With hockey season ending (but don’t tell that to the Vernon Vipers, who are into the BCHL conference semifinals), lacrosse season is beginning to pick up around the city.
Over the weekend, the Vernon Jr. Tigers kicked their season off, going undefeated at the 18th annual Archie Jack Memorial Icebreaker tournament at Enderby Arena. They pounded the South Okanagan Flames, 8-3 in their opener, before finishing the tournament off with a tight 3-2 victory over the Kelowna Kodiaks.
This season, the Jr. team, who competes in the Thompson Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League (TOJLL), has combined the rosters of players from Vernon, Armstrong and Salmon Arm. The majority of players who played for the Armstrong Junior Shamrocks last year reside in Salmon Arm.
As a result, the new team will split their home games in Vernon, Armstrong and Salmon Arm. The merging of the teams was required due to a lack of registration at the minor level from the three communities.
Also competing this season in the TOJLL are the Kamloops Venom, South Okanagan (Penticton) and Kelowna. Each team will play a 14-game schedule, and the Tigers will be playing two in Vernon, two in Salmon Arm and three in Armstrong. The first league game for the Tigers is this Saturday, April 15 against the Venom, in Armstrong. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
Also competing this year is the Vernon Sr. Tigers, in the Thompson Okanagan Senior Lacrosse League (TOSLL). Last season, the team lost in the semifinals to the eventual champion Kelowna Raiders.
Other clubs in the TOSLL this year are the Kamloops Rattlers, Kelowna Raiders and Armstrong Shamrocks, who prior to last season, had won five straight championships.
The Sr. Tigers begin play this Friday, in Kamloops against the Rattlers. Game start is pegged for 7:30 p.m.
Their first home game will be Wednesday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m. against the Raiders at Kal Tire Place North.
To keep up to date with the clubs, you can visit their Facebook pages.
READ MORE: Vernon Tigers, Armstrong Shamrocks merge junior lacrosse clubs
READ MORE: Vernon lacrosse player selected to Canada squad
@B0B0Assman
bowen.assman@vernonmorningstar.com
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