SUBMITTED BY WES AMENDT
Locos Head Coach
The Lacoka Junior B Tier II lacrosse team entered the weekend with a 5-1 record, but faced a stiff challenge against two strong teams.
On Saturday, the Locos travelled to Calgary to take on the Axemen with only nine players. The teams traded goals early with each team scoring twice in the first 10 minutes of the game. Calgary then went on a run scoring four unanswered goals to take a 6-2 lead into the first intermission. Despite the short bench, the Lacoka team battled hard but still trailed 13-7 after two periods. Both teams would add two goals in the third to make the final 15-9. Dustin Bell added to his league leading scoring totals with five goals and one assist. Riley Workman got on the score sheet with four goals before getting into penalty trouble and being ejected from the game in the second period. Carson Barnes had four helpers, Lliam Ventry with two and Ryder Hawthorne had one assist to round out the Lacoka scoring. Lacoka had 40 minutes in penalties while the Axemen had 47 minutes in roughly played match.
On Sunday, the Lacombe Hardwood sponsored Lacoka Locos played host to their division rivals the Red Deer Renegades. Riley Workman scored just 14 seconds into the game to give the Locos the early lead. Red Deer would score four straight to take the lead, but with two goals in 28 seconds in the last minute of the first, the Locos would trail only 4-3 at the end of the initial 20 minutes. Lacoka would score another goal in the first minute of the second to tie the game. The teams would trade goals throughout the second in a back-and-forth match. The Locos would take a 10-9 lead into the second intermission. Penalties would play a key role in the game as the undisciplined play of the Lacoka team would lead to their downfall being outscored 7-2 in the third. Red Deer would take the first of the teams’ four meetings of the season by a final score of 16-12. Tucker Doughtery led the Lacoka team with three goals and six assists for a total of nine points. Dustin Bell had another strong game with five goals and two assists. Workman ended the game with four points on three goals and an assist. Jordan Smyth picked up a goal and an assist as well. Carson Barnes played another strong game picking up five helpers and playing well in the defensive end. Lacoka had 78 minutes and Red Deer had 50 minutes in penalty box in a roughly played game.
The next action for the Lacoka Jr. team is on Saturday, May 31 at 7:00 p.m. when they host the Strathmore Venum and on Sunday, June 1 at 3:30 p.m. when the Wranglers return for the third match-up of the season. Both games will take place at the Lacombe arena.