It didn’t take long for the Lord Selkirk Royals to find success as the new kids on the block in the Manitoba High School Field Lacrosse League.
It was the first time in several years the Royals had fielded a boys team. In their previous season of play, they captured a Division 2 championship.
The Royals made their long-awaited return this year with former players stepping into coaching roles while nearly the entire roster picked up a lacrosse stick for the first time.
There was a learning curve early on as the Royals lost their first three regular-season games in the MHSFLL’s Division 3. They quickly turned things around, however, winning two of their final five games to finish seventh in the nine-team league.
They then advanced to the playoffs, where the experience gained during the regular season paid off.
Their three players with previous experience — Brody Desjardins, Max Ojala and goalkeeper Mason Grant — helped steer the ship as the Royals shocked second-seeded Leo Remillard 3-2 in the opening round.
They carried that momentum into the semifinals, upsetting third-ranked Transcona 6-2 to earn an unexpected championship berth.
There, they faced top-ranked Murdoch MacKay, which had not lost a game all season.
Murdoch came out strong and built a 5-2 lead midway through the third quarter before the Royals mounted the comeback of a lifetime, scoring four consecutive goals. The rally was capped by the eventual game-winner from Desjardins as Selkirk knocked off the regular-season champions 6-5 to claim the Division 3 title.
“They just got more comfortable,” said head coach Josh Poponick, a former Royals player.
“It became more of them not worrying about passing and catching. They were more worried about, ‘Okay, this defender is on me. I’ve got to do this. I’ve got to move this way.’”
Poponick credited Grant’s ability to make key saves as a major factor in the team’s turnaround.
Grant allowed just nine goals in three playoff games and came up with several critical stops in the championship game against Murdoch’s high-powered offence.
Other key contributions came from players embracing team-first roles in close games, allowing top scorers such as Ojala and Desjardins to remain on the field for much of the playoff run while others stepped in when called upon.
“Max Ojala might have come off the field twice in that championship game,” said Poponick. “He started as a d-pole earlier in the game and then we needed a couple more goals. He even scored a couple as a d-pole with a long stick.
“We moved him to midfield near the end, and he and Brody just kind of ran with their two-man game. The biggest thing that helped us through that whole playoff run was Mason. In my opinion, even though we’re in Division 3, he’s one of the best goalies in that league. Hands down, one of the top goalies in this province.
“For a kid who just started playing field lacrosse goalie, I think last year was his first taste of it. The way he stepped up in the playoffs was incredible. One kid from Murdoch whom I’d coached this summer came off the field and said, ‘We cannot get this ball past Mason. He is too good.’
“He was the backbone of our team and definitely kept us in it.”
The strong return season also sets up a bright future for the Royals.
With many players eligible to return next year and now armed with championship experience, the Royals could eventually seek promotion to higher divisions.
They also benefit from a strong coaching staff that includes Poponick, Tyndall Fontaine, Trayton Smith, Allison Savoie and Courtnee Scobie-Schulthorp.
The Royals are also thriving on the women’s side of the MHSFLL, where they once again competed in the top division under head coach Regina Kiteley.
Kiteley originally approached Poponick about coaching the boys team after the two coached respective boys and girls box lacrosse teams at last summer’s Canada Games.
