The 2024 Coquitlam Adanacs stamped their name into the record books on Monday by defeating the Port Coquitlam Saints to secure the 2024 BCJALL title.
Both teams will represent the BCJALL at the 2024 Minto Cup, which is set to be held from August 17-24 at the “Palace on Poirier” in Coquitlam.
If you haven’t seen it, the Adanacs have are producing a documentary series chronicling the road to the Minto Cup. Check that out below.
The victory was the 12th league championship for the Adanacs since 2009, a run of success unlike many others in Canadian lacrosse. They were led in scoring during the playoffs by deadline acquisition Cody Malawsky, who scored 25 points in seven playoff outings. American Ryan Colsey led the Adanacs in goals with 15, which included 5 in the final game on Monday.
Goaltender Jack Kask was phenomenal during the playoffs as well, never allowing more than 8 goals in a single playoff game.
Looking back through past seasons, the 2024 Adanacs join some elite company. Here is the complete list of BCJALL champions, their record, and their goal differential.
The 2024 Coquitlam team is just the third group since 2005 to finish the playoff season undefeated. The last team to do it was the 2015 Coquitlam team that was led by Ontario import Chris Cloutier.
The only other team to do it was the 2005 Burnaby Lakers team which was led by the 1-2 punch of Dane Dobbie and Garrett Billings. That team was the last Lakers team to win the Minto Cup during their dynastic run. The Lakers won the Cup in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2005.
In the span referenced above, only two teams have posted a higher goal differential than the 2024 Adanacs. Last year’s team finished with a +47 differential, while the 2011 Adanacs led the way with a remarkable +54 goal differential in just 8 games.
The 2011 Adanacs went undefeated in the regular season before dominating the playoffs. Ironically, they were led in scoring during the playoffs by Travis Cornwall, who coached against the Adanacs this season with the Saints. That group also featured NLL stars like Casey Jackson, Wes Berg, and Ben McIntosh.
It’s worth noting that winning a Minto is not necessarily correlated to these dominant runs. The 2011 Adanacs did not win the Minto that year, losing to the Whitby Warriors.
Since 2005, the BCJALL has produced four Minto Cup Champions. The 2005 Lakers did it, followed by the 2010 Adanacs (led by Ontario import Mark Matthews), and the 2018 Coquitlam Adanacs did it. In 2016, the Adanacs won the Minto Cup despite losing the BCJALL championship to the Delta Islanders.
Both the Saints and Adanacs will enjoy some time off before the Minto as they await the conclusion of the OJLL and RMLL playoffs. Stay tuned to LCD for coverage of all three leagues as the race for the Minto continues.