EXPERIENCE NISSAN JR. B KINGS
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Five games into the 2019 season, the Orillia Experience Nissan Kings Jr. B Lacrosse team is still looking for its first win.
The Kings this year are a young team in a rebuilding phase after losing five players to overage and another seven players that decided not to return.
The team had their sights on making a playoff run with some good midget players moving up to join a solid core of veteran players, but with the unexpected departure of those seven additional players it has turned into a rebuilding year featuring eight rookies and several first-year players suiting up to fill the roster.
General Manager Rob Blasdell and Head Coach worked tirelessly at the start of the season to recruit players to floor a team and deserve full credit with getting the team up and running.
The Kings started the year on the road and lost 12-5 to the Newmarket Saints. Noah Landriault netted three goals and an assist and Dallin Blunt had a goal and two assists .
They followed up that game two nights later with another road game, playing the West Durham Ironheads, losing 15-9. Top point getters in this game were Cole Hanrahan with three goals and two assists, Gabe Neely and Mitchell Pellarin with two goals each and Dallin Blunt with four assists.
The next two games were at home against two of the league’s top teams: the Halton Hills Bulldogs and the Clarington Green Gaels.
Although they couldn’t come up with a win, the team played hard and had two good games and showed well against these two stronger teams.
Against the Bulldogs, top point getters were Mitchell Pellarin with two goals and an assist, Gabe Neely and Cole Hanrahan with two goals apiece, Noah Landriault with four assists and Dallin Blunt with three assists.
Against the Green Gaels the top scorers were Dallin Blunt with two goals and two assists, Noah Quarrington, Mitchell Pellarin and Noah Landriault all netting one goal each.
In their fifth game in 10 days, the Kings traveled to Orangeville who move over from the Western Conference this year for league alignment and are always one of the top teams in the Jr, B loop and proved that with a 13-2 win. Scoring for Orillia were Gabe Neely and Cole Hanrahan.
Despite the five losses, the team has started to gel a bit better and the younger players moving up from midget are starting to get accustomed to the quicker pace and longer 60-minute games.
Orillia will host Brampton Friday night in a 8:30 p.m. contest at Rotary Place. They are not back home after that until May 25.
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