In many ways, 18-year-old Tyler Vogrig personifies the Burnaby Lakers’ 2014 junior A season.
The aged-up Burnaby junior has grown into his role as an offensive leader on a Lakers team that has vastly improved over last season’s dismal 1-20-0 record.
Athough Burnaby still lingers near the bottom of the eight-team B.C. Junior Lacrosse League ladder, this season’s Lakers bear no resemblance to the group that took the floor in 2013.
In fact, the junior Lakers have shown positive growth in the month of June after the first-year Vogrig returned to the lineup after a three-game suspension that occured in Nanaimo.
Since then, Burnaby won its third game of the season, and the young Vogrig has appeared to have found his way.
In his last four games, Vogrig has 17 points, including nine goals in his last two games.
Sunday’s 8-6 loss to the nationally third-ranked Coquitlam Adanacs at home just might be the moment when the Lakers and Vogrig came of age.
“The past few games we’ve been playing really good,” said Vogrig, who figured in on all the scoring, including four goals. “(Without a full lineup) everyone has to chip in as much as we can. It’s a team effort, really. But we’ve come a long way.”
When Vogrig was taken first overall by the Lakers in last year’s midget draft, he thought he was coming to a “team in progress,” he said.
“I came here to make a difference, and the coaches here are helping me to make that difference,” he said. “I’ve been playing with my brother (Ryan), who’s two years older than me, since I was 12. When I came up here, I feel I’m playing at my own age level. That’s what I feel like.”
Few would like to question Vogrig’s assertion.
Last week, the Lakers held on for two periods against the first-place New Westminster Salmonbellies, with Vogrig counting a career-high five goals, including Burnaby’s last four goals from the second period on.
New Westminster put its foot down in the final frame, outscoring the home team 6-1 for an 15-8 win on June 19.
Xander McDonald made his first start in goal for Burnaby, turning aside 46 shots, including 22 saves in the second period.
But it is clear, that the Lakers are beginning to see the speedy righthander as a leader on the floor.
“Even though I’m younger, I motivate my guys to keep pushing,” he said. “Right now, we’re going up from here.
“This game and the one before, we’ve come close. We had them worried. We’re doing something right.”
Burnaby will be in Port Coquitlam on Friday, before returning to the Copeland centre for another matchup with New Westminster. Game time is 7 p.m.
