Timbermen End Season With Thriller

August 04, 2009

With only one game remaining in the Western Lacrosse Association, the Victoria Shamrocks and your Nanaimo Timbermen had one of the greatest games of the season. It could have been the fact that pride was the only thing on the line as Nanaimo was eliminated a few weeks ago, or it could be that the island rival is filled with emotion and neither team wants to let the other one win. What ever the case was, it had the right stuff for a perfect lacrosse game.

With the first goal coming quit quick, from the hands of WLA top scorer Lewis Ratcliff, the shamrocks held the lead deep into the 6th minute mark in the first until last weeks first star player of the week Scott Ranger blew one past the Victoria goalie. From then on it was a see-saw battle till the end of the first; Scott Ranger added another late in the first while Cayle Ratcliff was the other gunner for your Timbermen. The score at the end of the first was 3-3.

Much like the start to the first, the visiting Shamrocks got out in the lead again at the start of the second frame. Although Nanaimo showed no signs of giving up, in fact Nanaimo scored the next three goals of the game within only 2 minutes to hold the lead for a moment. All-stars Lewis Ratcliff and Scott Ranger took control of the game when they both scored back to back goals for their representing teams. Ratcliffs came first to tie the game but ranger out did the Victoria stud to regain the two goal lead with his 3rd and 4th of the game. Even though Nanaimo kept getting those two goal leads, the game would find it self tied up again 8-8 at the end of the 2nd.

The final period of the regular season was with-out a doubt the best 20+ minutes of lacrosse the Timbermen has seen or played this year. Ryan Campbell got Nanaimo off to the quick lead with only 18 seconds into the third. But Nanaimo lost focus for a few minutes and it affected the team on the score board. Victoria scored 3 questionable goals to have a solid 2 goal lead, but right after that third goal, Nanaimo got their heads out of the gutters and came right back to tie up the game once again but in this period goals came in two's as Victoria netted two more then Nanaimo followed with two of their own coming from Ranger his 5th, and Cayle Ratcliff his 4th of the game. With three minutes left in the game, Nanaimo was watching their season come to an end when a Victoria defenseman netted his first of the contest to give the visiting team a slight lead with 2 minutes left. Nanaimo wasn't finished though; they wanted that extra 10 minutes of their season and Nanaimo got it taking the shamrocks into over time when Ryan Campbell snuck one past the Victoria tender. With only a minute left, it felt like an hour waiting while the shamrocks try to take the two points. But Nanaimo's defense was relentless for that final minute.

Over time is either a one sided event or a heart pounding event. On the edge of our seats the Timbermen jumped off to a two goal lead right away. Looking for a victory against the top team in the WLA appeared reachable, until the shamrocks kicked it into over drive and powered two goals past Matt Flindell who came into the game at the start of the third, replacing Matt King. The final score was 16-16. Even though they didn't win, Nanaimo proved that they can play with any team in this league as they have gone into overtime with every team this season. The top score stars were from your Nanaimo Timbermen. 2nd star was Scott Ranger with 6 goals and one assist while the first start was Cayle Ratcliff getting an impressive 4 goals and 4 assists.

We would like to thank all of our fans for the support and dedication you all have shown other the years, and if this last game is a sneak peek to what is about to happen then spread the word because there is going to be a lot more lacrosse being play next season.