The Victoria Junior Shamrocks are headed to the 2019 Minto Cup national Junior A lacrosse championship final after a big turnaround in the tournament being held at the Langley Events Centre.
The Junior Shamrocks scored four unanswered goals in overtime to defeat the Alberta champion Okotoks Raiders 12-8 in the semifinal game Monday night. Victoria advanced to play the Ontario champion Orangeville Northmen in the best-of-five final beginning Wednesday night at the LEC. The Northmen topped the round-robin standings to receive a bye into the final.
The Junior Shamrocks began the round-robin portion of the championships with a 12-1 loss to Orangeville and 13-10 loss to Okotoks before shocking the B.C. champion Coquitlam Junior Adanacs 15-7 on Sunday to squeeze into the semifinal game.
The Junior Shamrocks, making their first Minto Cup appearance since 2008, are looking for Victoria's first national Junior A championship since Esquimalt Legion in 1988.
