Local athletes help Saskatchewan win first lacrosse medal at Indigenous Games

Team Saskatchewan won its first ever medal in lacrosse at last week’s North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) in Ontario and two Prince Albert residents got to be a part of that history-making team.

Tanner Vancoughnett and Ethan Beaulac, teammates on the P.A. junior ‘B’ Predators, and the rest of the U16 Saskatchewan team were presented with silver medals following an 8-1 loss to Team Ontario in the finals.

“Everyone was excited and we were all just surprised by how good we did. For the first time Saskatchewan got a medal, so everyone was excited,” said Vancoughnett, who was attending the tournament representing the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.

“Even though we lost (to Ontario in the final), everyone was still happy that we were getting silver. It’s still good to come home with silver.”

Team Saskatchewan kicked off its tournament with an 8-6 loss to the home team at the round robin stage.

“We were winning going into the third period and we were all getting excited. We thought we were actually going to beat Ontario for like the first time ever, but I think we got too excited and we lost a close game,” Vancoughnett said.

The team followed that match up with a 28-3 thrashing of Team Manitoba. In the semifinals, Saskatchewan edged past New York 6-5.

For more on this story, please read the Prince Albert Daily Herald¹s subscription-based print or e-editions.