The Maple Ridge Burrards of the B.C. Intermediate Lacrosse League will be the favourites to take home the Intermediate A division provincial championship as play gets underway at Planet Ice from Friday, Aug. 2 to 5.
The Burrards finished the season in first place with a 15-3 record and will be joined at the finals by The Richmond Roadrunners, The Victoria Shamrocks and the Coquitlam Adanacs.
Connor David leads the Burrards into the weekend boasting the league’s top save percentage at 84.15. The team allowed the fewest goals with 131 while replying with 212, third most in the league for players 16 to 18 years old.
Brett Kujala lead the team with 50 goals and 20 assists. Joe Olson also had 70 points on the season, contributing 14 hoals and 56 helpers.
Doug McQuarrie, head coach of the team, said he’s impressed with his team, which is only in it’s second year in the league.
“Our offence is deadly strong and our opponents have known this all year long,” said McQuarrie. “Our defense consists of a group of elite athletes that play our systems very well. Plus we have two of the very best goalkeepers in the league that can steal games at any time.”
The head coach said the team has stressed conditioning throughout the season, hiring a full time trainer. He said everything from running the Grouse Grind to extensive dryland training contributed to the team’s strong play this year.
He said training camp started with more than 60 players vying for a spot on the roster.
“This is a very focused group that, from the very start, had goals of winning the league title and then winning provincials. We have one down with one last goal to go. They know the tough road that lies in front of them this weekend.”
Planet Ice will also host the intermediate B finals, as Port Moody, Coquitlam, Delta and Juan de Fuca square off.