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Zachery Whitford Goes First in ECJLL Draft
2017-02-08
Read this article for full results from the 2017 ECJLL MMLL Midget Entry Draft. Two big surprises in the first round dominated the excitement surrounding this year's draft.
The 2017 ECJLL Midget Entry Draft excitement started early, with the Halifax Northwest Marley Lions and the Mi’kmaq Warriors making a huge trade shaking up the first round. The Mi’kmaq Warriors sent the 1st Overall pick in the Midget Entry Draft and MUFLL Draft to the Marley Lions in exchange for pick three, four, and five of the 1st Round of the ECJLL MMLL Midget Entry Draft.
This is an unprecedented move, and one that led to the Marley Lions selecting Zachery Whitford with the first pick.
“We are excited to welcome Zachery into the Marley Lions family. His provincial experience bodes well for him to have a chance to compete for a spot in year one,” said Lions Head Coach Tyler James.
That provincial experience proved valuable, as the decision to move up in the draft came at the recommendation of longtime Nova Scotia provincial coaches Mike Smeltzer and Jordan Coyle, who James consulted prior to the draft.
Rounding out the Top 5 were Daniel Locke (St. Margaret’s Storm), Kaeden Paul (CBLA), Nathan Martinello (CBLA), and Stephen Syms (CBLA).
This marks the first year that a player from the Cape Breton Lacrosse Association, with not one but three selections in the first round.
While the Southwest Hurricanes did not make a pick in this year's draft, the Sackville Wolves and Dartmouth Bandits both made their first picks in the second round. Sackville selected Matt Duggan with the #7 selection and the Bandits took Ben Edwards at #10 overall.
Here are the entire draft results:
OFFICIAL: @mikmaqwarriors trade 1st pick in MMLL and @MUFLL drafts for @HNWMarleyLions 3rd, 4th, and 5th picks in 2017 and 2018 3rd rounder.
— ECJLL (@TheECJLL) February 8, 2017
This is an unprecedented move, and one that led to the Marley Lions selecting Zachery Whitford with the first pick.
“We are excited to welcome Zachery into the Marley Lions family. His provincial experience bodes well for him to have a chance to compete for a spot in year one,” said Lions Head Coach Tyler James.
@HNWMarleyLions move up and take Zackery Whitfield 1st Overall in the ECJLL MMLL Midget Entry Draft.
— ECJLL (@TheECJLL) February 8, 2017
That provincial experience proved valuable, as the decision to move up in the draft came at the recommendation of longtime Nova Scotia provincial coaches Mike Smeltzer and Jordan Coyle, who James consulted prior to the draft.
Rounding out the Top 5 were Daniel Locke (St. Margaret’s Storm), Kaeden Paul (CBLA), Nathan Martinello (CBLA), and Stephen Syms (CBLA).
This marks the first year that a player from the Cape Breton Lacrosse Association, with not one but three selections in the first round.
2017 marks the first time that a Cape Breton Lacrosse Association was selected in the first round of the Entry Draft - and there were three!
— ECJLL (@TheECJLL) February 9, 2017
While the Southwest Hurricanes did not make a pick in this year's draft, the Sackville Wolves and Dartmouth Bandits both made their first picks in the second round. Sackville selected Matt Duggan with the #7 selection and the Bandits took Ben Edwards at #10 overall.
Here are the entire draft results:
| Pick # | Team | Player Selected |
| Round 1 | ||
| 1 | Halifax Northwest Marley Lions (via Mi'kmaq) | Zachery Whitford (Bedford) |
| 2 | Sackville Sportwheels Wolves | Daniel Locke (St Margs) |
| 3 | Mi'kmaq Warriors | Kaeden Paul (CB) |
| 4 | Mi'kmaq Warriors | Nathan Martinello (CB) |
| 5 | Mi'kmaq Warriors | Stephen Syms (CB) |
| Round 2 | ||
| 6 | Mi'kmaq Warriors | Eli Beaton (St. Margs) |
| 7 | Sackville Sportwheels Wolves | Matt Duggan (St. Margs) |
| 8 | Southwest Hurricanes | PASS |
| 9 | Sackville Sportwheels Wolves (Via Northwest) | Connor Brown (St. Margs) |
| 10 | Dartmouth Bandits | Ben Edwards (St. Margs) |
| Round 3 | ||
| 11 | Southwest Hurricanes (via Warriors) | PASS |
| 12 | Sackville Sportwheels Wolves | Myles Hawco (St. Margs) |
| 13 | Mi'kmaq Warriors | Andrew Googoo (CB) |
| 14 | Halifax Northwest Marley Lions | PASS |
| 15 | Dartmouth Bandits | Thomas Fyfe (Bedford) |
| Round 4 | ||
| 16 | Mi'kmaq Warriors | Devin George (CB) |
| 17 | Sackville Sportwheels Wolves | Jake Gibbons (Bedford) |
| 18 | Southwest Hurricanes | PASS |
| 19 | Halifax Northwest Marley Lions | PASS |
| 20 | Dartmouth Bandits | PASS |
| Round 5 | ||
| 21 | Mi'kmaq Warriors | Brandon Grant (CBLA) |
| 22 | Sackville Sportwheels Wolves | PASS |
| 23 | Southwest Hurricanes | PASS |
| 24 | Halifax Northwest Marley Lions | PASS |
| 25 | Dartmouth Bandits | PASS |
| Round 6 | ||
| 26 | Mi'kmaq Warriors | Cory Miller (CBLA) |
| 27 | Sackville Sportwheels Wolves | PASS |
| 28 | Southwest Hurricanes | PASS |
| 29 | Halifax Northwest Marley Lions | PASS |
| 30 | Dartmouth Bandits | PASS |
| Round 7 | ||
| 31 | Mi'kmaq Warriors | Benjamin MacKenzie (PCL) |
| 32 | Sackville Sportwheels Wolves | PASS |
| 33 | Southwest Hurricanes | PASS |
| 34 | Halifax Northwest Marley Lions | PASS |
| 35 | Dartmouth Bandits | PASS |
| Round 8 | ||
| 36 | Mi'kmaq Warriors | Sampson Vassalo (PCL) |
| 37 | Sackville Sportwheels Wolves | PASS |
| 38 | Southwest Hurricanes | PASS |
| 39 | Halifax Northwest Marley Lions | PASS |
| 40 | Dartmouth Bandits | PASS |
| Round 9 | ||
| 41 | Mi'kmaq Warriors | PASS |
| 42 | Sackville Sportwheels Wolves | PASS |
| 43 | Southwest Hurricanes | PASS |
| 44 | Halifax Northwest Marley Lions | PASS |
| 45 | Dartmouth Bandits | PASS |