IL Indoor

B.C. Junior A, Coquitlam Adanacs, Langley Thunder, Ontario Junior A, Ontario Junior B, Road to the Founders, Road to the Mann Cup, Road to the Minto Cup, Senior A, WLA

Last night: Thunder prevail in defensive struggle with Adanacs

Brodie MacDonald stopped 27 of the 30 shots he faced in Langley's win.

If you want to win a championship, you need to be able to win games in various ways. Wednesday night, the two-time defending Western Lacrosse Association champion Langley Thunder showed that they can win a defensive battle, shutting out the Coquitlam Adanacs for the final 27:52 to prevail 5-3 at the Langley Events Centre.

Coquitlam scored the only 2 goals of the first period, both coming off the stick of Jesse Guerin. Athan Iannucci and Alex Turner sandwiched second period Langley power play goals around a marker by Matthew Dinsdale to pull the Thunder within one at 3-2 after 40 minutes. Dinsdale would be the last Adanac to be able to beat Brodie MacDonald in the Thunder net. Adam Shute wasn’t giving up much at the other end of the floor, either. But Iannucci connected at 8:01 and Matt Leveque notched the game winner just 59 seconds later. Kyle Belton rounded out the quiet scoring night with just under five minutes to play to ensure the Thunder stayed perfect on the young season, running their record to 2-0. Coquitlam falls to 0-2. READ MORE »

Behind the Scenes, CLA, IL Indoor, Langley Thunder, Peterborough Lakers

Suspensions and fines handed down in Mann Cup doping testing brouhaha

Sanctions have been imposed by the Canadian Lacrosse Association on members of the Langley Thunder and Peterborough Lakers organizations stemming from the botched doping control testing procedures at the 2012 Mann Cup, which Peterborough won at home in six games. Thunder Head Coach Rod Jensen received the stiffest penalty, being suspended for 10 games of the Western Lacrosse Association season after being found to have committed four violations of the CLA code of conduct. Langley was also assessed a $3,500 fine, according to a document posted on the CLA web site in the wake of hearings into the incidents at the Mann Cup.

The Lakers were fined $5,000 and Head Coach Jamie Batley was suspended for five games for his role in the situation, according to the CLA’s posted decision on the Lakers. Other suspensions assessed include two games for Lakers trainer Steve Hynes and one game for Langley GM Gerry Van Beek. READ MORE »

Behind the Scenes, CLA, IL Indoor, International, Langley Thunder, Road to the Mann Cup, WLA

Lewis Ratcliff responds to CCES announcement

Lewis Ratcliff says he didn't knowingly put any banned substance in his body. (Photo: Dan Brodie)

Lewis Ratcliff has responded to the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport announcement of his two-year sanction for failing a drug test taken at the Mann Cup last summer in an exclusive interview with IL Indoor. Following is the text of a statement that Ratcliff provided.

“On Wednesday the CCES released my name in association with banned substance testing that it conducted in Canada in 2012.

I accept full responsibility for the results of the test and I sincerely apologize for any disappointment this may have caused.

As a professional athlete I make every effort to avoid prescription and over-the-counter medications that could put me at risk. However, last fall I had a shoulder injury which will result in surgery following the current NLL season. Due to this injury, last fall I followed my doctor’s orders regarding prescriptions for the pain medicine in order to get me through the playoffs and Mann Cup. READ MORE »

CLA, International, Langley Thunder, Road to the Mann Cup, WLA

Breaking: Lewis Ratcliff receives two-year ban after testing positive for three substances at Mann Cup

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport has announced that Langley Thunder forward Lewis Ratcliff has been suspended from domestic and international competition for two years as a sanction for testing positive for three banned substances at the 2012 Mann Cup. Ratcliff tested positive for two steroids and a prohibited narcotic pain medicine, according to the CCES report. The ban took effect November 10, 2012 and runs until November 9, 2014. It means he will not be eligible for international competition or the Western Lacrosse Association, and that his scoring statistics from the 2012 Mann Cup will be stricken from the record books. Check back frequently as IL Indoor will update the story as more information becomes available.  READ MORE »

B.C. Junior A, Burnaby Lakers, Coquitlam Adanacs, Futures Report, IL Indoor, Langley Thunder, Maple Ridge Burrards, Nanaimo Timbermen, New Westminster Salmonbellies, Victoria Shamrocks, WLA

Ben McIntosh the first among many Junior Adanacs headlining last night’s WLA draft

Ben McIntosh was the first pick in the 2013 WLA draft held last night. (Photo: Tim Prothero)

When half of the players on a team that has represented the BC Junior A Lacrosse League at the last four Minto Cups graduates in one year, it creates a rich draft for the Western Lacrosse Association. That scenario played itself out last night in one of the strongest WLA drafts in years, if not ever. Four graduates of the Coquitlam Junior Adanacs were taken in the first round and 10 in the first six rounds, headed by the Big Four of Ben McIntosh, Jeff Cornwall, Robert Church and Matthew Dinsdale being snapped up among the first five picks.

