With roughly half of the Junior B team returning for the 2011 season, the Surrey Rebels are looking at their Intermediate B squad to fill the vacant positions.
The West Coast Junior Lacrosse League (WCJLL) team has already moved up one member of the Intermediate squad, hiring Padraic Lawrence to serve as head coach, hoping to improve on last season’s 6-11-3 (won-lost-tied) record. The Rebels, which finished eighth in the 12-team league, has third year veterans Bobby Tammen, Tyler Voisey and 2009 WCJLL all-star netminder Jeff Geyer. Returning sophomores are Max Richards, Conor Campbell, Harrison Mortimer, Brett Williams and 2010 WCJLL all-star Brad Olson.
The Rebels will host the Ridge Meadows Burrards in a preseason contest Monday night at 8 p.m. in the Cloverdale Arena.
The Rebels Intermediate B team failed to make the playoffs for the first time in team history last season, going 4-14-1 in B.C. Intermediate Lacrosse League play.
Only five players are eligible to return and play under a new coaching staff that includes Cam Fielding as head coach, with Braden Wilkins and Marcus Kearney as assistants. All three have played in the Rebels organization. Returning veterans are Kyle Clarke, Ryan Millen, Steven Munro, Joey Puchmayr and Jerrod Sidhu.
Preseason play concludes with a game next Friday (April 22) against the Nicola Valley (Merritt) Thunder at 8 p.m. in the Cloverdale Arena.