Cowichan Valley sports fans will get the chance to see some top-level junior lacrosse here at home this weekend.
The Nanaimo Timbermen and Langley Thunder will square off at the Island Savings Centre at 4 p.m. on Saturday in a regularseason BC Junior A Lacrosse League tilt.
"It's a great opportunity for us to showcase Junior A lacrosse in the Cowichan Valley and build stronger ties with the Cowichan minor, intermediate and junior B programs," Timbermen general manager Jon Nicholson said.
The Nanaimo roster includes a pair of Cowichan Valley products in Jeremy Roe and D.J. Saari.
"I am extremely excited to play in front of my true home crowd again for the first time in four years," Roe said. "It will be great to be back in the arena where I fell in love with lacrosse, and I'm hoping we can get a big crowd out for what will be a fantastic game."
The T-Men have also drafted five Cowichan minor lacrosse players over the last two years, with three of them - Adam Golia, Tyson Black and Luke Frost - seeing action with the club this season. Nanaimo and Langley sit sixth and seventh in the BCJALL standings, and will both be looking for a valuable victory on Saturday.
"We are in the thick of a playoff race, and junior A lacrosse is some of the fastest, most intense lacrosse you will see," Nicholson said. "Many of these players will be future WLA and NLL players."
Tickets will be available at the door. All Cowichan Valley Lacrosse Association players wearing their jerseys will be admitted free. A pre-game barbecue begins at 3 p.m.