Sunday 16 July, Macclesfield Rugby Club, The North
The London Knights box lacrosse team beat Disney Dynamos 7-2 in the final of the Tasko Cup 2023 to retain the title they won in 2019, the last time the tournament was run (thanks to Covid).
The weekend 2023 Tasko Cup was held at the new outdoor box arena at Macclesfield Rugby Club. Five men's teams battled for gold. Two women's teams playing a single game each day. All the action was live streamed via LacrosseLiveUK.
The Southern Box Lacrosse (SBL) Capitals, the mostly Scottish Grizzlies and a youthful northern Heaton Hornets were the other three men's teams.
The women's games were the first truly competitive women's box games held in this country. The bulk of the players were from the SBL programme, joining northern based players.
London Knights
Top Row: Dan Watson (Spencer), Valts Grinsberg (Camden), Tom Hallam, Albert Whitehead (Spencer), Tom Roche (Spencer), Ben Buchanan (Spencer), Elliot Bickerton, Ryan Power (Spencer) & Jack Robinson (Spencer)
Bottom Row: Eliot Pugh (Milton Keynes), Drew Wilkinson, Sam Hewitt (Spencer), Jude Krommenhoek (Spencer), Silas Burke, Louis Alhage (Camden), Drew Bickerton & Matt Marsh
Not Pictured: Alan Keeley (Hampstead) & Will Walker (Spencer)
SBL Capitals
Top Row: Paul Milner (Reading), Sebastian Di Siena (Oxford City), Pete Smith (Cheltenham), Ben Stowe (Welwyn), Reece Piper (East Grinstead), Patrick Kearney (Spencer) & Callum Counihan (East Grinstead)
Bottom Row: Seb Grant (Camden), Dale Haxton (Hitchin), Tyler Rodberg (Oxford University), Jacob Nichols Cook (Hitchin), Russell Farrer (Hitchin), Sam Perry (East Grinstead), Nate Ellis (Hitchin), Kyle MacQueen (Hitchin) & Max Biddlestone (Cheltenham)
Not Pictured: Rob Clark (Spencer) & Owen Keeley
John Pordum (left) and Rob Gooch were part of the referee crew for the tournament. John was running as head referee for many of his games. Rob just officiated a couple of games as was otherwise busy on the microphone for the live YouTube video stream. If any field lacrosse referees want to give box officiating a go, contact the SBL team via admin@southernboxlacrosse.org.