver.
Silver for youth players
Coquitlam midfielder Joshua Iacino made the U15 all star team but his B.C. team came up short in the gold medal game at the First Nations Alumni Cup national lacrosse championships held last weekend in Oshawa, Ont.
B.C. lost to Ontario 18-10 in the final.
The team from the host province jumped to a 6-1 lead in the first quarter, but B.C. battled back in five goals in the second quarter, two of them by Iacino, to make it 8-6 heading in the game’s second half.
But that’s as close as B.C. got. Ontario scored five straight goals in the third quarter before Iacino’s hat trick goal finally stemmed the tide.
Iacino was one of four Coquitlam players on the B.C. team, including Ryan Favaro, Jaxon Fridge and Lucas Elliot.
The U18 team from B.C. that included three local players, Cameron Way, Alan Gane and Brian Simmons, also lost its gold medal game to Ontario, 15-5.
Again, the side from the home province jumped to quick 6-1 lead in the first quarter, and the visitors were never able to recover.
