For the fifth straight year, the Vernon Sun Valley Source For Sports Tigers and Kamloops Venom will meet in the Thompson Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League championship series.
Both teams advanced by sweeping their best-of-five semifinals Saturday night.
The Tigers dispatched the Armstrong Shamrocks 21-8 at Kal Tire Place while the hometown Venom eliminated the South Okanagan Flames 10-6.
At Kal Tire Place, the Shamrocks were shorthanded to begin the game with only one goalie and 12 runners. Goalie Francois Leroux suffered a lower body injury in the final minute of the first period, finished the frame and did not return.
Runner Mykl Drabiuk played goal the final two periods and finished with 22 saves on 36 shots.
Vernon held period leads of 7-3 and 16-4.
The final 25 minutes and 36 seconds were played under straight running time.
Game 1 in the best-of-five championship goes Saturday, July 16, at Kal Tire Place at 7:30 p.m. Game 2 is Sunday, July 17, at Kamloops Memorial Arena.
The Tigers won three of four from the Venom in the regular season.
The two teams have split the last four championships, Vernon winning in 2013 and 2014, Kamloops taking the title in 2012 and 2015.
The Venom have appeared in the league final every year since 2009.
Last year’s championship went five games with Kamloops taking the deciding contest, 15-14, at Kal Tire Place.
See Wednesday’s Morning Star for more details…