NLL Insider

New Westminster product Kevin Crowley was taken first overall in the WLA.

Kevin Crowley, a New Westminster Salmonbellies product, All-World midfielder for Team Canada at the ‘08 World Juniors and current NCAA Stony Brook star, was selected first overall in the 2010 Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) Junior ‘A’ Entry Draft by the Burnaby Lakers on Wednesday night.

Crowley’s stock elevated with a great Junior ‘A’ campaign finishing fourth in league scoring with 76 points in just 16 regular season games with the New Westminster Salmonbellies. He then led the BC Junior ‘A’ Lacrosse League (BCJALL) in post-season goals with 20 tallies and 42 points in 12 games played.

The 6-foot-4, 200 pound forward next delivered as a call-up for the Senior WLA ‘Bellies in the epic 2009 Mann Cup, providing great spark for the Western champs while adding 10 points in four games, five of those scoring stats coming in the deciding Game 7.

An Insider 2009 All-Canadian selection and a 2010 pre-season NCAA All-American, Crowley also led Stony Brook University in scoring last season.

The draft continues to be a strong source for WLA clubs looking to improve and the Burnaby Lakers will need the help after capturing just two wins last year.

The Langley Thunder crashed the post-season party in ‘09 thanks in large part to their rookies, which included National Lacrosse League (NLL) Toronto Rock rookie sensation Garrett Billings.

2010 WLA Entry Draft, 1st Round

No. 1 – Burnaby Lakers – Kevin Crowley (New West Jr / NCAA Stony Brook)
2 – Langley Thunder – Brett Mydske (New West Jr / NLL Edmonton Rush)
3 – Maple Ridge Burrards – Curtis Dickson (New West Jr / NCAA Delaware)
4 – Burnaby Lakers – Dane Stevens (Brampton Jr / NLL Edmonton Rush)
5 – Victoria Shamrocks – Kory Kowalyk (Victoria Jr / NLL Washington Stealth)
6 – New West Salmonbellies – Corbyn Tao (Coquitlam Jr / NCAA Robert Morris)
7 – Burnaby Lakers – Shaun Dhaliwal (Burnaby Jr / NLL Colorado Mammoth)

2010 WLA Entry Draft, Cont’d

8 – BBY – Trevor Moore (COQ)
9 – NAN – Joel Henry (VIC)
10 – MPR – Ben Davies (NW)
11 – COQ – Jason Jones (DLT)
12 – LGY – Matt Yager (VIC)
13 – VIC – Michael Pires (VIC)
14 – VIC – Rhys Jones (VIC)

15 – BBY – Erik Sage (VIC)
16 – VIC – Jordan Weir (COQ)
17 – NW – Payton Sanders (NW)
18 – COQ – Jon Diplock (NAN)
19 – LGY – Mitch Dibblee (BBY)
20 – NAN – Ray Hodgkinson (BBY)
21 – VIC – Neil Tyacke (NW)

22 – COQ – Matt Miyashita (BBY)
23 – NAN – Scott Stone (VIC)
24 – MPR – Jim Clifford (COQ)
25 – COQ – Trevor Gains (NAN)
26 – LNG – Cam Appels (BBY)
27 – BBY- Brandon Turner (COQ)
28 – VIC- Reed MacPhail (VIC)

Plus many more picks.

Check back shortly for complete draft analysis and be sure to follow the NLL Insider for up-to-date Canadian Lacrosse Association (CLA) news.

First-round trade action saw Curtis Hodgson moved from the Victoria Shamrocks, where he spent just one summer after a mid-season ‘09 trade, to the New Westminster Salmonbellies for the No. 5 overall pick.

Just prior to the draft, the Victoria Shamrocks made a block-buster trade by moving WLA MVP and league scoring champ Lewis Ratcliff from his hometown to Nanaimo to play with little bro, Cayle.

The WLA Entry Draft follows on the heels of the East’s Major Series League (MSL) Entry Draft, where first-round WLA draft picks Crowley and Stevens also had their names called.

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