’Rocks rookie starts to hit stride
From field to floor, no problem.
Tyson Gibson showed Friday night why he was first-team all-conference in field lacrosse in leading Div. 1 Robert Morris University to a first-round win in the NCAA tournament this spring before a loss to Maryland in the Sweet Sixteen.
Gibson’s hat-trick paced the Victoria Shamrocks (6-3) to an 11-10 Western Lacrosse Association overtime victory before 2,300 fans at The Q Centre against the stubborn Nanaimo Timbermen to win the season Island derby 2-1.
The improving Timbermen (4-6-1) got nothing out of it because, unlike in hockey, there is no “loser point” awarded for an overtime loss.
Although a WLA rookie, Gibson is getting the lay of the floor: “It’s very competitive and there are no gimmes.”
Ironically, it was Victoria’s defensive unit, in a play finished off by captain Matt Yager, that gave Victoria the winning goal in overtime.
“Those guys battled hard all night and deserved it,” said Gibson, twice a first-team all-star in the Ontario Junior A League with Brampton.
Victoria head coach Bob Heyes quipped: “It’s scary to see those [defensive] guys up there [in the offensive zone in such a key situation].” But all’s well that ends well. “Certain guys stepped up,” said Heyes, whose club survived two major penalties on the night.
The Timbermen have made the playoffs only once in the 14 seasons since rejoining the WLA in 2005 with the current playoff drought hitting the 10-year plateau last season. But they are making a bid this season.
“It was an ugly game, we didn’t play well, but gutted out a win,” said Heyes. “But hats off to Naniamo.” Claremont product and former Big Ten Ohio State Buckeyes star Jesse King also had a hat-trick for Victoria on a six-point night. Dynamic NLL Toronto Rock pro player Roy Hellyer had a goal and three assists for Victoria. Former Junior Shamrocks star Brody Eastwood recorded the hat-trick for Nanaimo.
Charles Claxton, the former Junior Shamrocks goalie and B.C. Junior A League first all-star, was very good in making 42 saves for the Timbermen. Cady Hagedorn blocked 32 shots for Victoria.
The Shamrocks are in Coquitlam tonight to face the Adanacs. The next home date is next Friday at The Q Centre against Langley.