All three Mid Island Lightning field lacrosse teams will get the chance to defend their Island titles after winning their respective semifinals last weekend.
The U18, U15 and U13 Lightning teams all swept their two-game series last weekend and will move on to one-game showdowns for their Island banners.
The U18 Lightning were looking for revenge as they squared off against the Nanaimo Raiders. The Raiders had defeated the Lightning in their last regular-season meeting, but the tables were turned in the playoffs, as Mid Island had five more goals over the two games.
The Lightning took a six-goal lead in the series with a 16-10 win in the first game, scoring four times in each quarter. Brayden Zuni and Colton Lidstone had hat tricks, Jacob Taylor, Thomas Vaesen and Kyle Page each scored twice, and Clayton Vickers, Mathieu Jung, Brayden Grantham and Jaeden Ashbee added singles. Goalie Parker Teufel held his ground and made several close-range saves.
The Lightning lost the second game 9-8, but their comfortable lead from the first game allowed them to advance.
Mid Island took a 5-2 lead in the first quarter of the second game on two goals from Page and one each from Vickers, Vaesen and Lidstone. After being shut down in the second quarter, the Lightning got going again in the third as Page completed his hat trick and Jung also scored. Vickers had Mid Island’s lone goal in the fourth quarter as Nanaimo scored five. Even though the Raiders had two goals called back due to illegal sticks, they still managed a 9-8 win in the second game, but it wasn’t enough to even up the series.
Lucas Nagel, Kain Stewart, Ryan Dueck, Isaiah McKinley, Devon McCormick, Trey Cleemoff, Marc Gagnon and Dallas McLaughlin were all held off the scoresheet in the series, but still played roles as Mid Island advanced to the final.
The U15 Lightning didn’t have as dramatic a series against Vic Field 2 last weekend, winning their opening game 8-5, then sealed things up with a 13-3 win in the second match.
Brody Black scored four times in the first game, with singles from Caleb Nordstrom, Jack Sanderson, Hunter Hieta and defender Colin Jeffrey, who went coast to coast to score.
Hieta got off to a strong start in the second game, scoring just 22 seconds in, then adding another just over a minute later on his way to a five-goal total. Gavin Spencer and Denton Macdonald had hat tricks, and Sanderson and Kurtis Smith also scored, while the Lightning defenders refused to let the Vic Field attackers anywhere near the net.
The U13 Lightning moved a step closer to repeating as provincial champions with 8-7 and 10-5 wins over Nanaimo. Coach Bill Sanderson admitted that he felt nervous during the opener.
“It was a little too tight for my comfort level,” he said.
Brendan Carlson scored four times in the first game, while Cam Lumb notched a hat trick and Robbie James had one. Lumb scored four in the second game, while Carlson added three, Dawson Thibedeau had two, and Cole Ursulan had one.
Sanderson gave credit to goalie Devyn Zunti and defenders Thibedeau, Chris Hleck and Jeremy Benson for the series win.
“It was the big sticks and goalie that kept us in the game,” he said, “They’ve been doing that for a couple of years.”
The U18s will face North Island for the Island banner this weekend, while the U15s will meet Nanaimo and the U13s will take on Vic Field. All league finals are one-game, winner-take-all.
