By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
Eight lacrosse teams from Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba converged on the Warman Home Centre Communiplex from Friday to Sunday, May 15-17 for the Justin Sproat Memorial U15A Tournament.
The eight teams were split into two pools of four comprised of the Manitoba Frost White, Edmonton Warriors, Saskatoon SWAT and Standing Buffalo Fighting Sioux in Pool A and the Manitoba Frost Blue, North Saskatchewan Predators, Regina Barracuda and South Saskatchewan Stealth in Pool B.
After roughly two days of play, the Frost White and Edmonton Warriors took the top two spots in Pool A with a record of 4-1-1 and 3-3 respectively. Meanwhile, the Frost Blue and North Saskatchewan Predators were the top two teams in Pool ‘B’ with records of 4-1-1 and 4-2 respectively.
In the bronze medal match on May 17, the North Sask Predators downed the Edmonton Warriors 10-4.
The gold medal was earned by the Frost White, who downed the Frost Blue in the championship final 7-4.
Megan Litterick, U15 co-ordinator for the Saskatoon Box Lacrosse Association, said Justin Sproat was a young lacrosse player from Saskatoon who unfortunately passed away in 2005.
“We work with his family to keep this tournament going every year in his honor,” she said, noting they utilize the Communiplex for the tournament because of its proximity to Saskatoon and because “it is also a great facility.”
She said the Justin Sproat Memorial runs alongside two other ‘A’ league tournaments put on by Saskatoon Box Lacrosse: the Silver Stick U13A tournament and the Curtis Dale Ptolemy Memorial U17A tournament.
While most of these games took place in Saskatoon, a portion of the Curtis Dale Ptolemy Tournament was held at the Hague Arena on May 16 and 17 due to flooding issues at the Archibald Arena.
The Manitoba Frost Blue were the winners of the Justin Sproat Memorial U15A lacrosse tournament, which ran from Friday to Sunday, May 15-17, at the Warman Home Centre Communiplex.
Merreck Pate of the Saskatchewan-based SWAT team looks to shoot the ball at the opposing Edmonton Warriors’ net on Saturday, May 18.
South Sask Stealth player Joshua Arnold carries the ball ahead of opposing North Sask Predators player Bryn Beaulac during their match on May 18.
Standing Buffalo Fighting Sioux player Deshawn Kaiswatum body checks Frost White player Garret Churchill during a game on May 18.