The Maple Ridge Burrards opened proceedings at the Langley Events Centre last night by taking righty forward McIntosh, who scored 3 goals per game (27g, 15a, 42pts in 9 games) after returning to the Adanacs from school partway through last summer and finished second in scoring at the 2012 Minto Cup. READ MORE »

CLA, IL Indoor, Langley Thunder, Off the Rug, Road to the Mann Cup, Senior A, WLA

Langley Thunder Head Coach Rod Jensen receives six month ban from the CLA following Mann Cup investigation

In a posting on their website, the Canadian Lacrosse Association has given a final decision in regards to the status of Rod Jensen of the Langley Thunder. During the 2012 Mann Cup, we brought you numerous stories of chaos and confusion involving off-floor incidents between team officials from both Langley and the Peterborough Lakers, and Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports administrators. This all stemmed from what many call poor communications between the CLA and the teams regarding drug testing that the teams found out would be taking place at the national championships shortly before they began.

READ MORE »

CLA, Langley Thunder, Senior A

Langley Thunder coach Rod Jensen suspended indefinitely by the CLA

Rod Jensen led his Langley Thunder to back to back Mann Cup titles but now may not be back in 2013. (Photo: Dan Brodie)

IL Indoor has learned directly that the Canadian Lacrosse Association has suspended Langley Thunder head coach Rod Jensen for his action during and after the 2012 Mann Cup. While the Thunder and Peterborough Lakers gave fans a thrilling six game series, much of the talk was about the goings-on off the floor involving the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports (CCES), the CLA and two competing teams. The CLA ended up suspending both Jensen and Lakers head coach Jamie Batley for their involvement in disrupting the CCES’s drug testing procedures and then they stayed those suspensions 24 hours later pending further investigations. READ MORE »

IL Indoor, Langley Thunder, Road to the Mann Cup

Langley Thunder are left wondering what went wrong, again, after Mann Cup loss

The Langley Thunder had to settle for second place for the second straight season. (Photo: Dave Fryer)

Take a 2-0 lead and chase the starting goalie, and you’d like where you’re at. Especially if the “at” is the Mann Cup finals. And that’s exactly where the Langley Thunder found themselves after 2 games against the Peterborough Lakers. But the Thunder discovered just what they were up against and before they knew what hit them, the Lakers had reeled off 4 straight wins and the Mann Cup series was over. “(Mike) Thompson was a real influence in the series. He shut us down,” Langley coach Rod Jensen told The Langley Times. “Usually when you flush the starting goalie after two games, you are going to be in good shape. (But) they picked it up. He carried them and they elevated their game.” But even with their second straight loss in the Mann Cup, Jensen said the Thunder have no reason to hang their heads. “Everybody was laying it on the line and did everything they could, we just came up a little bit short.”

Langley Thunder, MSL, Peterborough Lakers, Road to the Mann Cup, WLA

The Mann Cup through the eyes of the Peterborough Examiner

Garrett Billings led all scorers in the 2012 Mann Cup with 7 goals and 25 assists for 32 points. (Photo: Tim Prothero, VintageLax)

Sportswriter Mike Davies has been a respected journalist for years. The Peterborough Examiner Sports Director is recognized for his diligence, accuracy and integrity. As you’ll see from the copy that flowed from his fingers in the course of his Mann Cup coverage, he should also be renowned for how prolific he is. Davies has provided excellent balanced coverage of the Major Series Lacrosse season, playoffs and now the Mann Cup. IL Indoor has shared his daily stories with you at the bottom of each of our game stories to give another perspective. Now we bring you his sequence of articles about the concluding days of the series, including focuses on players, coaches and the drug testing shenanigans that have tended to deflect attention from a fantastic series, but which he has managed to handled professionally and gracefully. READ MORE »

Langley Thunder, MSL, Peterborough Lakers, Road to the Mann Cup, WLA

Peterborough Lakers run away from Langley 14-8 to win fifth Mann Cup in nine years

The Peterborough Lakers pose with the Mann Cup after downing the Langley Thunder in six games to take the Canadian senior men's championship. (Photo: Casey Vock)

For the fifth time in nine years, the Peterborough Lakers are Mann Cup champions. Peterborough downed the Langley Thunder 14-8 Saturday to take the series 4-2. For the second night in a row, the Major Series Lacrosse champs overcame a first-period deficit by running off a perfect second frame en route to the win. Peterborough trailed 5-3 after 20 minutes but blanked the Thunder 6-0 in the second. John Grant, Jr. led the way for the Lakers with four goals and two assists, giving him a series-leading 16 goals to go along with 14 assists.

Mike Thompson won the Mike Kelly Award as the Most Valuable Player. He stepped between the pipes early in Game 3 in relief of Tyler Carlson and reeled off four straight wins. Thompson was outstanding throughout the four games he played but especially in that second period. Langley directed 17 shots at him but he frustrated them repeatedly. READ MORE »