By Jeff D’Andrea

Outlaws LAX to make history on Friday

Apr 21, 2017 | 6:59 AM

On Friday at 8 p.m. at the Dave G. Steuart Arena, history will be made.

The first ever senior lacrosse regular season game will take place as the Prince Albert Outlaws will make their Prairie Gold Lacrosse League debut against the Saskatoon Brewers.

“It’s really exciting,” attacker Kyle Sawchuk said after Thursday’s practice. “We started this kinda from scratch and out of nowhere. It’s real big for lacrosse in P.A.”

Friday’s contest has been years of organization, planning and missed opportunities as well.

“We’ve actually been talking about it for probably a couple years,” player-coach Lawrence Holitzki said. “Last year, we got together and played two games against the junior team [the Prince Albert Predators]. Once we got everything going, we were actually just too late to get into the league.

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“We might have been able to go last year had we been a little more on the ball, but this year, we wanted to make sure everybody was on board.”

The creation of the team has given players, who otherwise couldn’t get play lacrosse in Prince Albert other than in the rec leagues, a chance to get back in the competitive scene.

“I’ve played pretty decent levels of sports growing up my whole life, so it’s nice to get back,” transition/defender Mark Peterson said. “I love the game. It’s good to finally get back out there instead of farting around with the guys.”

Of course, that first game will be a daunting task in itself. The Brewers last year won the provincials and were the first team in 40 years to represent Saskatchewan at the President’s Cup national lacrosse championship last summer.

“Actually, the guys are kinda laughing about it,” head coach Lawrence Holitzki said. “We said, ‘for us, it’s probably a really good thing. You go to the gates off the hop right against the number one team, and then we don’t play them again until late in the season [May 5].

“Once we get everybody on the same page and then play them again, that will be a good test, a good measuring stick to see where we’re at.”

The opening faceoff to the historic time is at 8 p.m. at the Steuart.

jeffdandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW.