In California one week, Colorado on deck. Vernon teen Carston Disher is taking his field lacrosse gear all over the U.S. these days.
Disher, who turned 13 Tuesday, plays midfield and attack for the Evolve Elite Team B.C., an Under 13 entry based out of Vancouver.
The Elite, who have three Penticton products and one Kelowna, just attended a San Diego tournament and open the Warrior World Series of Youth Lacrosse July 4 in Denver. Youngsters from Israel and the Iroquois nation (Six Nations, Ontario) will be among 500 players in the extravaganza sponsored by Coca-Cola and Nissan.
The players are treated like rock stars and the final is televised on ESPN. Warrior/New Balance supply free custom-made shoes for each entrant.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Disher, who played for the North Okanagan Bantam A2 box lacrosse Legends this season. “I like field better because there is more space to do things and be creative. I’d like to get a scholarship one day like my favourite player, Paul Rabil, of the New York (pro field lacrosse) Lizards. I dodge around guys pretty fast and I’m pretty good with my stick.”
Rabil, a midfielder who played college ball for the John Hopkins Blue Jays in Baltimore, held the record for the world’s fastest lacrosse shot, by clocking a 111-mph shot at a Major League Lacrosse game. That mark was broken by Zak Dorn at the 2014 Fastest Shot Competition.
Rabil, who attended the 2-17 World Series, first held a lacrosse stick at age 12 so Disher has got the jump on the superstar.
“I started playing lacrosse when I was about four,” said the soft-spoken Disher, a Grade 7 Okanagan Elementary student. “I had a rebounder and a net in our backyard so I practised a lot. My uncle (Stu Williamson) and cousin (Austin Williamson) both played lacrosse and my mom (Tiffany Disher) said I had to pick one sport.”
Carston’s uncle Ryan Williamson has coached him in box and field lacrosse for the last three years. Disher and the North Okanagan Pee Wee A2 Legends won the provincial box title last year in Fort St. John.
“He’s very skilled and he’s a hard worker,” said Williamson. “He listens well, he’s a good kid and he loves lacrosse.”
Team B.C. cut down to 15 after tryouts in Vancouver and Langley and they have been holding practices every weekend (in Vancouver) for the two months.
Disher is a multi-sport athlete. He played point guard in basketball and setter in volleyball this last school season.
The Evolve won a couple of games in San Diego, where they faced 16-year-old entries. Disher scored in one tilt.
Meanwhile, the North Okanagan Storage For Life Novice #1 Legends lost 5-4 to Kelowna #1 in playoff action Sunday at Kal Tire Place.
Mathis Paull bagged a deuce for the Legends, while singles came from Austin Aiechele and Jacob Glover in front of Shaymus Waterstreet.
Paull, Wyatt Stowards, Boston Ciccone and Connor Johnson each pulled hat tricks as the Legends jolted Kelowna #2 15-7 Saturday at Nor-Val Sports Centre in Armstrong.
Glover, Jesse Johnson and Blake Erickson provided singles in support of Waterstreet.
In Bantam B playoff action, the North Okanagan Legends bowed 8-4 to the Shuswap Outlaws and lost 5-3 to the Nicola Valley Thunder of Merritt Saturday at Nor-Val.
Kai-Lee Bonneau (2), Chayton Marchand and Jacob Fox supplied goals versus the Outlaws, while Jakob Friesen, Fox and Marchand tallied against the Thunder.