The U18 Mid Island Lightning will go into the field lacrosse playoffs on a high note after winning what turned out to be their last regular-season game.
After Christmas holidays and field closures led to an extra-long winter break, the Lightning got back into action on Jan. 4, losing a close one 9-7 to Pacific Rim. They turned things around the next day, beating Victoria 2 10-4.
The Lightning were supposed to play Nanaimo last Sunday, but that contest was cancelled due to the weather, meaning the win over Vic 2 was the team’s last game before the playoffs begin later this month.
In the Jan. 4 game, Mid Island matched Pac Rim goal-for-goal before taking a 3-2 lead at the end of the first quarter. After a back-and-forth second quarter, the Lightning dominated the third, but Pac Rim pulled ahead for good in the fourth.
Jacob Taylor finished the game with four goals, Kyle Page had two, and Hunter Hieta scored once. Jack Sanderson recorded an assist.
Building on that performance the next day, the Lightning held a 2-1 lead over Vic 2 after the first quarter. The lead was 5-3 after two, and 7-4 after three before goalie Jace Hilton shut the door in the third, while Page and Taylor scored three goals in a two-minute span.
Page finished the game with three, while Taylor, Hieta and Colin Jeffrey each had two, and Jaeden Ashbee scored once.
The Lightning will have a bit of time off before the playoffs start on the weekend of Jan. 22.
