The intermediate B Cowichan Valley Thunder clinched first place in their Vancouver Island lacrosse league last weekend while the junior B Thunder split a pair of games and kept themselves in contention for top spot in their league.
The inter B Thunder secured top spot in the circuit by beating the Saanich Tigers 18-9 at the Island Savings Centre last Friday. Adam Golia paced the Thunder with eight goals and five assists, while Colin Winship and Brandon Corby had four goals and two assists apiece, and Tyson Black had five helpers.
Two days later, the same team beat the Juan de Fuca Whalers 16-7. Black compiled five goals and four assists, and Winship had three goals and four helpers.
The Thunder have a bye through the first round of the inter B playoffs, and will play the winner of the semifinals between Saanich and JDF. The winner of the Island final will get a berth in the provincial tournament on Aug. 1-4. The junior B Thunder were edged 18-17 by the Saanich Tigers
at home last Saturday. Cowichan was short on players the whole game, with their 14 runners including seven intermediate call-ups. They bounced back on Monday with a 17-8 victory over the Westshore Bears. Golia scored seven goals and set up four others, while Ryan Taylor had three goals and three assists, and Graham Winship had two goals and two helpers.
The junior B Thunder are in second place in the Pacific Northwest Junior Lacrosse League, two points back of the Tigers. Cowichan does have two games in hand on Saanich, but their last three games are all on the road. They played at Westshore on Thursday, and will visit Saanich on Sunday and Westshore again next Thursday.
The junior B Thunder also had six players in the lineup as the Island team lost 6-5 to the Mainland in the 2014 junior B all-star game on Canada Day. Cowichan stars Golia, Graham Winship and Bryson Weberg all scored in the game. The Thunder were also represented at the all-star game by Jamie Jensen, Brandon Clark and goalie Nathan Clark.