They’re now the Acme T-men, not the DBL T-men, but they’re the same team Nanaimo lacrosse fans have cheered for all these years.
The Acme Painting Timbermen take the floor Saturday (May 4) to start another season in the West Coast Senior Lacrosse Association.
“We pretty much have the same team we ended last season with, with a couple improvements,” said Shawn Swanson, the team’s general manager. “I like where we’re at.”
The Timbermen will be led offensively by Jon Diplock, who is back after leading the league in goals and points a year ago.
“Jonny’s a great player that can pretty much do everything,” said Mike Maughan, the team’s coach. “We want to have some secondary scoring so we don’t have to rely on him, but at the same point we want to also do everything we can to help him be successful and use the weapon that he is as much as we can.”
Ryan Forslund, Ryan Clark, Kyle Noble, Gabe Sutherland, Joey Fendick and newcomer Steve Higgs are some of the other players who will be looked to offensively.
The defensive stalwarts are Kyle Couling and Graeme Ross, supported by Nolan Maughan and transition guys like Shane Chalker, Ryan Dietterle, Nick Agius and new additions Cody Keating and Stephen MacFarlane.
Aaron Vanderhorst isn’t at 100 per cent, but could join the mix at any time and be the leader of the transition unit.
Veteran goalie Danny Walters is back this year, joining last year’s No. 1, Pat Mallough.
The game plan will be similar in 2013, said Swanson.
“It’s a lot of what we did last year – running teams offensively and defensively and getting back and forth,” he said. “We’re not guys that are lumbering off on offence or defence; we’re guys that are running back on offence and defence. Transition’s going to be our big key.”
GAME ON … The Acme Timbermen play the Valley Rebels on Saturday at 5:45 p.m. at the Nanaimo Ice Centre … For season ticket information, please visit www.nanaimotimbermen.com.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com