The U17 Sunshine Coast Rapids won gold in Campbell River Fathers’ Day weekend in an exciting overtime finish.
After a round robin finish of one win and two losses, they were in third place heading into the semi-finals against Juan De Fuca, a team they had lost 5-3 to earlier in the day. After taking a lead early in the semi-final game, they were able to hang onto that and win handily to head into a gold medal matchup Sunday versus Langley Thunder.
The last two games between the teams had Langley winning 10-2 and 8-2, and the Rapids knew they were the underdog to win the gold.
The Rapids came out strong, with Ben Hamilton scoring the first goal and the game went back and forth the Rapids clinging to a one-goal lead for most of the game with two more goals from Ryder Hudrick and one from Parker Butler. As the time wound down on the regulation time the score was a tie and the Rapids goalie Owen Tripp had to make some dramatic saves in the final seconds to keep them in it. The overtime period began and the Rapids took the gold with Parker Butler scoring the overtime game-winning goal in the first 30 seconds with the score ending 5-4. The Rapids Lacrosse Association began in 2002 and was hit hard by Covid. This season the club is slowly recovering with new volunteers, one team in the Lower Mainland Lacrosse League and expanding numbers in the younger age groups. The club hopes to declare two teams next season. “Learning Lacrosse Skills” presented by U17 Rapids coach and players is ongoing at SD46 elementary schools. For more information about Lacrosse on the coast please visit https://sunshinecoastlacrosse.com/
