Pioneers Success – Part 1

Since the last Pioneers game Sportswave broadcast for the final championship series that saw them pull out an impressive game three win over the North Shore Indians we have had requests to focus back in time to look at the team’s history.

Given the history of the team as well as their success we felt it best to make the article in a two-part series.

Enjoy the read:

The history of the Ladner Pioneers dates back to 1981, when they joined the West Coast Senior Lacrosse Association which lists the Pioneers as an established member from 1981 onward.

Senior B lacrosse at that time developed from the old Inter-City Lacrosse League, which initially operated from 1934 through 1972 before becoming the West Coast Senior Lacrosse Association in 1973 which quickly saw Ladner establish itself as a strong lacrosse community rather than another expansion club.

The Pioneers’ in their first decade established themselves among the strongest Senior B teams in the BC that saw Ladner regularly compete with other powerhouse clubs as Surrey and Nanaimo for league supremacy.

It should be noted that the 1988 season best describes Ladner, Nanaimo and Surrey as the three league “powerhouses” clubs in the lower mainland noting that Ladner won the regular-season league championship, albeit Surrey eventually won the playoffs and the provincial championship.

The Canadian Lacrosse Almanac records the Pioneers as the 1988 Senior B provincial finalist, losing to Surrey.

The 1990–1991 season saw the Pioneers kick-off their success in Senior B Lacrosse beginning in the early 90ties that saw them win the WCSLA playoffs as well as the provincial championship representing BC in Fergus Ontario at the Canadian championship. 

The team was coached by Sam Thauli and managed by Mickey Meslo and Rod Winter.

Ladner finished fourth at the Canadian championship after losing 11–5 to the Owen Sound North Stars which included players such as the following:

• Leo Parolini
• Rob Cook
• Chris Baker
• Cam Duff
• Kevin Wladichuck
• Jon Caviglia
• Tim Winter
• Steve Henry
• John Schuss
• Fred Klomp
• Cam Grant
• Brian Meslo
• Chris Scabar
• Trevor Smita
• Rusty Manson
• Daryl Phillips
• Steve McLeod
• Ross Frehliuk

1991 saw the Pioneers win the provincial championship in Edmonton defeating Nanaimo going back to the national championship but failed to reach the medal round.

Mickey Meslo named Senior Manager of the Year in 91 while Steve Henry won Rookie of the Year with Cam Brown named Trainer of the Year.

The middle part of the 1990s saw the Pioneers become more than a dominant force who were often involved in the WCSLA championship which included the following

• 1994 — Ladner finished second
• 1995 — Ladner finished second
• 1996 — Ladner finished second
• 1997 — Ladner won the league
• 1998 — Ladner won the league

In 97 the Pioneers won the WCSLA championship and hosted the national Presidents Cup, coming up short of Gold but managed to grab Bronze.

The 98 Pioneers again reached the national Senior B championship and won the Presidents Cup, defeating the Newtown Golden Eagles with the championship played in Tuscarora, New York.

Notable members of the team were players and staff which included Bill Mischke, Rob Cook and Kyle Goundrey with Mischke named MVP, while Cook and Goundrey were selected as first-team All-Stars along with John Burr and Ross Frehlick as the coaches working along with GM Max Scabar.

The Pioneers produced another championship run in 2004 with Ladner winning the WCSLA championship and the Presidents Cup defeating Kahnawake Mohawks 6–3 in Langley with Rob Cook named MVP giving Ladner its second Presidents Cup championship.

The Pioneers hosted the Presidents Cup in Ladner, reaching the national tournament but losing to the Wellington Aces in the championship game but went on to win again in 2007 with another WCSLA championship returning to the Presidents Cup but lost 9–6 to the Sherwood Park Outlaws.

The 2017 championship was its first provincial title since 2007 again representing BC in Six Nations, Ontario only to be followed two short years later winning the provincial championship advancing to the 2019 Presidents Cup in Kahnawake, Quebec.