After winning the Island league, the midget C Cowichan Valley Thunder brought home the silver medal from the provincial box lacrosse championships in Campbell River last weekend.
"We were up against some tough competition all season and fought hard against some tough teams," head coach Eric Johnson said. "Everyone really pulled together and that is why the team played so well this season. This was a great season for the Cowichan Valley Thunder midget C team."
The Thunder went 2-1 in the round robin, beginning with a convincing 10-1 win over the host Campbell River Ravens thanks to a hat trick by Jacob Taylor, two goals each from Scott McCaffery and Shylo Gibbs, and one each from Dallas Johnson, Braemon Conville and Kyle McDill.
In their second game, the Thunder doubled up their Vancouver Island rivals, the Juan de Fuca Whalers, 4-2. Conville scored twice, while Taylor and McCaffery also found the back of the net.
Cowichan wrapped up round-robin play with an 8-4 loss to the Cranbrook Outlaws, despite two goals by Gibbs and one apiece from Johnson and McCaffery.
By placing second in the round robin, the Thunder set up a rematch with the Outlaws for the gold medal. Assistant captain Johnson scored the lone goal, set up by Taylor and Kyle Robertson, as Cowichan was defeated 10-1 by Cranbrook.
Thunder goaltender Theron Keel took home two X-Treme Game MVP awards, while Jarom Erickson and assistant captain Gibbs received one each. Gibbs was also selected to the provincial championship all-star team, while Devon McCormick was presented with the Warrior Fair Play Award.
Taylor finished the season as the team's leading scorer with 39 points on 28 goals and 11 assists, followed by Gibbs with 27 points on 11 goals and 16 helpers.
"This season we had both returning and brand-new players come together to learn, develop, and improve their skills and we watched them grow into a strong team," assistant coach Tyler Veuger said.