BY WES AMENDT
Special to the Express
The Lacoka Locos Junior B lacrosse team continued their winning ways last weekend with two wins in their opening home stand.
On Saturday evening, the team played host to the Okotoks Ice at the Ponoka arena and started things quickly just under a minute into the game on a goal by second year player Jordan Smyth, in his first game of the season. The Ice would tie the game two minutes later.
The Locos scored two more to take a 3-1 lead after the first period. Okotoks would score early in the second period to pull within one but the Locos continued their solid play with two of their own before the Ice tallied one with a minute left in the second to close the gap to 6-3 after the second period.
The teams traded goals in the third period and the Ice scored with 45 seconds left to pull within one but the Locos were able to hang on for an 8-7 win.
Dustin Bell led the way with three goals and a pair of assists, Smyth had a four point game with two goals and two assists. Trevor Anderson and Darian Buffalo each chipped in with a goal and an assist while James Wood rounded out the goal scoring. Riley Workman came off the injured list picking up a pair of assists and Carson Barnes also picked up an assist to round out the scoring in a closely contested game. Zac Atsinger played a solid game in goal to pick up his first win of the season.
On Sunday afternoon, the Locos took on the Innisfail Yetti for the second time in a week. The first period was cautiously played with the Lacoka team scoring four minutes into the contest and the Yetti tying it up with two minutes left to finish the first period 1-1.
The Locos had a strong second period scoring five goals while the Yetti managed to get two by goalie Willem Court and the local boys took a 6-3 lead into the break.
The Locos continued their strong play in the third, scoring four more and giving up two to come away with a 10-5 victory.
Bell again lead the way with four goals and one assist for a league leading 32 points in the first four games. Riley Workman showed his scoring touch picking up two goals and three assists. Braeden Grant chipped in with a goal and two helpers with singles coming from Jordan Smyth and little brother Cooper, a midget affiliate, playing in his first junior game. Darian Buffalo had another two point game with a goal and an assist with Tony Kozak (3), Carson Barnes (2) and Brennon Elder (1) all picking up assists. Court continued his strong play in net recording his third win of the season.
The Lacoka team will travel to Innisfail for their third meeting of the season on Friday, May 9 and then host the Calgary Wranglers on Saturday, May 10 at 5:15 p.m. at the Ponoka arena. The Locos will then move their program to Lacombe until the end of June before returning to Ponoka in July to finish out their season. The club invites everyone to come out to take in some exciting lacrosse action.