Kitchener-Waterloo takes Clark Dunford with #1 pick in 2023 OJLL Entry Draft
Clark Dunford, Hamilton Bengals (Photo: OLA)
The Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club selected Clark Dunford with today’s top pick in the 2023 Ontario Junior Lacrosse League Entry Draft held at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre.
Dunford, who played his minor lacrosse with the Hamilton Bengals, is also a standout hockey prospect, taken by the Hamilton Bulldogs in last year’s Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection. Also in 2022, Dunford impressed at the TRAC-hosted Canadian Box Showcase where he was voted All-Tournament First Team and his division’s Most Outstanding Player.
Treysen Stewart & Matthew Drimmie (Photo: OLA)
The draft started with an honorary first-round selection of Tucker Williams. Williams, the son of NLL Hall of Fame inductee and current Las Vegas Desert Dogs Head Coach and General Manager, Shawn Williams, passed away in December of 2014 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was just eight years old. An incredible talent prior to his passing, this would have been Tucker’s OJLL draft eligible year. Many of his past Oshawa Blue Knights teammates were either protected or drafted this year.
Below, see all 22 picks at this year’s OJLL Entry Draft, plus click here to see each team’s list of protected players leading into today’s draft at the TRAC in Oakville.
2023 OJLL Entry Draft Results
Overall pick. Player, OJLL team (Minor association)
First Round
H1. Tucker Williams, Whitby (Oshawa)
1. Clark Dunford, Kitchener-Waterloo (Hamilton)
2. Caiden Merritt, Kitchener (Halton Hills)
3. Zackary Toll, St. Catharines (Oshawa)
4. Ty Wilson, St. Catharines (Oshawa)
5. Treysen Stewart, Whitby (Oshawa)
6. Cameron Wheelans, St. Catharines (Oshawa)
7. Tyler Graham, Kitchener-Waterloo (Cambridge)
8. Zack Poirier, St. Catharines (Nepean)
9. Joseph Columbus, Kitchener (Centre-Wellington)
10. Noah Simpson, St. Catharines (Oshawa)
11. Nolan Barker, Kitchener (London)
Second Round
12. Holden Ranta, Whitby (Oshawa)
13. Matthew Drimmie, Peterborough (Oshawa)
14. Brayden Mitchell, Kitchener (Wallaceburg)
15. Quinn Brennan, Six Nations (Windsor)
16. Owen Rice, Peterborough (Kahnawake)
17. Hunter Roy, Kitchener (Milton)
18. Kayle Ryan, Oakville (Clarington)
19. Alexander May, Brampton (Orillia)
20. Nicholas Belmonte, Brampton (Oshawa)*
21. Landon Jaeckle, Six Nations (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
22. Josh Manning, St. Catharines (London)
*Obtained in draft-day trade with Whitby Warriors.