WHITE ROCK — Winners of the 30th annual Wayne Goss Peewee Lacrosse Tournament were given trophies by the local lacrosse legend himself.
On Sunday, Goss congratulated gold-medal winners Vancouver Burrards (in the A division) and Delta Islanders (B division).
The tourney, hosted by Semiahmoo Minor Lacrosse Association from May 26 to 28, featured games at Cloverdale and Centennial arenas.
The A final saw Vancouver top Ridge Burrards, while Delta Islanders dominated Nanaimo Timbermen in the B final.
The Delta Islanders roster includes 17 boys from North and South Delta led by coaches Scott Burbidge, Mitch Robinson, Rob Reid and Barry Caswell.
“The team went undefeated and finished first in their pool, beating teams from Port Alberni, Oceanside and Langley,” Dylan Doepker, a parent on the Islanders squad, told the Now-Leader. “In the semifinal, they played the second-place place team from the other pool and beat New Westminster Salmonbellies 8-3.
“Later that afternoon, they met the winners from the other semifinal, Nanaimo Timbermen. Delta came out fast and hard in the first period, jumping to a 5-0 lead. After a hard-fought battle in the second, the boys sealed the deal in convincing fashion with a 10-1 victory.”
Photos of the tourney’s top teams are posted on Semiahmoo Minor Lacrosse Association’s Facebook page.
Goss’ biography on the BC Sports Hall of Fame website says he was among the best lacrosse players in the west. “During his career from 1968-81, Goss scored 812 goals, added 1040 assists and amassed 1852 points in just 465 games. At the time of his retirement, this was an all-time high in the Western Lacrosse Association.”
He held 41 WLA scoring and face-off records, and shared four others, the bio notes.
“He played in the 1968 and 1969 National Lacrosse League championships, winning in 1968 over Detroit. Goss also played for Canada in the 1974 world field lacrosse championships in Australia.”