The New Westminster Salmonbellies are playoff ready this season.
The Sr. A Salmonbellies are hankering at the bit to get themselves back into the Western Lacrosse Association final after three seasons on the outside looking in, including back-to-back seasons in 2012 and ’13 when they didn’t make it to the post season at all.
Those days are hopefully behind them and with plenty of new faces and a few older ones returning, head coach Steve Goodwin is feeling better about the club than he has in years.
“I’m a believer in athletes who can run the floor and can contribute at both ends,” said Goodwin. “We’ve finally got to the point where we’re a lot deeper and almost every guy can play that role.”
Along with a strong returning core, including former rookie of the year Logan Schuss, who is committed to all 18 games this season, New West is bolstered with a solid influx of new drafts as well as a handful of eastern imports, who are expected to make an immediate impact on the wood floor at Queen’s Park.
Shane MacDonald and Patrick Miles both play with the Minnesota Swarm in the NLL and will bring plenty of firepower to the ’Bellies’ attack.
Burlington, Ont. product Broedie Birkhof is expected to bring some toughness to the back end, while former St. Catharines, Ont. keeper and Vancouver Stealth backup, Eric Penney, will likely see plenty of floor time along with returning goalie Alexis Buque.
New West also picked up plenty of speed, savvy and overall versatility in the draft with Luke Gillespie, the ’Bellies first-round pick of the draft.
Justin Goodwin and Cory Takahara should also prove valuable assets for New West going forward.
Reid Reinholdt, who missed all of last season because of injury, will be a late returner because of school commitments, but is fit and ready to finally show off his first-round credentials.
The Salmonbellies will also get back Ian Hawksbee, who had to sit out all last season because of work commitments.
Along with top defender of the year Jeff Cornwall and Colton Clarke, New Westminster couldn’t be more ready to show its stuff to the Queen’s Park faithful.
Also returning to Queen’s Park is 12-year veteran Shane Bennett.
Goodwin says he’s a risk-taker and his team is going to follow along with that philosophy.
“I think we have the best athletic club we’ve had since we started,” said Goodwin.
And that hopefully will translate into a run-and-gun style that will keep fans in their seats, he said.
“We’re getting to the point we can do that,” Goodwin added.
But Goodwin and company don’t expect it to be easy.
Parity is likely to rule the WLA this season, he said, “But that’s good for lacrosse.”
Goodwin fully expects Nanaimo and Maple Ridge, despite losing Curtis Dickson to Ontario’s Major League, to be improved this year, while Burnaby has built itself into a solid franchise through the past few seasons.
“I want to win every game just like everyone else. … We expect to be a strong team this year, but until someone beats Victoria, I think Victoria is the team,” said Goodwin.
New West opens its season in Langley on May 27, before hosting Coquitlam at home on Thursday, May 28 at 7:45 p.m.
