Harris goes First Overall in BCJALL Midget Draft

Jersey number of Thrasher Marian Hossa of the NHL, Superbowl MVP and Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, ex NBA star Phil Jackson, and 1956 World Series perfect pitcher Don Larsen.

It’s the number of holes at a golf course; at the age of 18 you can buy smokes, drink legally in a few countries, marry without consent, vote, or if you’re unlucky- get tried as an adult in court.

18 aside from 0, is the only number that equals twice the sum of its decimal digits… have I lost you? Welcome to 18 rounds of Midget Jr Draft. 

Ben Harris 1st overall pick (Bby)

Joshua Kaiser South Fraser 2nd round pick

“Any time you can do a draft and go 18 rounds in two and a half hours- you know it went well” said league Commissioner Al Lange of the second annual draft where free agents from the Midget division of the BCLA make the jump to a more senior level of lacrosse.

For the second year in a row, a goalie was selected first overall. Ben Harris from Richmond got scooped up fast by defending league-champions Burnaby.

“We are very happy to have Ben” says Laker head coach Remo Spagnuolo, “We think he’s the best midget goalie by far, and we knew we were going to draft him for quite some time.”

Harris is excited to join the league dominating Lakers, and afterwards thanked the late Jack Crosby for the work he did to get Harris to the team. “He was an amazing man and has given me and my family a great opportunity, it’s a true honor to be a Laker.”

Six of the ten players drafted by Coquitlam were picked from outside the Lower Mainland. “There’s always been good players from around the province, but no one was really paying attention because it was out of the way” says Adanac General Manager Ken Wood. “With the draft now these players can show they are just as good as Vancouver area players.”

In the first round Coquitlam managed to snag Shane Karset from Port Moody. “He was a guy we really wanted” says Wood, “we thought Shane would have been gone by the seventh pick so we went off our game plan to get him. He’s from our back yard, he’s a gritty kid, we like him a lot and are very happy with the pick.”

They aren’t Swedish, but The South Fraser Stickmen are hoping for some Sedin-esque luck, by drafting two sets of twins. Jordan and Adam Schulstad from Abbotsford, and Keenan and Wesley Lambright from Kamloops, were brought on to add some size and depth to the intermediate roster for the Stickmen.

Overall, an eventful day for the British Columbia Jr A Lacrosse League; 8 teams, 115 players drafted, running a total of 18 rounds. In Chinese tradition, 18 is associated with prosperity. Referring back to the beginning of this article, easily the most comparable phrase associated with the number.

Congratulations to all players drafted on Sunday, and all teams involved.