Pacific Northwest Junior Lacrosse League

The Pacific Northwest Junior Lacrosse League, or PNWJLL is a Junior B Tier 2 box lacrosse league based in British Columbia, Canada, sanctioned by the British Columbia Lacrosse Association. The league champion and runner up both compete for the British Columbia Junior B2 Provincial Championship.

PNWJLL
SportBox lacrosse
First season2001
CommissionerChris Shortt
No. of teams6
Country Canada
Most recent
champion(s)
Nanaimo Timberman (2024)
Most titlesPeninsula Falcons
Official websitePNWJLL

History

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Formed in 2001, the PNWJLL began as a five-team league. The inaugural season included Campbell River Ravens, Juan de Fuca Whalers, Nanaimo Jr. B Timbermen, Peninsula Falcons and Victoria-Esquimalt Eagles. The Timbermen were crowned the first league champion after an 11-3-1 season.

Expansion included one team for Season 2 as the league played with six teams for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Membership peaked in 2004 when eight teams competed. That number did not last as three teams (Juan de Fuc Whalers, Peninsula Falcons and Saanich Tigers) folded after the season.

The Westshore Bears were the first PNWJLL team to win a gold medal at the British Columbia Provincials in 2005.

In August 2013 the Saanich Tigers captured the league's second Gold Medal at the British Columbia Provincials, defeating host Burnaby Lakers 12-10. Saanich defeated the Vernon Tigers 21-15 in the opening game before falling to Burnaby 10-9 on Day 2. A 7-6 win over the Delta Islanders earned their place in the championship.[1]

Saanich repeated their Gold medal performance in 2015[2] winning all four games in the Provincials tournament held at The Q Centre in Victoria.

Teams

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Team Centre Arena Established
Campbell River Ravens Campbell River Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex 2017
Nanaimo Jr. B2 Timbermen Nanaimo Nanaimo Ice Centre 2008
Oceanside Sharks Parksville Oceanside Place 2019
Saanich Express Saanich Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre 2018
Westshore Bears West Shore The Q Centre 2004

Former teams

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  • Campbell River Ravens (2001-2012)
  • Cowichan Valley Thunder (2002-2012; 2015–16; 2018)
  • Juan de Fuca Whalers (2002-2004)
  • Mid-Island Braves (2005)
  • Nanaimo Jr. B Timbermen (2001-2004)
  • Peninsula Falcons (2001-2006)
  • Peninsula Warriors (2011-2013)
  • Saanich Tigers (2004)
  • Saanich Tigers (2011-2017)
  • Saanich-Peninsula (2009-2010)
  • Victoria-Esquimalt Eagles (2001-2012)[3]

League champions

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Season Regular Season Playoffs Champion Runner-up Result
2001 Nanaimo Jr. B Timbermen Juan de Fuca Whalers --- 11-3-1
2002 Peninsula Falcons Peninsula Falcons Juan de Fuca Whalers 12-2-1
2003 Juan de Fuca Whalers Peninsula Falcons Juan de Fuca Whalers 14-0-1
2004 Peninsula Falcons Peninsula Falcons --- 14-0-0
2005 Westshore Bears Westshore Bears --- 13-1-0
2006 Peninsula Falcons Peninsula Falcons ---
2007 Victoria-Esquimalt Eagles Victoria-Esquimalt Eagles Westshore Bears 2-0 (best-of 3)
2008 Westshore Bears Westshore Bears Campbell River Ravens 2-1 (best-of 3)
2009 Victoria-Esquimalt Eagles Victoria-Esquimalt Eagles Westshore Bears 2-1 (best-of 3)
2010 Westshore Bears Westshore Bears Cowichan Valley Thunder 3-1 (best-of 5)
2011 Cowichan Valley Thunder Cowichan Valley Thunder Peninsula Warriors 2-0 (best-of 3)
2012 Westshore Bears no playoffs --- 17-3-0
2013 Saanich Tigers Saanich Tigers Westshore Bears 3-1 (best-of 5)
2014 Saanich Tigers Saanich Tigers Westshore Bears 2-0 (best-of 5)
2015 Saanich Tigers Saanich Tigers Westshore Bears 2-0 (best-of 3)
2016 Saanich Tigers Saanich Tigers Westshore Bears 2-0 (best-of 3)
2017 Westshore Bears Westshore Bears Saanich Tigers 3-1 (best-of 5)
2018 Cowichan Thunder Cowichan Thunder Westshore Bears 2-0 (best-of 3)
2019 Westshore Bears Westshore Bears Saanich Express 2-0 (best-of 3)

BC Provincials

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PNWJLL teams have had success competing in the British Columbia Junior B Provincials, earning medals on several occasions.

Medal history

Year Team Result
2005 Westshore Bears Gold
2009 Victoria-Esquimalt Eagles Bronze
2010 Westshore Bears Silver[4]
2012 Saanich Tigers Bronze[5]
2013 Saanich Tigers Gold[6]
2015 Saanich Tigers

Westshore Bears

Gold

Bronze

2016 Saanich Tigers Bronze
2017 Westshore Bears Bronze
2018 Cowichan Thunder

Westshore Bears

Gold

Bronze

2019 Sannich Express Silver

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2013 Provincial Schedule". West Coast Junior Lacrosse League. 4 August 2013.
  2. ^ "Saanich Tigers Win Gold In British Columbia Provincials". The Lacrosse News. 3 August 2015.
  3. ^ "Canadian Lacrosse Almanac" (PDF). Old School Lacrosse. January 2015.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "2010 Provincial Schedule". West Coast Junior Lacrosse League. 1 August 2010.
  5. ^ "Tigers restore growl with bronze at Jr. B provincials". Victoria News. 10 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Saanich Tigers win junior B provincial championship". Victoria News. 9 August 2013.
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