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Ontario star happy to help Pioneers' special season

National Lacrosse League standout Ryan Benesch in line-up for wins over Langley and Nanaimo to wrap-up league play
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National Lacrosse League star Ryan Benesch (17) flew in from Ontario to make his home debut for the Ladner Pioneers in a win over Langley. Ladner finished first in the WCSLA with a 16-2-0, earning a bye to the playoff semi-finals.

Seeing one of the top players in the National Lacrosse League in uniform for the Ladner Pioneers was just another reminder of what this 2019 season is all about.

Ryan Benesch made his home debut in a 15-6 win over the Langley Warriors. He also suited up in Saturday’s 14-3 regular season finale win in Nanaimo before flying back home on Sunday.

The 34-year-old is considered one of the most prolific scorers of his generation in pro lacrosse — piling up 1,010 points in 206 NLL games, including 97 last season between Colorado and Rochester.

So what is a Kitchener boy doing playing at the Senior ‘B’ level on the west coast? It’s all about helping a team that is on a mission to produce a special season in memory of former player Thomas Haydon who lost his battle last fall to pancreatic cancer at the age of 36.

Benesch also doesn’t mind spending some of his summer in his favourite province. He played for the Western Lacrosse Association’s Victoria Shamrocks for a couple of seasons and remains close friends with assistant GM Rod Wade.

“The west coast is just a better way of life. It’s just so much more relaxed out here. If the opportunity arose I would maybe even move out here one day,” smiled Benesch. “A couple of the guys from the Pioneers reached out to me about playing here this season. I know the season is dedicated to their friend’s memory and I jumped on the opportunity. Hopefully I will do what I do to help them win.

“The nice thing too is the club also offered to bring my girlfriend with me and she had never been to Vancouver before. It spoke volumes of what kind of organization this is. That was a pretty stand up thing to do.”

Benesch arrived in Vancouver late Wednesday and was on the floor 24 hours later. His body clock was at 1 a.m. eastern time when the game against Langley wrapped up. 

The plan is that he will fly back to B.C. for weekend playoff games as Ladner attempts to win the West Coast Senior Lacrosse Association championship and secure its trip to nationals in Montreal next month. His job with the City of Kitchener provides flexibility for short notice travel and to take the odd day off if he has to.

Securing NLL stars to take runs at national titles has been a trend across the country at the Senior ‘B’ level of lacrosse in recent years. The Pioneers got a dose of it at the past two tournaments while Benesch helped Owen Sound win the President’s Cup back in 2009.

“Lacrosse is lacrosse. It doesn’t matter where you are. It’s a game. You are out there competing with everyone else. It doesn’t matter if it is A B or C (levels). You are still playing the game,” added Benesch. “The (President’s Cup) tournament format is tough. I’m not going to lie to you. But that’s lacrosse. There are no excuses and everybody has to go through it.”

Benesch piled up eight points in the two Ladner wins as head coach Ross Frehlick looked to find the best fit for him.

He is leaning towards playing him on a line with Spencer Bromley and Zach Herreweyers — another Ontario import. He will also use his tremendous vision to play up top on the power play.

“He just gives us confidence and makes us better,” said Frehlick. “If we get to the President’s Cup he will be the best player there and it’s good to know he will be with us. We are using these games to figure out some things before the playoffs.”

The Pioneers (16-2-0) first place finish earns them an opening round bye. They will play the winner of the Victoria/Langley first round series in the semi-finals. 

Boxla bits..

Tyler Kirkby is the run away winner of the league scoring title with 83 points, 22 more than his nearest rival. Teammate Ryan Keith was fourth with 52. Herreweyers just missed out on the league goal scoring title with 27 goals despite playing in just 11 games.