Vanderhoof is home of the Bears, the 2015 midget C lacrosse champions of B.C., but they couldn't have brought home that provincial banner without a migration of talent from Mackenzie.
Alone, neither city had enough midget-aged players to make up a team. Together, they formed a disciplined, determined squad which absolutely crushed its opponents in the four-team provincial tournament, capped by a 9-2 gold-medal win Sunday morning at Kin 1 over the Juan de Fuca Whalers of Esquimalt.
Armed with six players from Vanderhoof and three from Mackenzie, not even enough for a complete line change, what the Bears lacked in quantity they made up for in quality. Led by Samuel Peet, a big, powerful scoring machine, the Bears showed their teeth early in the tournament, clobbering Fort St. John 18-0 and Williams Lake 17-0 on Friday, followed by a 12-2 win over the Whalers Saturday to close out the round robin.
The Bears had just eight games in the Great White North League to prepare for provincials but Peet said the key was they played quality opponents, like the two Prince George house league teams which formed the A2 Posse and the Quesnel B Wildfire.
"We expected to come down and win because we've been playing higher-level teams all year," said Peet, of Mackenzie, who had five goals and two assists in the final.
"We just fought hard for it and it came out good. The guys from Vanderhoof are a great bunch of guys. I hope this boosts lacrosse in our two communities."
Bear coaches Karl Peet of Mackenzie and Tony Martin of Vanderhoof had just one joint practice together but the players all got along well from the start of the season. Vanderhoof won silver in the bantam C provincials last year.
"It just took hard work, it was a big help having the Mackenzie players -- together we made a good team," said Boucher, 15, of Vanderhoof, who picked up a goal and three assists in the final.
Williams Lake edged Fort St. John 6-5 for bronze.
In the B championship, Jaxon Disanjih collected two goals and an assist to lead Coquitlam to a 6-5 win over Comox Valley 6-5 and in the bronze-medal game, Penisula beat Ridge Meadows 6-4. Brandon Bavaro of Coquitlam was picked as tournament MVP.
