For the second time in three years, the BC Junior ‘A’ Lacrosse League draft was chock full of Semiahmoo Rock players.
The annual junior-league selection process – held virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – was held Thursday night, and when all rounds were complete, 10 Semiahmoo players were among those to have heard their names called.
The number of draftees is a new record for the association, topping the previous high of nine drafted players, which was set back 2019 and highlighted by first-overall selection Sam La Roue.
“It was a huge night for Semiahmoo lacrosse,” Rock association president Colin Snyder told Peace Arch News Friday.
For the 2nd time in 3 years Semiahmoo Minor Lacrosse has over 10 players selected in the BCJALL Entry Draft! Congratulations to all those selected! #bcjalldraft21
Posted by SMLA - Semiahmoo Minor Lacrosse Association on Thursday, January 14, 2021
Leading the pack was Kaleb Borg, who was selected in the second round, 16th overall by the Coquitlam Adanacs.
He was followed by Rock teammate CJ Falke, who was picked in the third round, 22nd overall by the New Westminster Salmonbellies; Ryan Baker, who was picked in the fourth round by the Burnaby Lakers; Mattias Lonsbough, selected by the Port Coquitlam Saints, also in the fourth round; Sam Snyder, chosen by Burnaby in the fifth round; Nathan Leech, who was chosen one spot after Snyder, also by Burnaby; and rounding out the fifth round was another Burnaby selection, Brody Burrell.
In a supplemental round between Rounds 5 and 6, Port Coquitlam drafted Caelan Mander, and followed that by picking Semiahmoo’s Conner Gordon in the sixth round. Also in the sixth round, Burnaby chose Matthew Lehnert.
The BCJALL entry draft is designed to disperse first-year junior-aged players located either in the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island who do not have a junior ‘A’ franchise in their catchment area.
Players in those catchment areas are automatically protected by the corresponding junior club.
Maple Ridge’s Cody Malawsky was picked first overall by the Langley Thunder, who traded up to acquire him. In total, 49 players were selected.
Maple Ridge had the most players selected, with 12, followed by Semiahmoo’s 10.
“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 Karl Christiansen in a news release.
sports@peacearchnews.com
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