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Victoria Shamrocks pick up six, including two local players, in 2022 WLA junior draft

New players feature size, speed and skill; ‘Rocks open lacrosse season at home May 27
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The Western Lacrosse Association’s Victoria Shamrocks, here in action in the 2019 finals against New Westminster, stocked their roster with six graduating junior players from the 2022 draft. (Courtesy of Victoria Shamrocks)

The Victoria Shamrocks have added six new players to their roster from Thursday’s 2022 Western Lacrosse Association Graduating Junior Player Draft.

The ‘Rocks started the draft by choosing Greater Victora’s Liam Phillips as their compensatory pick prior to the first full round of the draft. Described as a “dynamic lefty-defence/transition player,” Philips stands at 6’0” and weighs in at 185 lbs. He currently plays professionally in the National Lacrosse League for the Panther City Lacrosse Club and is teammates with Victoria’s Patrick Dodds.

In regular draft rounds, the Shamrocks added:

Justyn Gurney, 6’2” 195 lbs., left-handed defender out of the Delta Islanders, a former Western Hockey League player with the Everett Silvertips who is currently attending Wilfrid Laurier University;

Trevayne Hunter, 5’10” 175 lbs., left-handed offense player from the Langley Thunder, currently attending Montevallo University;

Colin Jeffrey, a goaltender from Shawnigan Lake, Port Coquitlam Saints;

Jon Greig, 6’0” 190 lbs., right-handed defender from the Delta Islanders;

Ryan Atkinson, 5’11”, 185 lbs., left-handed goaltender from Victoria from the junior Shamrocks

“We’re very pleased to welcome these six players to our team,” general manager Chris Welch said in a news release. “It’s an exciting blend of size, speed and skill. We’re anticipating this group will add to a tremendous competition at training camp in April.”

The Shamrocks are set to kick off the 2022 season at The Q Centre in Colwood against the New Westminster Salmonbellies on May 27.

READ MORE: Former Shamrock named new head coach of Syracuse University’s men’s lacrosse team


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