NLL Insider

Closing in on the half way point of the BC Junior season we were treated to a match-up between the unbeaten Coquitlam Adanacs and the red hot New Westminster Salmonbellies. It was set up as the BCJLA game of the week, was the biggest crowd of the year, GM’s from many WLA teams were in attendance and the atmosphere was at its highest level so far this season.

From a fans perspective it was set up to be a great game. Two high scoring teams, to stingy defenses and you had the making for an instant classic. We got set up in the press box to cover the game on www.junioradanacs.com and just before the opening face-off, we realized that the internet cord had been cut. The most anticipated game of the season thus far and it wouldn’t be broadcasted to the masses. Well, unless you were hoping to see a dominating performance from the A’s, the game didn’t live up to the hype.

Matthew (or Marty- still not sure what he prefers) Dinsdale got the home team of to a great start as he was in on all of Coquitlam’s first four goals. That was just the start of the land slide for the Bellies. Attack after attack the Adanacs kept pushing forward and peppering the New West goalies and there wasn’t much success. Coach Dan Perrault’s team played their game and pressured the visitors all over the floor not giving them an inch of breathing space. Forechecking and the press have been a strength for the A’s all year long and its evident that no matter how prepared you are for it, there’s no stopping them from suffocating you in your own zone. Give a ton of credit to Jeffery Cornwall, who at the start of the season was deemed “my guy” as he plays a hard in his own zone and has lightening quick feet. You really could go down the roster and pick any player for Coquitlam and say he played a great game, cause they really did play a sound and smart 60 minutes of lacrosse.

They were without a few of their top guns on offense, as Robert Church -BCJLA leading scorer, and Jordan Weir – led the BCJ in PPG’s last season, both sat out of Wednesday’s nights encounter but it didn’t seem to both the Adanacs. Dinsdale finished with 7 points, Trevor Moore had 6 (by the way Moore has some of the softest hands I’ve ever seen), and Corbyn Tao and Travis Cornwall both had 4.

A big star has to go to Dan Lewis in the pipes for the A’s. He’s taken the number one job with confidence and really has stepped up his game over the past few weeks. I was a little worried with his activeness outside of the net but he has reeled himself in and is playing fantastic as of late. Plus he’s now finally figured out his stick and is hitting guys on the break time after time.

The A’s are undefeated at 10-0. They have had a few tight games but have been able to battle through and find ways to win; Signs a team that has all the tools to take the next step to becoming a dominating team in the West.  Front to back this team is solid. I don’t see any weak links and even with injuries they have such great depth and an Intermediate team that is bursting with young talent, the Coquitlam Adanacs could be the next big thing to come out of the West.

On a side note, as I mentioned earlier, our internet cord was cut by some shoddy construction work so the game was unable to be broadcast. The construction however is causing more of a problem for the players than it was us. Please somebody in the A’s organization read this – SWEEP YOUR FLOOR!! Your players were sliding all over the place and all it takes is one slip and you could lose a player for the season. The floor is treacherous and I can’t remember the number of times your players fell awkward due to the terrible floor. Yes it’s hot out and makes the floor a little sweaty, but the dust in the building is going to get somebody on any of the teams that play there hurt.

Battle on Boys

Jenner is a two-time Mann Cup champion with six years of NLL experience. Email him at ted.jenner@nllinsider.com also follow the Coquitlam Jr. A Adanacs and the Intermediate A Adanacs live, as Teddy brings you color commentary with Brad Challoner for the Jr's and play by play with Brody Allen for the Intermediates -- http://www.junioradanacs.com/multimedia.php

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