All three Mid Island Lightning field lacrosse teams closed out the regular season at the top of their respective divisions, and will head into the playoffs in prime positions.
The U16, U14 and U12 Mid Island squads all topped their age groups. The U16s wrapped up their placing with wins in their last four games.
On Jan. 10, they swept a doubleheader against North Island in Comox.
In the first game, the Lightning turned a 6-3 halftime lead into a 13-6 victory, scoring four unanswered goals in the third quarter. Nine different players scored, led by Brian Robb’s hat trick. James Taylor and Michael Shepherd each scored twice, while Jaeden Ashbee, Mat Jung, Brayden Zunti, Clayton Vickers, Kyle Page and Dallas Johnson had singles. Rowan Clinging also had an excellent game at attack as the Lightning put together a strong team effort.
The second game was even more of a rout as Mid Island led 10-1 at halftime and ended up prevailing 14-3. Page scored four times, Ashbee had three goals, Zunti and Robb had two apiece, and Jung, Eric Young and Jacob Taylor had one each.
A week later, the Lightning took two games from Nanaimo. The first game was a 6-1 victory that was closer than the score made it appear as the Nanaimo goaltender turned aside countless shots. Page led the team once again with two goals. Shepherd, Johnson, Thomas Vaesen and Lucas Nagel rounded out the scoring, while Jung, Jack Chicquen and Colton Lidstone recorded assists.
In the second game, the Lightning won 16-7. Page upped the ante with six goals, including one off a onehanded catch in midair. James Taylor nearly equalled that mark with five goals, while Vickers had two, and Johnson, Zunti and Young also scored. Ashbee, Jung and Chicquen each had a pair of assists.
Mid Island wraps up the season with 11 wins and a loss, guaranteeing a berth in the provincials in addition to a spot in the Island final against either North Island or Nanaimo.
