Maple Ridge's Malawsky picked first overall in BCJALL draft

Maple Ridge’s Cody Malawsky was drafted first overall in the BC Junior A Lacrosse League Draft on Thursday evening.

Once again, players from the Ridge Meadows Burrards dominated the annual midget draft. Ridge kids were selected with four of the top five picks overall, and the Burrards’ 13 players selected was the most by any minor lacrosse association in the draft.

We are very proud to welcome five new players to the Langley Thunder family. We look forward to getting back on the floor soon! #ThunderLAX pic.twitter.com/sHgs4uZ4TU

— Langley Thunder (@ThunderBCJALL) January 15, 2021

“I am very appreciative and humbled to be selected number one overall,” said Malawsky. “There are so many great players in the draft, and I would like to thank the Langley Thunder for the opportunity.”

His scouting report noted he is not afraid to play a physical game and throw his body around, and he is a lefty who can play on the crease or at the shooter position. His father Curt is in the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

The younger Malawsky’s selection makes it four of the last six first-overall selections to come from Ridge Meadows, including Calum Munro 2020, Dylan McCormick 2017, and Connor Evers 2016. Even before this draft, 15 out of 24 first-round picks had come from Ridge Meadows.

The Coquitlam Adanacs, who are the reigning BCJALL champions, made moves to acquire the second, third and fifth overall picks, and used them to take Ridge Meadows players Jaxon Smart, Jack Kask, and Ben Coghill.

Smart was projected by some to be the top pick, and the offensive righty is already drawing interest from NCAA programs including Ohio State.

Kask was the top goaltender, and is tending the net at Georgetown Prep School in North Bethesda, Maryland.

Coghill last played at the A2 level with Ridge Meadows in 2019 but was expected to be a factor on the A1 team hoping to compete for another provincial title.

https://www.facebook.com/coquitlam.adanacs/photos/a.397863836991651/3569471243164212/

After the four selected in the first round, eight more Ridge Meadows players were selected in rounds two through six:

2. Jaden Laberge, Delta Islanders

2. Ben Gagnon, Langley Thunder

2. Jake Young, New Westminster Salmonbellies

3. Dylan Doucette, Delta Islanders

3. Ty Fisher, Poco Saints

4. Parker St. Germain, Delta Islanders

4. Andrew Cowan, Langley Thunder

6. Tenzin Nyman, PoCo Saints

6. Corin Tan, Langley Thunder

For the complete draft, see www.bcjall.com.

There were 49 players taken over the course of the six-round draft, which was done remotely at Langley Events Centre.

“What an exciting night for 49 players in B.C. Their journeys have just begun for the quest for a Minto Cup. This crop of players is very deep and the talent is amazing,” said BCJALL president and commissioner Karl Christiansen. “

The entry draft is intended to disperse the first-year junior players located in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island communities where there is not a Junior A franchise in their catchment area.

The Ridge Meadows Burrards have asked for a franchise in past seasons, but so far have not been allowed to enter a team in Junior A.

@NeilCorbett18 ncorbett@mapleridgenews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

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