By Dan Marshall

NDSS Academy wins provincial field lacrosse championship

Mar 7, 2017 | 9:23 AM

NEW WESTMINSTER — They didn’t just win, the NDSS Academy field lacrosse team was dominant in an 11-4 victory over Vancouver College on Friday.

The victory in the provincial championship final capped off a 5-0 tournament.

Along the way NDSS beat Royal Bay, Maple Ridge and Vancouver College in round robin play.

Then they cruised past Royal Bay 10-1 in the semis before beating last year’s champions from Vancouver College.

Academy standout Derian Thompson was named the MVP at the provincial tournament.

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Coach Joel Smith says his squad played about a dozen games this season in either exhibition or tournament play before capturing the provincial title.

He says the players on what’s known as the junior team are in grades eight through ten, and they take lacrosse as part of their class schedule during the school year.

“Both semesters they’re taking lacrosse and getting a PE credit and a fitness and conditioning lacrosse credit. We practice and go from September to June. On days that we’re not on the field we’re working out at the weight room. It’s a full immersion program into the sport that they love,” said Smith. 

The academy has two teams for a total of 48 players. That includes the grade eight to ten team and another squad for grades eleven and twelve.

Smith says these players have different aspirations down the road.

“With our seniors we have Will Cookman and Aidan Cateaux drafted (in the BCJALL Draft) and now trying out for the Intermediate A’s,” said Smith. “There’s also the dream for some of these kids to get some sort of opportunity to get a scholarship, and access, and time down in the states, whether that’s Division 1 or Division 2.” 

The senior team (grades eleven and twelve) also went to provincials recently and made it to the quarter finals.

Smith in charge is of the entire NDSS Academy program which keeps him busy as the coach of both the junior and senior teams.

dan.marshall@jpbg.ca

On twitter: @danmarshall77