The Victoria Shamrocks are making a run at defending their Western Lacrosse Association title and Mann Cup national championship, and a product of the Cowichan Valley Lacrosse Association is in the thick of it.
Braylon Lumb spent the entire 2016 regular season with the junior A Shamrocks, but got summoned to the senior A squad for the second game of the playoffs and has been a fixture with the team ever since.
“It’s awesome,” Lumb said. “I love it. I’ve been watching all these guys my whole life, idolizing them. It’s pretty cool.”
Lumb isn’t just a passenger, either. Through four games, he has scored three goals and added a pair of assists as the Shamrocks have a 3-2 lead over the Burnaby Lakers. Still, he acknowledges it’s a step up from junior.
“It’s definitely a lot different,” he said. “The skill level surpasses junior by a lot.”
Even though he hadn’t played with the senior squad all year, Lumb hasn’t had any trouble fitting in on or off the floor.
“I know a lot of the guys,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun. I’m not going to lie. I talk to the guys, I go out there and play my game. They seem to like me.”
Lumb scored 21 goals and set up 11 more for 32 points in 19 games as a first-year player with the junior Shamrocks. The team went 9-12, however, finishing sixth in the B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League and missing the playoffs.
“We had a decent year, but I thought we could have done a lot better,” Lumb said. “I tried my hardest. Next year will be our year for sure; we’ll definitely be into it.”
Lumb’s family has been out to watch him run for the Shamrocks, as has Lorne Winship, who coached him through the CVLA minor ranks.
“He’s an awesome guy,” Lumb said of Winship. “I love him. He’s like family to me.”
The Shamrocks have won the WLA each of the last three years, representing the B.C. league in three Mann Cup finals and winning last year. Lumb believes the team will repeat.
“Honestly, I’m expecting a Mann Cup,” he said. “I don’t expect anything less. Our offence needs to click, just pound and pound. Our defence is great. We’ve got a really good squad. As long as we’re clicking together, we have a chance of going all the way.”
The Shamrocks and Lakers play game six in Burnaby on Friday. If a seventh game is needed, it will go in Victoria on Sunday.
