The Vernon Re/Max Tigers will get a boost on offence when they open their Junior B box lacrosse season with an exhibition tilt against the Richmond Jr. B Roadrunners Sunday, 11 a.m. at Nor-Val Sports Centre in Armstrong.
Vernon’s Ryan Landels, who played last season with the Edmonton Eclipse of the Alberta Junior A league, will join the Cats for the 2012 campaign.
“I saw him at practice and it looks like a year of Junior A did him a lot of good,” said head coach Myles Brumpton.
Augmenting a solid returning crop of veterans are North Okanagan Minor Lacrosse grads Jordan Orr, Ryan Sarazin, Mason Limb, Sean Connors and Liam McPhee.
“We’ve got our core coming back, which is good,” said Brumpton. “We don’t have to re-establish any of our processes; everything is already set.”
With a handful of players still away at school, the Tigers will be shortbenched this weekend, but once they are at full strength, Brumpton believes they will field a competitive squad.
The Roadrunners, who tangle with the Armstrong Jr. Shamrocks Saturday night (7:30) at Nor-Val, were one of the top Junior B teams in the coastal loop last season.
“We’re not putting a lot of stock into this weekend,” said Brumpton. “It’s just a good opportunity to assess their conditioning and see how the newer recruits come in and play through traffic.”
The Thompson Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League’s annual Ice Breaker tournament goes next weekend.
