The local lads of field lacrosse had their hands full Saturday as they battled Pac Rim in a physical two-game U16 set.
Pac Rim won the opener 10-3 — a scrappy contest with plenty of rough stuff — and took game two 7-1.
“The first game was pretty rough,” Buccaneers’ assistant coach Phil Anderson confirmed after the dust had settled, adding, “there was only one fight where there was expulsions, but it was a very chippy game.”
The second game was a lot more controlled by the players.
“It wasn’t chippy at all,” he said, explaining both teams were warned at the start of game two “that the rough stuff would not be tolerated and the consequences much more severe.”
The two losses drop the first year local team to 0-5.
Eleven of the players on the roster of 12 are first-year field lacrosse players. The U16 division is for players aged 15 and 16, and all but one of the Bucs’ are 15.
“Our kids are very skilled,” said Anderson, adding their biggest problem right now is a shallow bench, and because they have such a small roster they regularly call up some of the top players on the U14 Bucs’ team.
Highlights for the Bucs on Saturday included the play of their goalie Riley Kuxhaus — not the biggest player on the field, “but a big heart. He played tremendous today. He saw a lot of shots and he kept us in the game.”
GAME ON
The U16 Bucs are back home at Springwood Park on Saturday for a two-game set against Vic Field looking for their first win of the season. Game one goes at 11 a.m. and game two at 2 p.m.
IN OTHER NEWS
All three Buccaneers teams are midway through their season.
The U12 Buccaneers were in action at Springwood Park on Sunday where they came up short against Pac Rim.
Oceanside’s first-year U12 squad, coached by former ‘Buc Derek Gaughan, won their first games the weekend prior when they swept Vic Field 3 16-4, 12-5 in a two game set.
The U12s are currently sitting fifth in their six-team league at 2-9-0 with four games remaining. The U12 Bucs are back home on Sunday for a game against Vic Field 2 (1 p.m. start).
The U14 squad had a bye this week and are unbeaten in their five-team Tier 2 Island league at 4-0.
“We’re doing good — I think we’ll be the team to beat,” said U14 Bucs head coach Tim Clermont.
The U14s are home Nov. 20 against Pac Rim for a double header. Game one goes at 11:30 a.m. game two 2:30 p.m.
