The Penticton Heat bantam advanced lacrosse team is still learning about itself three games into their season.
The Heat won once in the Thompson Okanagan Minor Box Lacrosse league.
“We’re still trying to figure out what the best game plan is for our group too to get the most out of the personnel we have,” said Heat coach Del Halladay, after his team lost 7-3 and 10-2 to the Kamloops Rattlers. “We have changed our systems from our first game to yesterday (Sunday) as well.”
Halladay likes the group of kids he works with saying they’re keen and eager to learn.
The Heat faced a strong Rattlers team on the weekend that regularly plays A1 teams, while they are an A2 squad.
“I thought in the first game in particular, we really competed with them. We outscored them in the second period. I thought we had a chance of even winning the game,” said Halladay.
In the rematch, Halladay felt his players lost their legs a bit. That forced them to chase the play and let Kamloops get around them to score. When Penticton did have opportunities to score, Rattlers goaltender Brendan Hunchak was difficult to beat. Hunchak has provincial team experience when he played peewee.
Their first win of the season was against Kelowna. Halladay said it will come down to them and Kelowna in the zone for who goes to provincials.
“It’s great to play Kamloops and try to raise the level of your game. Ultimately, it’s Kelowna that we’re going to have to beat,” said Halladay.