Following a season agonizingly close to playoff action the Okotoks Ice have retooled for another kick at the postseason can.
The Jr. B Tier II Ice missed out on the postseason dance in a tiebreaker last season and despite a younger roster this year the expectations are to contend for a Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League (RMLL) championship.
“I expect provincials. I want us to go all the way and there’s no reason we can’t,” Ice head coach Kris Handley said. “We won’t run the table, but we will be definitely competitive and out of the nine teams in the South I want to be top-four or five without question.”
The first year head coach is encouraged by the bevy of talented shooters on his roster from his eight to nine core players. Goal scoring shouldn’t be an issue for the Icemen.
“We’ve got a lot of snipers on our team and our defence is looking really, really good and transition is getting there too,” Handley said. “Everything is starting to come along.”
The Ice will be a largely new roster this campaign, with just four remnants from last year’s team. The rookie heavy squad will feature freshman netminders Andrew Bablitz and Marshall Hofland as the last line of defence.
“They’re both rookies and you couldn’t tell,” Handley said. “They’re both studs.”
Bablitz said there will be a few adjustments in his leap from the Okotoks Midget B Mustangs to Jr. B.
“I did play a few games last year with the Senior C’s and practiced with them so I do have some experience,” said Bablitz, a Grade 11 student at Foothills Composite High School. “I’ve got to get used to the bigger (six-by-six) nets.
“I’m just going to take it as it hits me.”
Not a bad approach for a goalie and one shared by fellow rookie Andrew Loose, coming off a stellar season with the Okotoks Midget A Mustangs – winners of the illustrious Canada Day tournament.
“We split that (Mustangs) team between Tier I and Tier II, but I think momentum from last year will definitely come up,” said Loose, also a Grade 11 student at Foothills Composite. “We work pretty well together and have some pretty strong players.”
No longer the only Jr. B lacrosse option in town with the introduction of the Tier I Okotoks Marauders this season, the Ice have struggled to find committed players to the program.
“We will be pulling from Tier III teams for guys that want to come out,” Handley said. “It’s a case of wanting to be here. I’ve got a few guys that don’t want to come and that’s part of lacrosse.”
Once the Okotoks Jr. A Raiders’ and Marauders’ rosters are finalized the Ice should be boosted by the trickle-down effect with a few new additions in advance of the rapidly approaching regular season.
The Ice will look to corral the Calgary Wranglers in their home opener tonight, May 8, at 5:30 p.m. at Pason Centennial Arena. The Medicine Hat Sun Devils then pay Okotoks a visit on Saturday, also at 5:30 p.m.
