Saanich standout Luke Neary selected by Saints with top pick in BCJALL Entry Draft
(l-r) Devin Virk, James Hall, Tyler Delli-Carri and Luke Neary (Photo: Ken Anderson)
This past Saturday at the Langley Events Centre, the British Columbia Junior A Lacrosse League held their 2023 Entry Draft, which saw Luke Neary (Saanich Tigers) taken first overall by the Port Coquitlam Saints.
The Saints, who had eleven picks total over the league’s six-round draft, also selected Parker M’Lot (Ridge Meadows Burrards) with the seventh overall pick in the first round. The New Westminster Salmonbellies owned eleven selections as well, taking Ewen Patrick (Ride Meadows Burrards) third overall with their highest pick.
Neary, who represented the gold medal-winning Team BC as the U18 group’s only 16-year-old this past September in Fredericton, New Brunswick, is a University of Michigan commit, where he’ll begin at the DI program in the fall of 2025.
Coached by former National Lacrosse League players Darren Reisig & Chris McKay at the Claremont Lacrosse Academy in his hometown of Victoria, Neary also played for another past professional player, Fred Jenner, through the Saanich minor system.
Jenner, whose son Hudson Jenner was also drafted by Port Coquitlam with the team’s first pick in the second round, describes Neary as, “A big, strong athletic lefty, Luke’s offensive prowess is what catches many people’s eyes, but what truly makes him a top pick is this consistent competitiveness all over the floor.
“He can play physical on defense, use his speed to get up the floor in transition and his finesse to score in tight. He’s a complete athlete and an even better teammate.”
Below, see how all six rounds of the BCJALL Entry Draft played. The Ontario Junior Lacrosse League also held their draft this past weekend. The Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League is preparing to host their North & South Junior Combines later this month in St. Albert & Calgary, Alberta.
2023 BCJALL Entry Draft Results
First Round
1. Luke Neary, Port Coquitlam Saints
2. Blake Young, Delta Islanders
3. Ewen Patrick, New Westminster Salmonbellies
4. Parker Sorenson, New Westminster Salmonbellies
5. Scott Williams, Delta Islanders
6. Keegan Laity, New Westminster Salmonbellies
7. Parker M’Lot, Port Coquitlam Saints
8. Jamison Thomson, Delta Islanders
Second Round
9. Hudson Jenner, Port Coquitlam Saints
10. Sebastian Miles, Delta Islanders
11. Torsten Blodgett, New Westminster Salmonbellies
12. Damien Xiong, New Westminster Salmonbellies
13. James Hall, Nanaimo Timbermen
14. Andrew Sam, Delta Islanders
15. Cayden Barker, New Westminster Salmonbellies
16. Markus Chenard, Port Coquitlam Saints
Third Round
17. Zachary Hulbert, Port Coquitlam Saints
18. Austin Reed, New Westminster Salmonbellies
19. Devin Virk, Delta Islanders
20. Quinn Mulcahy, Burnaby Lakers
21. Nicolas Sdrakas, Nanaimo Timbermen
22. Case Laturnus, New Westminster Salmonbellies
23. William Denman, Delta Islanders
24. Matthew Oman, Victoria Shamrocks
Fourth Round
25. Layne Myer, Port Coquitlam Saints
26. Elliott Postings, Nanaimo Timbermen
27. Levi Leach, New Westminster Salmonbellies
28. Carter Smith, Port Coquitlam Saints
29. Cole Van Nes, Coquitlam Adanacs
30. Declan Fines, Langley Thunder
31. Josh Carson, Nanaimo Timbermen
32. Passed, Victoria Shamrocks
Fifth Round
33. Tristan Dennill, Port Coquitlam Saints
34. Charlie Syberg-Olsen, Delta Islanders
35. Carter Dowsley, New Westminster Salmonbellies
36. Cooper Judson, Burnaby Lakers
37. Malcolm Lotz, Coquitlam Adanacs
38. Gunner Leifsson, Langley Thunder
39. Kade Leifsson, Langley Thunder
40. James Pratt, Port Coquitlam Adanacs
Sixth Round
41. Noah Webster, Port Coquitlam Saints
42. Ayrton Bodo, Delta Islanders
43. Brogan Kennedy, New Westminster Salmonbellies
44. Chase Klassen-Johnson, Burnaby Lakers
45. Colton Cap, Coquitlam Adanacs
46. Dallan Lewis, Langley Thunder
47. Koru Joseph, Nanaimo Timerbmen
48. Christopher Myer, Port Coquitlam Saints