Two Williams Lake Bighorns lacrosse alumni are settling in on a new team this year after moving up to the B.C. Intermediate Lacrosse League.
Benn Taylor and Riley Lawryk, who both played for the Williams Lake Bighorns midget lacrosse team last season, made the move to Surrey during this year’s season to play for the Fraser Surrey Stealth.
Lawryk joined the team at the start of the season after one of his BC Games coaches referred him to the Stealth’s coach, Ray Lagace.
Taylor, on Lawryk’s recommendation, joined the team midway through the season.
And so far, both said it’s been a bit of an adjustment in getting used to the new league.
“It’s bigger, it’s faster, it’s quicker, and there’s a lot more structure,” Taylor said. “All the players can play.”
The B.C. Intermediate Lacrosse League attracts some of the best lacrosse players in the province to the Lower Mainland. In B.C. opportunities to play lacrosse at a high level are limited.
“It’s just a good chance to keep playing,” Taylor said. “It’s a longer season, and we couldn’t really keep playing here.”
Lawyrk who, in 15 games played so far this year, has five goals and seven assists, said the best part about playing in the league is getting in more games, and more practices.
Taylor, in nine games, has one goal and five assists.
The Stealth, meanwhile, sit in eighth place out of 10 teams in the regular season standings, with one game left on July 15 versus the Langley Warriors before heading into playoffs.
The Stealth are joined by the Coquitlam Adanacs, the Delta Islanders, the Port Moody Thunder, the New Westminster Salmonbellies, the Port Coquitlam Saints, the North Delta Hawks, the Ride Meadows Burrards, the North Shore Indians and the Langley Warriors.